Kurds Riot in Iran

Dr Gurgur Garrusi - Kurdish Canada Foundation

Mar 11, 2004

Following the signing of Iraqi constitution, the Kurds in Iran have started celebrating the event by demonstrating  in Kurdistan cities in Iran.

Despite the opposition of Shiite clerics in Iraq the newly signed Iraqi constitution recognizes the establishment of the federal Kurdistan region in Iraq. Kurds in Iran see this a victory for Kurds against the Shiites and they have started massive demonstrations and riots in Kurdistan cities against the Shiite regime in Iran such as Baneh, Bukan, Marivan, Mahabad, Piranshar, Sardasht, Saqiz and sanandaj. Here is a summary of the developments.

BUKAN - More than 30,000 of people started a riot and engaged in clashes with the security forces. The people demonstrated against the regime and Khamenei. A young girl was beaten by security forces until death and more than 300 of demonstrators were arrested. The clashes started at 2:00 PM (local time) on 9th of March and continued until 11:00 at night. several  banks were burnt several times by the people  (including Tejarat, Sepah, Mellat and Saderat banks) and fires were started in many streets.

MARIVAN - More than 10,000 of people demonstrated in Marivan and clashed with the security forces. The people brought down the statue of a Basiji child (Hussein Fahmideh) from Karaj who lost his blow himself under a tank in Iraq-Iran war. The statue was a symbol of Iranian regime and revolutionary guards in the city. The city came under the control of the people and people distributed candy and pastries to celebrate the new constitution. Clashes between people and Sepah were also reported.

MAHABAD - more than 50,000 of people celebrated the victory of Kurds in signing the Iraqi constitution. The people gathered in chaharcheraq square in Mahabad and the demonstrations started 4:00 PM after the signing of the constitution and marched to the grave of the late Qazi  Muhammad to commemorate him and to congratulate the federal Kurdistan in Iraqi constitution.  The Basiji Qarz-ol-Hasaneh  bank in Mahabad was attacked and its windows were broken. Other banks and public buildings were also attacked by the demonstrators calling for independence.

The KDPI in its announcement on the signing of the federal constitution reported on demonstrations in Mahabad, Saqqiz, Marivan, Bukan, Sardasht and Piranshahr.


Analysis
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Kurdish analysts have predicted that 25 years after the Iranian revolution the Kurds will rise up  again for independence in Iran. The time has come now and the winds of revolution are blowing. This is not the first time that the Kurds have massively demonstrated and rioted in Iran, but this time the  political climax is better for the continuation of the riots.

After the suppression of Kurdish movement in Iran in the 80s and assassination of KDPI Kurdish leaders Qasemlu (1989) and Sharafkandi (1992) - both from Mahabad -  the Iranian regime came to the wrong conclusion that the Kurdish movement in Iran is finished.

In 1993, the first massive demonstration In Iran happened in Sanandaj (central axis in eastern Kurdistan) after the death of Moftizadeh (the Sunni religious leader of Kurds in Iran). He died as a result of torture and 10 years of imprisonment. Kurds in Sanandaj peacefully gathered in hundred of thousands and forced the Shiite regime to bury him in the cemetery that they have selected.

3 years later in 1996 when Mola Rabiei, another high ranking  Kurdish Sunni cleric (the Sunni Friday prayer Imam of Kirmanshah)  was assassinated by the Iranian regime. The Marivan-Javanrud axis in the southern part of Kurdistan province  and Sanandaj (the capital) saw massive demonstrations and riots. The Marivan-Javanrud southern axis historically  has had a strong tendency for independence and the Durrei local government by Mohammad beig and his sons ruled that region  in the early 20th century.

In rashama (Feb-March) 1999, after the detention of Ocalan the leader of PKK, the Kurds in Iran massively demonstrated in Urmia and Kurdish cities in Iran [Al-hayat 20 Feb]. 100,000 Kurds marched in Urmia and the Turkish consulate there was attacked by the Kurds. similar demonstrations happened in Bukan, Mahabad, sanandaj and Kirmanshah. The demonstrations in Kurdish cities in Iran   were  suppressed by the Iranian regime and more than 1000 Kurds were arrested.

The coming into power of Khatami brought false hope in Kurdistan and the Kurds were engaged in a political process with the regime. Even the Kurdish parties in Iran were misled by Khatami's mottos and for the first time the KDPI party called the Kurds to participate in the Iranian parliamentary elections in 2000. Khatami in his second term chose a Shiite Kurd from Bijar Garrus (Dr Ramezanzadeh) as his spokesman and the Iranian regime  allowed the establishment of the Kurdish society in Tehran. The Kurdish faction in parliament (group of Kurdish MPS in Iranian parliament) also came into spotlight.

