The Treatment of Iraqi Turks Since the Aftermath of Wwi: A Human Rights Perspective

By Yawooz Ezzat

The legacy of colonial power in many undeveloped countries (in the aftermath of the First World War) is closely linked with the many problems that those countries are now experiencing. These problems are used as a smokescreen whenever the dominant countries of the world wish to further their interests; these poorer nations can be manipulated through religion or nationalism, or any other factor of expediency. What has happened throughout history (i.e., before, during, and after WW1) was not through happenstance. But rather logic dictates that a sophisticated political plan has been in place, and the long-lasting cold war between the Eastern and Western Blocks, driven by their contradicting beliefs over a universal political system, has had the sole aim of gaining control over the vast oil and gas reserves of the region.
Such machinations were evident in Central Namibia, where genocidal crimes were committed against the Herero population by the German dictator; his solders and other ethnic groups were manipulated for the above purpose. This also happened in Algeria where the colonial power was France; the French supported a military junta who committed genocidal crimes over decades in the name of maintaining stability and control over Mediterranean Sea. The Turkic descendents in Iraq have been subjected to similar methods (i.e., ethnic cleansing since the aftermath of the WWI) and for the same purpose.
The main objective of this research therefore has been to develop an in-depth analysis of the treatment of Iraqi Turks following WWI, arguing that the above systematic ethnic cleansing in Iraq has links with the colonial era. If Iraqis continue to ignore this fact and continue to blame each other, ethnic cleansing will continue, and it may affect other groups as well. Yet the new world order and financial system is designed in such a way as to serve those aims, and international law is too feeble to counter those plans. The ethnic cleansing in Iraq will remain unchanged as long as the political elite in Iraq continue to serve the aims of the great powers.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Trafford Publishing
• Release date: Jul 17, 2012
• ISBN: 9781466946040

Yawooz Ezzat

Yawooz Ezzat is a founder and director of the charity "For a Better World", which aims to increase educational, health, employment, and civic support to disadvantaged people/communities in the UK and abroad, and reduce poverty and inequality, thus improving understanding of diverse communities and challenging discrimination through various methods. He also works in education and translation. In addition to English he can speak, read and write in Arabic, Kurdish and new and old Turkish languages. He has published several short articles in Middle Eastern journals and websites. Yawooz graduated with an LLM International Law and Financial Markets and BSc Psychology from the University of East London. He also holds a Post Graduate Certificate in Systemic Practice with Families and Couples, awarded jointly by the Institute of Family Therapy and Birbeck College, University of London.  Yawooz Ezzat has expanded his knowledge and experience of teaching in the UK by joining the Gate-2-Teaching programme and completing a "Refugee into Teaching course: Communication Skills for teachers programme" at Middlesex University, and several other short courses and programmes designed to help overseas teachers who want to teach in the UK. He has also worked in creative and innovative ways with young people in both paid and volunteer roles in the UK. He has recently been working on his new article, "Would Iraq benefit by joining the WTO?"

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CONTENTS

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

CHAPTER ONE

CHAPTER TWO

CHAPTER THREE

CHAPTER FOUR

CHAPTER FIVE

APPENDIX 1

APPENDIX 2

REFERENCES

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

I would first like to express my gratitude for my parents, colleagues, and peers and family whose immense and constant support has been a source of continuous guidance and inspiration.

CHAPTER ONE

1.1 Introduction

After the Arabs and the Kurds, the Iraqi Turkic descendents constitute the third biggest ethnic assembly in Iraq. [¹] They reside in Turkmeneli region, which is a diagonal flat land located in the north of Iraq, bordered by the hills of Syria in the north, Iran in the east and Baghdad in the south. Kerkuk is the capital of Turkmeneli and one of its strategic cities, along with other large towns including: Telafar, Erbil Kerkuk, Tuzhurmatu, Kifri Daquq, Khanakin, Qaratapa, Qizilrabat, and Mandeli, these towns are enclosed with hundreds of villages and divided between the Arab and Kurdish regions.[²]

