Posted on 08/28/2005 9:26:51 PM PDT by F14 Pilot
The Iranian government is facing a new security challenge from a small, armed Iranian Kurdish group emboldened by the political gains of Kurds in neighbouring Iraq.
Pejak, the Party for a Free Life in Iranian Kurdistan, has emerged as behind recent unrest in the predominantly Kurdish north-west of the country, renewing a separatist armed struggle that halted a decade ago.
Of Iran's 70m population, about 10 per cent is estimated to be Kurdish.
Iranian Kurds were suppressed during Iran's 1979 revolution. But the main Kurdish opposition groups in the Islamic republic, including the Kurdistan Democratic Party of Iran (KDPI) and Komaleh, abandoned violence in the early 1990s and now advocate federalism.
However, unrest broke out last month after a Kurd named Shiwane Seyyed-Qaderi, who was not thought to be a political activist, was killed by the police in the north-western town of Mahabad, formerly a hotbed for Kurdish nationalism. Opposition groups published pictures of Shiwane's body on websites and claimed he was tortured to death. Four satellite Kurdish TV channels, based in Iraq and Belgium, broadcast the claims and fuelled anger in Iran.
Human Rights Watch claimed 17 died in the clashes, but local Kurdish groups say no more than eight were killed. Nevertheless, hundreds of Kurds were arrested and two Kurdish newspapers shut down.
According to Kurdish sources in Tehran, Pejak guerrillas joined the spontaneous protests. The media reported that the group killed four policemen and kidnapped another four. The captives were later released.
Tensions in Kurdish areas began to grow after the US-led invasion of Iraq two years ago gave Kurds a powerful voice in Iraq's postwar political process, including the installation of Jalal Talabani, the Kurdish leader, as president.
Iranian Kurds have also been watching Recep Tayyip Erdogan, the Turkish prime minister, who recently visited his country's predominantly Kurdish south-east and for the first time admitted wrongdoings by Ankara towards its restive minority.
Pejak is believed to be a sub-division of Turkey's outlawed Kurdistan Workers' party (PKK), which has been branded a terrorist organisation by the US and European Union. Its membership mainly comprises Iranian Kurds, but also includes some Turks and Iraqis.
"Pejak is a new phenomenon, and their identity and intentions still need to be investigated," Mohammad Karimian, the head of a 10-member Kurdish faction in Iran's 280-seat parliament, told the Financial Times.
Bahram Walad-Beigi, editor of Ashti, the Kurdish language daily closed during the recent unrest, estimates the number of Pejak guerrillas at about 500. These are believed to be based in a mountainous area close to the borders of Iran, Turkey and Iraq.
Iranian Kurdish activists fear that if the armed struggle gains momentum, it would give the regime an excuse to clamp down on Kurdish activists and deepen what ethnic Kurds see as discrimination.
"No matter how small the number of Pejak's forces might be, there is the fear that their use of guns can put us back to years of violence and suppression, and this would mean more deprivation for us," Mr Walad-Beigi said.
Ah, a glimmer of hope of the spreading of the democracy concept...that has been the plan all along.
I have dearly hoped that the new emerging democracys of Afghanistan and Iraq would embolden many in Iran to seek change. Funny thing freedom.
Late Night Ping!
Smelling fresh air...
Is Tabriz in the Kurdish section?
Which just sort of happened by itself, right?
No, It is not!
Iran is about to get it from every direction, I believe. I think Russia's after them too.
I think Tabriz is mostly ethnic Azeri (a Turkic-speaking group that makes up a quarter of the population of Iran).
No people in Tabriz are ethnic Azari.
Not all Kurdish groups are worthy of our support or encouragement.
But, we may have a hand in stirring something up. From a 14 August Aljazeera story:
Foreign Ministry spokesman Hamid Reza Asefi offered little evidence for his allegations on Sunday, but suggested that Washington and London were giving encouragement to the Arabs and Kurds who have rioted in western and northwestern Iran.
"According to some information, the Americans intervened in northwestern Iran. This is not acceptable at all," Asefi told a news conference. "We will voice our objection in this regard soon."
Asefi said the United States is stuck in Iraq and is trying to divert attention from its plight by sowing unrest across the border.
Under US protection, Iraq's Kurds have enjoyed autonomy and a booming economy, fuelled partly by trade with Iran. Iraq's ascendant Kurds engage in contacts - including lucrative exports of illegal liquor and other goods - with their kin across the border.
[. . .]
[Arab] Khuzestan abuts southern Iraq, where security is under the control of British soldiers in the US-led force.
"Some provocateurs were trained in a part of Iraq which is under control of Britain," Asefi said. "We have made objections and warned Britain about the repercussions of such behaviour. We hope it won't be repeated in the future."
Would be nice to know Iran's mullahs are getting a taste of payback.
The Kurds will show the way!
NO, russia see opportunity being an allie. A place to sell weaponry and nuke plants and other crap no one else wants from the former soviets.
Putin still disillusions himself that russia like the south will rise again.
Tensions in Kurdish areas began to grow after the US-led invasion of Iraq two years ago gave Kurds a powerful voice in Iraq's postwar political process, including the installation of Jalal Talabani, the Kurdish leader, as president.
It's all George Bushs fault. Why counldn't he just leave well enough alone.
The kurds are the closest thing we have to friends in that area. They fought against Saddam (got nerve-gassed), they're fighting against Iran, they squabble with our so-called ally Turkey (who didn't allow Americans to operate in the north of Iraq this time around).
It's time for them to have their own country. They deserve it. They carve Kurdistan out of northern Iraq, northern Iran, and eastern Turkey. If Turkey gets angry, we let them know that there are consequences to turning your back on your "friend".
bump
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