Kurds' Participation in 2024 Census is Essential for Maintaining Influence in Disputed Areas

Iraq 11:53 AM - 2024-11-11

The Governorate of Kirkuk.

The disputed areas, particularly Kirkuk, reflect the Kurdish national struggle and are significant to all Kurdish parties. Thus, it is crucial to motivate Kurds to join in the census from their native areas, as a decline in their population in these areas will undermine their standing. The Administrator of the Kirkuk headquarters of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) asserts: "The fate of the Kurds in Kirkuk and the disputed areas hinges on the 2024 census."

Fakhradin Mohammed, Administrator of the PUK's Kirkuk headquarters, told PUKMEDIA: "The census is crucial for the Kurds in disputed areas regarding administrative, political, and geographical considerations since it confirms their presence in these areas, particularly amidst ethnic conflicts with other communities who have consistently sought to minimise the Kurds and diminish their population in these areas."

He further stated: "We doubt the viability of implementing the articles discussed in the presence of the Kurdistan Regional Government delegation, particularly regarding the resettlement of residents in their respective cities. Article 140 is a constitutional provision that, according to the constitution, necessitates phased implementation; however, it has not been enacted due to its perceived advantage to the Kurds. So, we believe that the interests of the Kurds will not be realised in the disputed areas; thus, it is imperative for all Kurds from these areas to remain in their ancestral lands."
 

The Fate of the Kurds in Kirkuk Depends on the 2024 Census

The administrator of the PUK's Kirkuk headquarters said: "The absence of the Kurds in Kirkuk will result in significant harm. This matter involves determining the Kurds' future in Kirkuk. In their absence from the census process, they will be classified as visitors, resulting in Kurds being designated as a minority as despite securing the majority of votes in most of the elections in these areas, Kurds still have challenges in attaining administrative positions."

"The fate of the Kurds in Kirkuk and the disputed areas hinges on the 2024 census," he added.
 

Encouraging the Kurds is the Main Task of the Kurdish Political Forces

Moreover, Mohammed  said that the primary objective of the Kurdish parties is to motivate the Kurds of Kirkuk and the disputed areas to be present in their locales and engage in the census. 

"Political parties must utilise this method to safeguard their national identity and mitigate political conflict, ensuring they do not betray their symbolism, particularly as the majority of Kurds regard Kirkuk as emblematic of their national struggle and a symbol of contested regions," he added.

Kirkuk is part of the areas disputed between Erbil and Baghdad. Article 140 of the Iraqi Constitution was largely drafted to address the issue of the disputed areas. The disputed areas stretch across the provinces of Diyala, Kirkuk, Nineveh, and Saladin, where the former Iraqi Ba'ath regime made great efforts to Arabise the population, which was the cause of these disputes.

Iraq's national census is scheduled for November 20, 2024, encompassing Iraq, the Kurdistan Region, and Kurdish territories outside the Kurdistan Region’s control.

 

 

PUKMEDIA