Khatami's reforms fizzled out and the hardline conservatives managed to block the reform movement. Khatami's reform minded MPs were blocked from the 7th election and Khatami disappointed his followers by not delaying the elections. As a result the  upcoming 7th parliament will be under the control of the conservatives. The hardline Conservatices already control the Judiciary, leadership and revolutionary forces and it is expected that another conservative clergy Dr Rouhani will be the next president - after the end of Khatami's second term.

Khatami's Kurdish spokesman, Ramezanzadeh, has also been recently summoned to the hardline judiciary for his comments. In the Feb 2004 parliamentary election in Iran, more than 50% of Kurdish MPs in parliament were also blocked from participating in the 7th parliamentary elections. As a result, more than 70% of the Kurds boycotted the elections(See [Garrusi 6 Mar 2004]). Cities such as Marivan saw Kurdish riots and clashes with the security riots in protests to the unfair elections.

The recent riots in Kurdish cities in Iran, celebrating the victory and gains of Kurds in the new Iraqi constitution comes in this context of frustration with the Shiite regime in Iran. The instability in Kurdistan comes also in the context of a 2 weeks nationwide strike by the teachers in Iran for increasing their wages. The 2 week strikes started in 6th of March and may be continued after the new year holidays (20 March to 2 April 2004) in Iran. The teacher's strikes in major cities in Iran have forced the regime to dispatch its security forces to the troubled cities in order to suppress the strikes and prevent them from turning into massive demonstrations. This means that the Iranian regime cannot dispatch many extra security personnel to Kurdish cities to suppress the Kurdish movement.

The special anti-riot security forces of Iran are distributed thinly and fighting in many fronts now and in addition, the Iranian regime has dispatched many of its hard-line special units to Iraq to help the Shiites in Iraq to  come into power. The Iraqi Badr brigade trained by the Iranian regime is now busy in Iraq and focusing on Iraqi politics and cannot help to suppress the demonstrations in Kurdish cities and rest of Iran.

This  means that the Shiite security forces are now fighting in two fronts: In Iraq and Iran. Military thinkers from  San Tzhu to Von Clausewitz and Jomini have warned states from getting into war in two fronts. The Kurdish leadership in Iraq and Iran and their allies should be aware of this weakness in the distribution of the Shiite security forces in the region and they can use this window of opportunity to their advantage to deliver a  blow to the Shiite tyranny in the region in a coordinated effort. Specially at a time when the regime is under pressure from both EU and US for its nuclear atomic
program.

The nightmare of the Iranian regime has been the unification of Kurds in Iraq and Iran. The future prospects of the unification of Kurdish cities in Iran into a federal Kurdish entity in Iraq can be regarded as a step in a Kurdistan unification project. The more than 8 Millions Kurdish speakers in Iran if they are added to the more than 5 millions Kurdish speakers in Iraq will change the balance of power between Kurds and Shiites in Iraq. Such a development will strengthen the stability of the region because it reduces the chances of the creation of yet another Shiite regime in the region and hence will be compatible  with the interests of the US and Arab countries in the region and the regional balance of power. This could become another win-win scenario for both Kurds and their allies in the region.

By Frances Harrison BBC News, Tehran

The Iranian media has reported more disturbances in Kurdish areas of the country after several days of riots.

Two people were wounded on Monday when "hooligans" caused disorder in the town of Oshnavieh, the hardline newspaper Jumhuri Islami said.

But Kurdish journalists report that three people were killed on Monday and seven died in previous days.

Kurds are saying the unrest is a sign of frustration over the denial of minority rights in Iran.

Chief among these is frustration over the denial of the right to be educated in the Kurdish language.

The Iranian government has said the unrest over the last two weeks is not political at all, but it appears that ethnic resentment is simmering - partly because Kurds see the situation improving next door in Iraq since a Kurd became president there.

The trouble began in Iran two weeks ago when a Kurdish man in the town of Mahabad was shot by police then tied to a car and dragged all the way to the police station, where he was allegedly tortured until he died.

He was accused of calling for autonomy for the whole of Kurdistan and celebrating the appointment in Iraq of Kurdish leader Jalal Talabani as president.

When the man's dead body was returned to his family they photographed it and put the pictures on the internet to show he had been tortured.

His funeral sparked unrest and clashes with the police for the next week, which then spread to other Kurdish towns.

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