Kurdistan Democratic Party
Kurdistan Democratic Party | |
|---|---|
| Leader | Massoud Barzani |
| Founded | August 16, 1946 |
| Headquarters | Hewler |
| Ideology | Kurdish nationalism, social democracy, democratic socialism |
| International affiliation | Alliance of Democrats |
| Colors | Yellow |
| Website | |
| KDP | |
- For other uses of KDP see KDP (disambiguation); for other uses of Kurdistan Democratic Party see Kurdistan Democratic Party (disambiguation)
The Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) (Kurdish: Partîya Demokrata Kurdistan (PDK)) is one of the main Kurdish parties in South Kurdistan. It was founded in 1946 in Silemani, and immediately elected Mustafa Barzani, a Kurdish nationalist who fought numerous revolts against Baghdad, as its president in absentium.
History
A party called KDP was established in Eastern Kurdistan in 1946 upon the creation of the Kurdistan Republic of Mahabad, which lasted for less than a year. On the same day, 16 August 1946, a party with the same name was created in the city of Sulaymaniyah. The KDP party of Eastern Kurdistan has since been called the KDP-I. In the founding congress the KDP stated that the political and economic situation of the Kurds in Iraq was different from that of Iran. It demanded autonomy for the Kurds of Iraq. Although he was not present Mulla Mustafa Barzani was elected as the president of the party,Kaka Ziad and Sheikh Latif were appointed as vice presidents. Hamza Abdullah was elected its Secretary-General. Hamza Abdallah was expelled in January 1953 and established a party called the Kurdistan Democratic Party - Progressive Front. He and his followers were allowed to return to KDP in 1956.[1] In 1961 the KDP launched its first armed rebellion against Iraq, which ended in 1961. A second war started in 1974, which resulted in Jalal Talebani and Nawshirwan Mustafa splitting from the organisation to create the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan which launched its own anti-Iraqi insurgency. On 1979 Mustafa Barzani died and his son Massoud Barzani took over as the leader, continuing the Kurdish insurgency until after the 1991 uprisings in Iraq in aftermath of the Gulf War. By October 1991 the KDP's Peshmerga were able to operate with relative impunity in the no-fly zone of Northern Iraq, creating a de facto independent Kurdish state in Northern Iraq. The KDP won the most votes in the Kurdish Elections of 1992, winning 45% of the vote and 51 out of 104 seats, however they gave 1 seat to the PUK so they both had 50. The two parties established the Kurdistan Regional Government, which collapsed in 1994 sparking a Kurdish Civil War. In May 1994, supporters of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) clashed with supporters of the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP), leaving 300 people dead. Relations among the groups soured in March 1995 when the KDP backed out of an attack on Saddam's front lines led by Iraqi National Congress. Over the next year the PUK and KDP fought several more times, eventually devolving into a state of civil war. In August 1996, leaders of the KDP asked the former Iraqi president Saddam Hussein to intervene in the war. Hussein sent at least 30,000 troops into the UN-protected Kurdish Region, capturing the PUK stronghold of Hewler. The KDP was immediately installed in power. [citation needed] The U.S. responded with two missile strikes against Southern Iraq, but in early September Iraq again helped KDP fighters, this time taking the PUK stronghold of Sulaymaniyah. After Saddam's move against them in 1996, about 700 Iraqi National Congress activists and fighters were evacuated to the US, along with 6,000 pro-Western Kurds. The fighting left over a thousand persons dead and forced thousands of civilians from their homes. A ceasefire established on 24 November 1997, ended the fighting for the remainder of the year, albeit with a few sporadic clashes. The cease-fire resulted in the establishment of two Kurdish governments, a KDP-led administration in Hewler with Massoud Barzani as President and his nephew Nechervan Barzani as prime minister and a PUK-led administration in Sulaymaniyah with Jalal Talebani as President of Iraq and Barham Salih as Prime Minister of Kurdistan.[2] Both Kurdish groups fought alongside the Coalition of the Willing in the 2003 invasion of Iraq to topple Saddam Hussein's regime. In 2005, the KDP and PUK united to form a joint administration and a joint list in the elections in Democratic Patriotic Alliance of Kurdistan, under which it contested the January 2005 Iraqi elections, the 2005 Iraqi governorate elections the December 2005 Iraqi Elections and the 2005 Kurdish Elections. DPAK became the biggest list in Kurdistan and second biggest in Iraq. After this Barzani became President of Kurdistan and Talebani became President of Iraq.[1] The KDP, alongside with the PUK, has had a number of members criticized for personally using a large amount of money and property that was set aside for government purposes. In 2009 the KDP and PUK's joint list ran in the Iraqi Governorate Elections winning 12 seats in Ninawa and 6 in Diyala. For the 2009 Kurdistan Election the DPAK collapsed and a new list was established, the Kurdistan List, which included only the KDP and PUK. After the defection of Nawshirwan Mustafa and his supporters from the PUK, the PUK was heavily weakened, making the KDP the biggest party in Iraqi Kurdistan. The Kurdistan alliance still won a 59 seat majority in the 111 seat parliament.[3]
Political Ideology
The KDP ranges from centrist to a centre-left position. Most of the members are Social Liberals, Social Democrats, and a smaller number of Democratic Socialists. The KDP is a member of the Alliance of Democrats, and participates in some meetings of the Socialist International.