001_a_reigun.jpg

Figure 1: Previous state of Gök Kümbet was built in the Seljuk era in 1361

1.2 Inquiry Overview

The main objective of this work was to get in-depth analysis of the treatment of Iraqi Turks after World War I. This research has been organized in successive five chapters and exposes the overall review of human rights and the discrimination prevailed in Iraq after World War I. Initially, this report presents an introduction to the topic and sets out the research themes, highlighting key background information and explaining the reasons behind the study. Following the introduction, the second chapter review extensive literature on the topic at hand and also on other theories which relate and/or support the overall issue being considered. This section is particularly relevant as it covers the views from authors and experts in the area, providing invaluable frameworks which outlined and supported the whole research. Subsequent to the second chapter is the consideration of general research methods and its main advantages and disadvantages. Further, the third part of this study explains which methods were applied to this specify research and the reasons why such approached were selected. Key information on this chapter includes an explanation of the research approach and strategies undertaken during the study and details on how the data was collected. The fourth chapter presents an introduction to the chapter and critically analyzes the data with the views of several authors. After the consideration of the research findings, the following chapter exhibits the main conclusions in line with the literature review previously conducted, while answering the research questions and addressing its objectives. At the same time, the fifth chapter provides conclusion.

1.3 Background of the Study

This book will explore the contention that successive Iraqi government has attempted to conceal the forensic evidence of the systemic crimes and ethnic cleansing committed against the Turkic descendents of Turkmeneli. Nevertheless, further crimes continue to be committed, and manifold evidence demonstrates that Iraqi governments and the Kurdish regional government are responsible for these crimes against Turkic descendents since the era of the creation of new Iraqi borders, both as individuals and in terms of their identity as a nation.

Iraqi governments have broken many of their obligations under the Universal Declaration of the Human Rights (UDHR), [³] particularly those listed under Articles 1, which deals with equality of rights and dignity; Article 2, which provides the entitlement to all rights without discrimination of any kind, such as race, colour, language or religion; and Article 3, which provides guidance on the basic human right to life, liberty and security, as the UDHR states that Everyone has the right to life, liberty and security of person. [⁴][ ⁵] Their role, creates a lack of provision of security or protection of life of the Iraqi Turks, as well as prohibition of these people establishing their security institutions to protect themselves from those crimes, in comparison all other Iraqis have formed their armed forces and have their salaries that were paid by the Iraqi government, for example Al-Sahwah suni forces, Al-Mahdi Armi, the Kurdish Peshmergas, Zerevanis, Asaesh, Parastin, Zanyari and so on. In addition there have been illegal active secret forces as well, such as Saddam Army and forces under the emblems of Islam.

This book will also demonstrate that the USA and UK have failed to fulfil their role of ensuring the protection of civilians during the period of their occupation of Iraq since 2003. This could constitute a breach of their obligations to the Geneva Conventions (IV) of 12th August 1949,[⁶] which provides regulations for the protection of civilians and people who are no longer taking part in conflict, such as wounded or sick fighters, prisoners of war, civilians, medical and religious personal. This is supported by Protocol I, Article 50.1, [⁷] which defines civilians as any person who is not a combatant an in case of doubt a person is to be considered a civilian.[⁸] This essay will argued that these countries have played a passive role in the atrocities that occurred during the period of their occupation, effectively enabling Kurdish belligerents to invade, kill, destroy and loot Turkmeneli cities. Accordingly the argument will be and discussed that Kurdish Authorities have indeed committed crimes against humanity and are in violation of Article 7 (1) of the Rome Statue of the ICC,[⁹] and Article 8,[¹⁰] of the Geneva Convention due to their invasion of the Turkmeneli cities and villages during the two USA invasions (1991 and April 2003). Consequently, this paper is based upon the concept that the violation of International Law during the USA invasion comprises both national and international character, in the context of the examination of the crimes committed by the US invaders and by Arab and Kurdish rebels during the period of US invasion.

