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Voices from Kurdish Iraq on Turkey
Kurdish Iraqis near the Turkish border react to Ankara's decision to
allow cross-border incursions into northern Iraq, to hunt down Kurdish
PKK rebels.
MATEEN, KURDISH, 50, RETIRED, IN DOHUK
I am 40-50km (25-30 miles) from the Turkish border. I could hear the
shelling from Turkey earlier this week and it was heavier than ever.
It's been going on for a few months.
There is great concern here locally about what Turkey is doing. This
is the only secure region in Iraq. Tens of thousands of refugees have
come here from other parts of the country, from Mosul, from Baghdad.
So, if there is any incursion from Turkey, it will mean the whole
country will be in turmoil.
I have never come across any of the PKK. If they are here at all they
would be in the highlands on the border with Turkey, not in the
residential areas.
Even if there were a few hundred PKK in the whole region - there are
thousands in Turkey. Turkey should sort out its own problems inside
its own borders before doing anything else.
Turkey should handle this internal issue through dialogue. It cannot
continue to deny the millions of Kurds inside Turkey their rights.
Turkey is using the PKK as an excuse to invade our area.
It has other agendas - shared by Iran and Syria - all of whom are
against any Kurdish entity coming into existence, even inside Iraq.
The main reason why Turkey is doing this now is to disrupt next
month's Kurdish referendum in Iraq.
JALAL SHEIK YUNIS, KURDISH, 61, ENGINEER, IN IRBIL
Because of its relative prosperity and security, this province has
become an example that other parts of Iraq want to follow.
Should there be an invasion it would destroy what we have managed to
build here in the last 15 years.
Bear in mind, economic investment in this region has been largely
Iranian and Turkish.
However, if the Turks invade, we would fight them, all of us including
those Arab Iraqis who live here.
We are all Iraqis and have strong ties despite our differences. We
have grown used to wars.
People are not scared and the atmosphere is calm.
I feel sure the world will not stand by and allow us to suffer the
fate of the Armenians who were massacred by the Ottoman Empire. The
world has changed.
>From BBC.Arabic.com
DWAN JAMALELDIN GARIB, KURDISH, 27, SALES ANALYST, IRBIL
I don't anticipate a full-scale invasion by Turkey.
I suspect what they are planning is a limited incursion to target the PKK.
But if Turkey launches a full assault, I think people would take up
arms and resist, even though they have had enough of wars.
There is a great deal of sympathy here for the plight of the Turkish
Kurds and the discrimination they endure in Turkey.
We hope that the world stands up to this Turkish arrogance and protect us.
>From BBC.Arabic.com
Published: 2007/10/17 15:54:44 GMT
(c) BBC MMVII
Source: http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/europe/70492 47.stm
Kurdish Iraqis near the Turkish border react to Ankara's decision to
allow cross-border incursions into northern Iraq, to hunt down Kurdish
PKK rebels.
MATEEN, KURDISH, 50, RETIRED, IN DOHUK
I am 40-50km (25-30 miles) from the Turkish border. I could hear the
shelling from Turkey earlier this week and it was heavier than ever.
It's been going on for a few months.
There is great concern here locally about what Turkey is doing. This
is the only secure region in Iraq. Tens of thousands of refugees have
come here from other parts of the country, from Mosul, from Baghdad.
So, if there is any incursion from Turkey, it will mean the whole
country will be in turmoil.
I have never come across any of the PKK. If they are here at all they
would be in the highlands on the border with Turkey, not in the
residential areas.
Even if there were a few hundred PKK in the whole region - there are
thousands in Turkey. Turkey should sort out its own problems inside
its own borders before doing anything else.
Turkey should handle this internal issue through dialogue. It cannot
continue to deny the millions of Kurds inside Turkey their rights.
Turkey is using the PKK as an excuse to invade our area.
It has other agendas - shared by Iran and Syria - all of whom are
against any Kurdish entity coming into existence, even inside Iraq.
The main reason why Turkey is doing this now is to disrupt next
month's Kurdish referendum in Iraq.
JALAL SHEIK YUNIS, KURDISH, 61, ENGINEER, IN IRBIL
Because of its relative prosperity and security, this province has
become an example that other parts of Iraq want to follow.
Should there be an invasion it would destroy what we have managed to
build here in the last 15 years.
Bear in mind, economic investment in this region has been largely
Iranian and Turkish.
However, if the Turks invade, we would fight them, all of us including
those Arab Iraqis who live here.
We are all Iraqis and have strong ties despite our differences. We
have grown used to wars.
People are not scared and the atmosphere is calm.
I feel sure the world will not stand by and allow us to suffer the
fate of the Armenians who were massacred by the Ottoman Empire. The
world has changed.
>From BBC.Arabic.com
DWAN JAMALELDIN GARIB, KURDISH, 27, SALES ANALYST, IRBIL
I don't anticipate a full-scale invasion by Turkey.
I suspect what they are planning is a limited incursion to target the PKK.
But if Turkey launches a full assault, I think people would take up
arms and resist, even though they have had enough of wars.
There is a great deal of sympathy here for the plight of the Turkish
Kurds and the discrimination they endure in Turkey.
We hope that the world stands up to this Turkish arrogance and protect us.
>From BBC.Arabic.com
Published: 2007/10/17 15:54:44 GMT
(c) BBC MMVII
Source: http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/europe/70492 47.stm