Udenrigsudvalget 2014-15 (1. samling)
URU Alm.del Bilag 103
Offentligt
The Current Human Right Situation for Iraqi Turkmens
Introduction
According to census statistics, the validity of which are questionable in 1957, Iraqi Turkmens
constituted 9% of Iraq’s total population. Today the Iraqi population is estimated to be 32 million
which make Turkmen population not less than 3 million.
Turkmens reside mainly in the north and middle of Iraq which includes Mosul, Erbil, Salah al-Din,
Diyala, Kut and Baghdad, the largest concentration of Turkmen can be found in Kirkuk, the
linguistic, cultural and ethnic identity of which has been distinctly colored by their presence. [1]
Kirkuk is an oil-rich city in Northeastern Iraq. Because the city sits on almost 10 billion barrels of
oil, control of its administration and resources is highly contested.[2]
Iraqi Turkmens have been subjected to intensive assimilation policies, forced emigration and
cultural erosion. They have been victims of assimilation and ethnic cleansing campaigns,
marginalized and denied their right of self determination or any role in the state affairs. No
Turkmen has held a high position in any Iraqi government.This policy reached its peak during the
old regime.
After the fall of the Saddam Hussein’s regime in 2003, all Iraqis had high expectations of the new
administration established after April 9th, 2003. Turkmens expected to see democracy, justice,
equality, fairness, an end to discrimination and an end to violence. Unfortunately, the opposite
had occurred.
Confiscation of land
Confiscation of land was one of the major features of the assimilation policies of the Ba’ath
regime. Through the Arabization processes by Saddam regime, Turkmen lands has been
confiscated and given away to Arabs. During the thirty-five years of Ba’ath regime from 1968 to
2003, the sum of the lands which were confiscated in different provinces was estimated to be
more than a half million acres, most of which belonged to Turkmens.
In 2003 after the fall of Ba’ath regime Turkmen regions were exposed to serious Kurdification
processes after which the Kurdish parties controlled the Turkmen regions.
Changing the administrative boundaries and seizing the lands by resettling Kurds
About four and half million square meters in total, were occupied by the Kurdish
families and Kurdish Peshmerga militias in different neighbourhoods in Kirkuk. Hundreds of luxury
houses were built on these lands. More than two thousands of houses and 215 government
buildings were occupied. Thousands of houses were built on sporadic regions on the Turkmen’s
and the government’s lands. Several new neighbourhoods have appeared in Kirkuk city. [3]
(satellite Map 1 - 5).
The surface area of the Kirkuk city increased about 23 sqkm. (Satellite Map No. 5) The building
areas of the Kurdish villages and sub-districts of Kirkuk province have increased several folds.
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As a result of the demographic shift seen in all lands seized by Kurdish forces, Kirkuk’s council
elections and most recent census are seen as fraudulent by Turkmen as they do not accurately
reflect Kirkuk’s population.[5][4]
The total surface area of the lands confiscated in the Kirkuk region was 57,305,000 square
meters, of which about 280 million square meters or 80%, was owned by Turkmens,
The number of complaint cases presented to the Property Claim Commission for all Iraq is about
145,000 cases, of which 45,000 are in the Kirkuk Province only. The majority of these complaint
cases are from the Turkmen people. In spite of property legislation demanding the return of
seized lands, very little Turkmen land has been restored and very few Turkmen have been
compensated for these confiscated lands. Of these complaints, only 5% of cases have been
closed, while most cases remain in appellate court. To speed up this process, the Iraqi Turkmen
Front presented a proposal to the Iraqi Parliament to regain these lands, but the proposal was
rejected due to Arabic opposition.
Almost all the Turkmen regions in the so-called disputed areas were exposed to the same
processes. The surface area of the Erbil city has hugely enlarged in the last two decades.
In the past few years, the Kurdish authorities have forced the owners of the houses of the three
oldest neighbourhoods of Erbil city, which are mainly inhabited by Turkmen, to sell their houses to
the government. Several buildings of the Iraqi Turkmen front, which included also the Turkmen
radio and television station, were also seized. These buildings have yet to be returned.
In Tuz Khurmatu city,Turkmen lands again was confiscated by the old regime. The total lands
confiscated in Tuz Hurmatu was 50.000.000 M. sq. of which the majority was possessed by
Turkmens.
