SULAIMANI (ESTA) — Kurdistan Region’s Minister of Peshmerga Shorish Ismael said Arabization in the disputed areas claimed by both Erbil and Baghdad is “unacceptable”.
Ismael made the remarks during a meeting with Tom Hyde, political affairs officer for the disputed areas at the British Consulate General in Erbil, on Tuesday, according to a statement released by the ministry of Peshmerga.
“Arabization and forced migration of people living in the Kurdistani areas outside the Region’s administration has resumed in a dangerous manner due to chauvinist minds of some people and parties,” Ismael said.
The Peshmerga minister added that the Region had informed the Iraqi military officials in the disputed areas to prevent the continuity of “those actions”, the statement read.
“According to the Iraqi Constitution, the new Iraqi military cannot and should not take sides and intervene in this issue,” the minister added.
The British diplomat said he was aware of the situation in the disputed areas and that Britain would play a role to normalize the situation there, the statement said.
Since the federal government retook control of Kirkuk and other disputed areas from Kurdish forces in October 2017, Arabs have been brought to settle in Kurdish areas in Kirkuk.
The former Baath regime implemented Arabization campaigns in Kirkuk province and other disputed areas in Nineveh, Saladin and Diyala.
After the fall of Baath regime in 2003 and within the framework of Article 140 of the Iraqi constitution, the lands were given back to their Kurdish and Turkmen owners when the Arabs left the areas voluntarily.
Article 140 of the Iraqi constitution was supposed to have resolved the issue of the disputed areas by 2007, but successive governments have failed to implement the steps outlined in the provision.
The Palkana village west of Kirkuk and the district of Daquq have been the flashpoint of ongoing Arabization efforts since October 2007.