Since the beginning of September 2011 many more Turkic descendents have been added to the lists of innocent victims added to the lists of kidnapped, including three medical practitioners and the young child of a medical doctor in the capital city of Turkmeneli, Kerkuk. This was followed by the bombing of two sub-headquarters of the Turkmen front in Kerkuk in the same week in October 2011. These crimes have become a daily occurrence, whereby every Turk from Turkmeneli is Targeted. [¹¹] For example on 27th of November 2011 nineteen Turkic civilians were reported to have either been injured or killed as a result of three sequence explosion targeted the home of Turkic MP Ali Mahdi Sadiq. This paper therefore endeavour to focus on those policies and acts which represent a continuation of the systemic methods employed against the identity, territory and culture of the Iraqi Turks of Turkmeli since the era of the inception of the Iraqi state in the aftermath of the First World War (WW1).[¹²]

These violations encompasses the continuing endeavours by the Iraqi central government, the regional Kurdish government, and the Arab and Kurdish armed nationalist rebels, to inhabit their territory, to change the demography of their region and to decimate their national and ethnic identity; primarily by means of widespread persecution, atrocities, and terror. The role of the dominant world power will also be highlighted. This paper contends that crimes against humanity have been committed in terms of deliberate acts, encompassing a deliberate campaign of massacre, impoverishment, abduction, torture, and deportation, cultural destruction, as well as negligence of their rights to political representation.

Due to chronological consideration of the problem might not be viable by giving the complexity of these issues. Accordingly this paper will present an examination of the recent scope of the problem and its impact on the life of the Turkic descendents. The main cause of the problem will then be examined according to its historical order, whereby this paper will argue it has link with foreign interest and the era of foreign occupation. A brief introduction to the history of Iraq and the Turkmeneli region will be provided, along with a review of Turkic history in the region and the roles that have been played in the preservation of Iraqi unity. The paper will address the mass killings committed against Turkic descendants and provide evidence regarding the claims that systemic ethnic cleansing[¹³] has been committed against the Iraqi Turks since WWI, while highlighting key periods of political negligence and misrepresentation of the population. Emphasis of the breaches of International Law and discussion of the interpretation of lawful doctrine will also be provided, with particular attention to each type of cleansing that has been committed. The varying beliefs in this area are that International law, including humanitarian laws, is a well characterised body of doctrine, but one that is not necessarily properly implemented, although it is usually assumed that International Laws are complied with to a large extent. A further alternative view that will be examined view is that International law actually comprises a problematic body of doctrine that is politically motivated.[¹⁴].

1.4 Summary

This chapter has provided an introduction to the research, including a background of the study and of the topic being debated, in order to underline the problem which generated this piece of work. In addition, the first chapter highlighted the reasons behind the chosen topic and the factors motivating the researcher while explaining the issue at hand. The main focus of the study which needs to be investigated have also been considered and, combined with the other information in this chapter; provide an overview of this research as a whole.

CHAPTER TWO

METHODOLOGY

2.1 Introduction

This qualitative study has been carried out to describe the treatment of Iraqi Turks since the aftermath of WW1: a human rights perspective. Critical review of this study could aid in enhancing the interaction practices between the Iraqi Turks. This chapter also described the detailed procedures related to how the data regarding the topic under discussion was gathered. Further, research method standards and ethical considerations are discussed to make sure that the planned research study conforms to acceptable quality standards and does not endanger the well-being of any research data.

2.2 The Research Process

The first step of any research is to identify a subject area of research and design a clear objective within it to do further study on that particular research. Secondly, after getting secondary data from different sources on a similar subject were critically reviewed. In qualitative secondary research the data has to be gathered from the available sources like libraries and journal articles.