After 2003 Turkmens were hoping to get their lands back, but yet again this was far from reality,
4970 cases were presented by Turkmens in this area to the Property Claim Commission in Iraq, of
which only 281 were resolved and the rest are still in appellate court. Since then the Kurds built
thousands houses on the Turkmen lands in the neighbourhoods of Aksu, Yengi Damlar, al-
Jumhuriya and Saylo region. They also built houses for Kurds using the government controlled
buildings, such as youth centres and stadiums. Along several kilometres of both sides of the high
way road to Baghdad, they established businesses and companies on Turkmen lands.
In the Khanaqin district, the Kurdish authorities built several residential complexes for the
incoming Kurds on the municipality and Turkmen agricultural lands, which
were confiscated by the Ba’ath regime and not returned yet to the owners. The same process took
place in Maneli, Shahraban and Kifri cities.
The amount of the confiscated Turkmen lands by the Ba’ath regime in different districts
and provinces were much more than that of the Kurds. Whilst the Kurdish lands were almost all
returned, the majority of confiscated Turkmen lands are still not given back to the owners.
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Terror against Turkmen
Since 2003 Turkmens started to be exposed to extensive attacks. Hundreds of bombing attacks,
assassinations and kidnappings took place in Turkmen regions. They are severely exposed to
intimidations, large numbers of Turkmens are arrested, and many are lost. Some of the casualties
are as follows:
Attacks on peaceful demonstration in Tuz Hurmatu killing 8 and injuring more then 20 On
24
th
August 2003.
On 9
th
September 2004 and on 5
th
September 2005: the Telafer district was attacked twice
by helicopters, tanks and tens of thousands of Soldiers, killing more than 1350, and injuring
2650, including a large number of children, women and elders. About seven thousand were
arrested; and one thousand are still in prison. During these catastrophes about 48,000
families were displaced from Telafer, of which about 13,000 have still not returned.
The Turkmen of Tuz Hurmatu are suffering severely since the occupation until today. The
attacks on Turkmens has been intensified in last two years, in ten years more than 1389
Turkmens have been killed and injured and 470 houses destroyed. Here are a few
examples of some of the attacks;
1. Attacks on peaceful Demonstration in Tuz Hurmatu killing 8 and injuring more than 20 on
24
th
August 2003.
2. Huge bombings in the village of Amirli killing more than 128 Turkmens and wounding 425.
3. Attacks on 23
rd
January 2013 against the Turkmen funeral in Tuz Khurmatu of a civil
servant assassinated the previous day, leaving at least 53 people dead and injuring a
further 117.
4. On 16
th
December 2012 two Turkmen teachers were abducted, tortured and burnt alive.
5. On 13
th
June 2013 there were attacks on a peaceful demonstration in Tuz Hurmatu to stop
the terror against Turkmens in the region, killing at least 13 and leaving more than 23
injured.
The attacks on these areas continue until this day on a daily basis. Most of the Turkmens in these
areas were either threatened or kidnapped, their properties have been destroyed. More than
45,000 Turkmens left the city to seek safe refuge in other areas.
Turkmens of Mosul city have suffered almost the same amount, even in recent years many
Turkmens have been assassinated there. The attacks on Kaz Koyu, villages of Kara, Bazwaya, and
Sherihan left hundreds dead or injured.
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In Kirkuk 95% of the terror attacks targeted Turkmens, all the Turkmen academic staff,
businessmen, doctors have been threatened to be killed or kidnapped and killed or paid ransom.
Turkmen neighborhoods left with no protection despite the heavy presence of security force which
are protecting other non-Turkmen neighborhoods.
Some of the Major attacks on Turkmen are:
Assassination of the Mosul province representative of the ITF on 22
nd
November 2009.
Assassination of Colonel Sabah Kara Altun in Kirkuk on 3
rd
June 2005.
On 20
th
June 2009, a massive explosion in Taze Hurmatu killed 82 and injured 228
Turkmens, and destroyed more than 80 houses.
Assassination of Dr. Amir Said Selbi, academic staff in Mosul University on 8
th
March 2011.
The offices of the ITF were attacked occasionally.
Assassination of Neurosurgeon Yıldırım Abbas Demirci and his brother on 5
th
September
2011.
Assassination attempt of Abdul Emir, a guard of president of Kirkuk province council on 11
th
September 2011.
Kidnapping of two Turkmen academic staff of the faculty of technology, Kirkuk University;
Sami Aslan Riza and Musa Mustafa Veyis, on 5
th
November 2011.
Bombing of the house of the Kirkuk province council member and the speaker of the ITF Ali
Mehdi on 28
th
November 2011 which killed a neighbor and injured 15 people.
Assassination Maj. Gen. Adnan Abdul Razzaq al-Bayyati, director general of internal affairs
in Kirkuk province on 4th September2012.
Assassination of Dr. Reza Hamza Al Bayati in Kerkuk on 19
th
September 2012.
Attack on peaceful demostration in Tuz Hurmatu killed Iraqi Turkmen Front Vice President
Ali Hashim Mukhtar Oglu and board member of the Salahaddin Ahmed Koca on 13th June
2013.
Assassination of Maj. Gen. Aydin Mosa in Kerkuk on 11
th
September 2013.
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All the Turkmen medical staff in Kirkuk received a threat letter asking them to leave or pay a
ransom
[6]
. The total amount of the ransom which paid by Turkmens is estimated to be more than
50 million US dollars.
Assassinations, threats and kidnappings systematically against the Turkmen people is to terrorize
them and to force them to leave their cities and towns.
It can be easily concluded that the number of terrorist attacks on the Turkmen, particularly in the
Kirkuk province and Tuz Khurmatu district, are much more than the number of terrorist attacks to
which both the Kurds and the Arabs were subjected. The followings are the statistics of the
terrorist attacks to which the Turkmen were subjected, in only three Turkmen regions and in only
the later eight months, from 1st January - until 30
th
August 2013
Three hundred attacks took place in the province of Kirkuk.
Two hundred seventy attacks were in the Salah al-Din province.
Although every major group in Iraq have strong militia power and have huge presence in the Iraqi
Army, Turkmens are still not allowed to form their own defense security force, that is what made
them vulnerable to terrorist and ethnic attacks. Every Turkmen city had been a target of
explosions that killed thousands of Turkmens so far.
The on going dispute between the central government of Iraq and the regional government of
Kurdistan has recently escalated and negatively affects the security situation in the region that is
called the disputed area which is dominated by Turkmens. As a result Turkmens heavily paid the
price with their lives and properties. These areas are subjected to attacks on daily basis despite
the heavy presence of military forces from both Iraq and regional Kurdish government.
Despite the European Parliament Resolution and many other international Human Rights
Institutions calls on the Iraqi and Kurdish authorities to put measures into place that guarantee
the safety and security of Iraqi Turkmen, no action has been taken by Iraqi and Kurdish
authorities to protect Turkmens. The Kurdish authority opposed the recommendation to form a
security force in these areas, and hence Turkmens are continually being plagued by ethnic and
sectarian violence and discrimination.
Different issues
Turkmens are deprived from their share of ordinary and high governmental positions
and given some symbolic posts and positions in the governing councils and parliament.
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The lack of appointment for Turkmen in governmental and municipality is clearly observed.
While Turkmen appointments for higher governmental posts; for example, ministries and
embassies is severe.
In most of the Turkmen regions, one group dominates the security and police forces.
All recent Iraqi elections have been organized while this group dominates the
administration, police and security in most of these areas. All the election stages have been
violated and exposed to fraud.
Conclusions
Despite the reference in the Constitution of the rights of Turkmens, they continue to be plagued
by ethnic and sectarian violence and discrimination;
In view of the above stated facts, it becomes clear that the Turkmens of Iraq are suffering from
genocide and ethnic cleansing; they are exposed to daily violation of human rights, their security
is absent, their economic situation deteriorates and they flee from their land.
Turkmens welcome the statement by the EU High Representative, Catherine Ashton, where she
highlighted the needs to use the many tools at the EU's disposal to put pressure on the Iraqi
government to put measures into place that guarantee the safety and security of all Iraqi people
and particularly those who are vulnerable to targeted violence; such as the Turkmen.
Turkmens welcome the European Parliament Reslution to condemn the attacks on Iraqi Turkmens
and it calls on the Iraqi and Kurdish authorities to provide protection for them.
The miserable situation of the Iraqi Turkmen, needs to be highlighted to get support from the
regional and international Communities, particularly, the United Nations, the United States of
America and the European Parliament.
The Turkmen of Iraq support a united democratic Iraq and expect to see justice, equality,
fairness, an end to discrimination, the right to self-determination and an end to violence.
Unfortunately, these expectations are far from reality.
Turkmens request to obtain rights equal to those obtained by other groups and save whatever is
left of our unique culture and population. This will bring peace, stability and cooperation between
all ethnic groups in the region which will make it a good role model for the rest of the Middle East.
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References:
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1. Edward Y. Odisho, City of Kerkuk: No historical authenticity without multi-ethnicity. North-eastern
Illinois University, Chicago, IL U.S.A., Page 5 – 6.