2.3 Rationale for a Qualitative Study

Both quantitative and qualitative frameworks were considered when embarking upon this project. As the Human rights are a legitimate subject of international law and the scrutiny of the international community, therefore the quantitative research allows the researcher to empirically test hypothesis using statistical methods and provides results that are grounded by mathematically certainty[¹⁵]. The studies found in the literature review were found to be primarily quantitative in nature. It has been further observed, that traditional quantitative methods of inquiry produced very reliable results about very unimportant things. Qualitative research methodology provides the means to deeply explore information and laws according to international law standards. Since the nature of the inquiry relates to the treatment of Iraqi Turks since the aftermath of WW1, however, qualitative research method emphasizes discovery, description and meaning rather than prediction, control and measurement[¹⁶] provided the best fit for the study.

2.4 Data Collection Methods

Libraries including online databases were accessed to get the most relevant and updated literature. Some of the online databases that were used are: EBSCO, Emerald, Blackwell, etc.

The main conclusive data is the result of a thorough analysis of the material found online. The research involved analyzing the news postings on the web over a phase of years. The approach employed was reading the abstract or body of each publication.

2.5 Methodology

This research is based on the secondary data found through the history of Iraqi Turks. The research encompasses the publications, articles and similar studies accessible on the internet. Keeping in view the approach taken in earlier studies the research began with a broad analysis of the existing literature. The findings & conclusions are based on the secondary data. The methodology used for the purpose of this research is based on the secondary data. The research approach used is qualitative. Qualitative research is much more subjective than quantitative research and uses very different methods of collecting information which could be both primary and secondary. The method of investigation used, consists of a theoretical framework of secondary data by reviewing the treatment of Iraqi Turks. Secondary research was conducted through a no. of sources, including libraries and the Internet. A number of libraries were visited for gathering valuable data from textbooks and journals. The Internet was also a major tool in obtaining relevant information, leading to the search for a number of articles in journals & newspapers from database.

2.6 Researcher Bias

The researcher acknowledges that he is biased towards believing on the treatment of Iraqi Turks. This belief on the part of the researcher was one of the factors that drew the researcher to this topic and subsequent reviews of the available literature did not reveal insights that would change the researcher’s view.

2.7 Quality and Verification

In all research, standards for assessing the quality of the work must be set. [¹⁷] Additionally, the researcher must have acknowledged their commitment to a research design that ensures the reliability and validity of the study. [¹⁸] Long & Johnson observed that failure to assess the worth of a study—the soundness of its method, the accuracy of its findings, and the integrity of assumptions made or conclusions reached—could have dire consequences. [¹⁹]

All research studies, whether they are qualitative of quantitative requirement to be able to withstand evaluation and critique.[²⁰] Where qualitative research departs from quantitative research is in the forms that evidence takes, the rhetoric used in the presentation of the data, and the recognition of the inability to exactly replicate the study by other researchers that because the conditions under which the study are conducted are unique to the researcher and their co-researchers. [²¹] Additionally, qualitative research is a relatively new form of research with its infancy circa 1930. [²²] When compared to the history and traditions of empirically based quantitative studies, the standards for evaluation have not been definitively standardized. These factors force qualitative research to assess the rigor of qualitative research from a different perspective than that of quantitative research with its long and widely accepted history.

2.8 Ethical consideration

Researcher is fully aware of the ethical issues involved in this work. Responsibility for all procedures and ethical issues related to the project rests with the principal investigators. Research was conducted in such a way that the integrity of the research would be maintained and negative after-effects which might diminish the potential for future research were avoided. This study was related to an important intellectual issue. The researcher is aware of any potential harmful effects; in such circumstance and the chosen method was used after consultation with colleagues and other experts. Full justification for the method chosen was given. The research was carried out in full compliance with and awareness of local customs, standards, laws and regulations. The researcher is familiar with and respects the host culture.

2.9 Summary

This chapter has provided an overview of the methodology selected for this study. Additionaly, researcher’s rationale for choosing these frameworks was presented. The methodology employed to perform this study was described including the role of the researcher and disclosure of existing researcher bias was divulged in order to make sure that evaluation of the research study contained these data points for consideration. This was necessary in order for the study to be evaluated to make sure that the perspectives presented reflects the lived experience of prior study participants and was not impacted by the preconceptions of the researcher.

CHAPTER THREE

LITERATURE REVIEW

3.1 Introduction

This chapter will cover the main concepts relevant to the study through an extensive analysis of literature. It starts by reviewing literature on the treatment of Iraqi Turks, after that International Relations and Human Rights Violations in Turkmeneli will be discussed. While getting an insight into the topic, this chapter will also highlight the impoverishment as a result of discrimination and Turkish policy. Furthermore, Genocides similarities and human rights law will also be discussed.

3.2 International Relations and Human Rights Violations in Turkmeneli:

The narrative of a fragile and socially fractured Iraq has been revealed to the world in the aftermath of the US invasion in April 2003.[²³] This reflects the ethno-sectarian divisions of Iraqis and has arguably obstructed the formation of a unified Iraqi state.[²⁴] The International Crisis Group (ICG) has attributed the fragile structure of Iraqi society to the inherent racial, religious and cultural differences among the indigenous people.[²⁵] A key example of these challenges has been the struggle to control the Arab-Kurdish conflicts, which have profoundly affected the history of Iraq and which represents an obstacle in the present political progress of the coalition parties threatening the disintegration of the Iraqi government.[²⁶]

It has been argued that both the Iraqi government and the Kurdish regional government are also endangered by a potential domino effect of the recent revolutionary fervour that has toppled the governments of many Middle Eastern countries.[²⁷] This is due to more than their inability to provide essential services such as steady water and electricity supply,[²⁸] as it also relating to an inability to secure human rights and other essentials, such as security for individuals and group,[²⁹] which arguably stem from widespread inequality, favouritism and corruption, in fields as diverse as employment, business and accesses to education and health services.[³⁰] Violence following the 2003 invasion has been manifested in escalating kidnappings, explosions and assassinations, leading to public services being thoroughly devastated.[³¹]

Such issues were some of the reasons for the widespread protests in Suleimaniya, [³²] when on the 17th of February 2011 a huge demonstration was organized by the Movement of Change party demanding for more political and economic reforms in the Kurdistan region’s government, dominated by the KDP and the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan, led by Iraqi President Jalal Talabani. [³³] The demonstration expanded the following week when other parties joined the protesters who had occupied Freedom Square. [³⁴] On the 19th of April 2011, the Kurdish Regional Government reacted by deploying security forces all around the district,[³⁵] and at least five people were killed and 47 were wounded.[³⁶]

Sarah Leah Whitson, Middle East Director at the Human Rights watch, has expressed growing concerns about the human rights violations in the Iraqi Kurdish region,[³⁷] where Kurdish security forces are launching assaults on the freedom of journalists working in the Kurdish region, and she has urged Kurdish officials to stop repressing journalists, libel suits, beatings, detentions, and death threats.[³⁸]

The Kurdish regional government in order to deflect attention from the events in Suleimaniya and rally the Kurdish population around the supremely emotive issue of Kerkuk’s status, has sent a military forces into Kerkuk.[³⁹] This has dangerously escalated existing ethnic tension among the mix-components of the city, which is resisting the presence of Kurdish militia forces. [⁴⁰]

It is important to note that Turkmeneli region has been divided into two parts. Many cities in the north of the region such as Erbil and Altunkupro have been annexed as a no-fly zone since the period of the US led 1991 Iraqi invasion. The no-fly zone then came under the control of Kurdish groups who have formed a federal government and have drafted their own constitution, which included dominant rights for Kurds that supersede those enjoyed by members of other key ethnic groups.

018_a_reigun.jpg

Figure 1: Map of Iraq: Turkmeneli region is outlined in blue.

Although the Turkic descendents constitute the main component of the populace after the Kurds, they have been particularly harshly treated by the constitution, which treats them as though they do not exist. Nevertheless, Article 4 of the constitution clearly stated provisions regarding sovereignty that might be evoked at any moment by the Kurds to declare them to be independent, which creates an ever-present risk for