2. Iraq Petroleum Company, http://almashriq.hiof.no/lebanon/300/380/388/ipc/
3. SOITM Report, “the summary of violation of the Human Rights of the Iraqi Turkmen and attempts to
assimilate them during the dictatorial Ba’ath Period” dated 13th December 2003.,
http://turkmen.nl./1A_soitm/GR.pdf
4. Provincial Councils Act No. 36, art. 23 adopted in 2008 prevented elections in Kerkuk, which asked
that the voters and electoral billets should be reviewed.
5. Article 16 of the Parliamentary Election Law Article 6, 2009
6. “Annex1”
Iraqi Turkmen Doctors’ Association Statement.
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Yellow colour points to the lands which were built between 2002 and 2007
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Part of the eastern border of Kerkuk city
Satellite Map of Kerkuk province the Map of 2002 compared with the map of 2007
Part of the eastern border of Kerkuk city
Satellite Map of Kerkuk province the Map of 2002 compared with the map of 2007
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East of Shorja neighbourhood
Satellite Map of Kerkuk province the Map of 2002 compared with the map of 2007
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Annex1
Iraq Turkmen Doctors’ Association
Iraq-Kirkuk
www.itda_kerkuk.org
info@itda_kerkuk.org
In the name of god the most merciful
Turkmens form the third largest ethnicity in Iraq followed by Arabs and Kurds; they are one of Iraq’s primary
components. They have been deliberately neglected by successive governments for decades and this has become
clearer after the fall of the previous regime. Iraqi Turkmens especially doctors, pharmacists, businessmen, educated,
wealthy citizens and their families have been exposed to kidnapping, killing, threatening processes and these
phenomena are still continuous. This is clear evidence to what was mentioned above. We review some of the
abductions, killing and threatening processes against Iraqi Turkmen working in the medical sector.
First;
1. Dr.Ridha Ameen / A specialist in community medicine,
He was kidnapped on his way to work in Alhawija County. Although his relatives paid a ransom of $35000, he died
as a martyr as a result of torture.
2. Dr.Haider Zain Alabideen/ A retired specialist in Ear, Nose &Throat,
He was kidnapped from his home one year ago and his fate is unknown till now.
3. Dr.Mohamed Fatih/ A general practitioner
His son was kidnapped and he paid a ransom of $10000 to release him.
4. Dr.Mohsin Abd Almajeed/ A retired ophthalmologist
His son was kidnapped and he paid a ransom of $10000 to release him.
5. Dr.Yeldrem Abbas Jaafar/ A neurosurgeon
His brother was kidnapped from his clinic in front of the patients and he paid a ransom of $30000, he died with his
brother on 05/09/2011 after writing this report.
6. Dr. Majid Naji Agha/ A physician
He was threatened twice and he paid $15000
7. Dr.Hamza Ali Sharif/ A general surgeon
He was threatened and he paid $15000
8. Dr.Jamal Abd Alwahab/ Ophthalmologist
He was threatened and he paid $15000
9. Dr.Waleed Mohamed Ali/ A physician
He was threatened and he paid $15000
10. Dr.Yawiz Ahmed Mohamed/ Physician
He was threatened and he paid $15000
11. Dr.Abd Almunaf/ Physician
He paid $3000 and still is threatened. Terrorists broke into his house.
12. Dr.Ali Akram Ismael/ A specialist
He was threatened and he paid $5600. An attempt to kidnap him has failed in front of his evening clinic in the
middle of Kirkuk in Doctors’ Street recently.
13. Dr. Ikhlas Raoof/ A specialist in Gynaecology and Obstetrics
She was threatened and paid a ransom of $15000.
14. Dr. Kolsel Baktash/ A specialist in Gynaecology and Obstetrics
She was threatened and paid $20000.
15. Pharmacist Mohamed Sidqi
He was threatened and paid $20000.
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16. Dr.Nawal Subhi/ A specialist in Gynaecology and Obstetrics
She was threatened and paid a ransom of $20000.
17. Dr.Hijran Kamal/ Physician
He was threatened and paid a ransom of $10000
18. Dr.Tonji Namiq/ Specialist in Ear, Nose &Throat
He was threatened and paid a ransom of $10000.
19. Dr. Ondar Hameed Bahjat/ Plastic Surgeon
He was threatened and paid a ransom of $10000.
20. Pharmacist Mustafa Kamal
He was threatened and paid $5000; he left his occupation for three years.
21. Dr. Saad Fakhr Aldin/ Surgeon
He was threatened and paid a ransom of $10000.
22. Pharmacist Boshra Mahmood
She was kidnapped from Alriyadh region and paid a ransom of $15000.
23. Dr. Mohamed Noor Aldin/ Ophthalmologist
He was exposed to several kidnap attempts and finally his son was
kidnapped and he was released by a central force from Baghdad.
24. Dr Nisreen Ihsan/ General Practitioner
She was threatened several times and forced to leave her clinic.
25. Dr.Hashim Mohamed/ Radiologist
He was kidnapped for more than 40 days from the front of his home, he paid $250000 to release him.
26. Dr.Jihad Dimirji/ Dentist
His son was kidnapped and he paid a ransom of $30000.
27. Dr.Adwol Ali/ A retired Ophthalmologist
He was kidnapped from his home and paid a ransom of $400000to free him, he left his home and his work and
travelled outside Kirkuk with his son Dr. Ali Adwol/ Plastic Surgeon.
28. Dr. Yashar Abd Alqadir/ Surgeon
He was threatened, left his home and travelled outside Iraq.
29. Dr. Kelshan Jameel/ Specialist in Gynaecology and Obstetrics
She was threatened, left her home and work and travelled outside Iraq.
30. Dr.Omar Faiq/ Surgeon
He was threatened, left his home and travelled outside Iraq.
31. Dr. Mohamed Noor Aldin/ Neurosurgeon
He was threatened, left his home and migrated abroad.
32. Dr.Aiden Fadhil/ Specialist in Orthopaedics
There was an attempt to kidnap him from the front of his house, he left his home and his work place and migrated
abroad for more than three years.
33. Dr.Orkhan Hassan Hussein/ General Practitioner
He was assaulted and his car was stolen.
34. Dr. Boshra Mustafa/ Specialist in Obsterics and Gyneacology
There was a failed attempt to kidnap her on her way back to her home when she was driving her private car.
35. Dr.Anwar Abid/ Rheumatologist
There were several failed attempts to kidnap him.
36. Dr. Nail Haqi/ Dentist
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There was a failed attempt to kidnap him during which he had bullet wounds in his chest.
37. Dr. Amid Nadhim/ A specialist in Ear, Nose and Throat
He was threatened several times.
38. Dr. Nabeel Hamdi/ Surgeon
He was threatened several times.
39. Dr.Idrees Ghazi/ Physician
He was threatened several times.
40. Dr.Bahjat Haider/ Physician
He was threatened several times.
41. Dr.Fuad Zaidan Mustafa/ Specialist in Orthopaedics
He was threatened for three years to force him to leave his house in First Arafa region.
42. Dr.Fadhil Khorsheed/ Dentist
His son was kidnapped, released by paying a ransom of $50000
43. Pharmacist Ali Talib
He was threatened and there was a failed attempt to kidnap him, and his clinic was robbed.
44. Dr.Jodat Izat/ Paediatrician
He was threatened several times.
45. Dr. Mohamed Adnan Salih/ Urology surgeon
He was killed at his house after he came back from his clinic.
46. Pharmacist Yeldiz Yashar Alwindawi
She was kidnapped and killed; her body was not found till now.
We apologize to our colleagues if we did not mention their names due to lack of information.
Second:
As a result, the department of health in Kirkuk had distributed weapons to some doctors and pharmacists in order to
protect themselves. Unfortunately the department were discriminating in the process of distribution of these weapons, in
which the department had classified doctors and pharmacists into groups; the first group took pistols while the second
group took machine guns. However those weapons were blocked from Turkmen doctors. This raises questions as
although Turkmens were the ones exposed to kidnapping, killing and extorting, the weapons were blocked from them.
The head of health department was supposed to have some justice in distributing these governmental weapons
especially to the Turkmen doctors who needed them most as they were most at risk to those criminal acts.
I wanted to clarify this fact for all, so that they will decide and evaluate the act of head of health department towards the
weak security situation.
Third:
From those criminal cases it is clear that Turkmen doctors’ lives and their families were exposed to the physical and
mental torture, and as a result they were forced to leave their jobs and homes as they migrated abroad. All what is
required is protection, moral and financial compensation and improving their living conditions, so this will be a factor to
encourage them to return to their jobs and practice their profession in order to serve Iraq and its people.
Fourth:
It is important to provide the necessary protection to Turkmen doctors or others until their lives are settled and everyone
can be reassured that they are safe to return to their work with peace of mind, and guaranteed their rights and their
future.
Thank you for your attention,
Iraq Turkmen Doctors Association