Branches
Kurdistan Democratic Party was established on 16th August 1946 under the leadership of the late Mustafa Barzani. [4] The leadership and organisational structure of the Party is as following: President Vice President Political Bureau Central Committee The structure and party administration is divided into regions or branches known as “liq”, districts as “nawcha”, local organisations as “rek-khraw” and cells as “shana”. Eack liq is subdivided into nawchas; nawchas into rek-khraws and rek-khraws into shanas. •1st Branch – Dohuk •2nd Branch – Hewler •3rd Branch – Kerkuk •4th Branch – Silemani •5th Branch – Formerly Baghdad •6th Branch – Europe (London) •7th Branch – Northern America (Washington D.C.) •8th Branch – Iran •9th Branch – Aqra •10th Branch – Soran (Rwanduz region) •11th Branch – Rania/Qala Diza •12th Branch – Halabja •14th Branch - Mosul •15th Branch - Dyala-Qaniqin •16th Branch - Hewler-Shawis •17th Branch - Shingal •18th Branch - Amedi •19th Branch - Jamjamal •20th Branch - Shekhan •21th Branch - Canada •22th Branch - Garmiyan-Kalar •23th Branch - Makhmor •24th Branch - Shaqlawa Members of Political Bureau or Central Committee head each branch. Other members are elected at branch and district conferences.
Congresses
First Congress
The first congress of the party convened in Baghdad in 1946, thanks to the immortal Barzani's initiative in the wake of world war II and the emergence and development of world liberation movements and democratic trends. Indeed, the peculiar circumstances of the Kurdish people necessitated the existence of a patriotic, nationalist and democratic party capable of leading the movement of the Kurds. At this congress, the party's statute was formulated and the immortal Barzani was elected the first chairman of the Party.
Second Congress
The Second Congress convened in Baghdad in march 1951 at a time when some of the party's leadership members had been arrested by the Iraqi regime and the party members were subjected to arrest and chasing under martial laws and the party ranks were beginning to disintegrate. The congress was devoted to resolving such problems
Third Congress
The Third Congress convened in Kirkuk on January 26, 1953 with the view of reinforcing the party ranks. It was in this congress that the party's name was changed from the Kurdish Democratic Party into the Kurdistan Democratic Party. It was also decided to form a number of Kurdish popular and professional organisations, and the name of the party's organ was changed from Rizgari to Khebat.
Forth Congress
This congress convened in Baghdad, October 4-7, 1959 following the demise of the Iraqi Monarchy amidst considerable political freedom. The immortal Barzani and his comrades had already returned home from the Soviet exile. This Congress is considered to be one of the most important congresses of the KDP and the first one to be attended by Mustafa Barzani. In this congress, the KDP was able to rid itself of the ideological conflicts and adopt a nationalist and progressive method.
Fifth Congress
The Fifth Congress convened at the KDP's Headquarter in Baghdad in early May 1960. It convened following the announcement of the political parties' law. This was the first time for the KDP to be officially permitted to conduct its activities publicly and legally.
Sixth Congress
This congress convened in Qala Diza in early July 1964. It was devoted to the conflicts, within the leadership, brought about by the negotiations that had taken place between the Kurdish movement and the Iraqi regime. This congress realised its objectives successfully.
Seventh Congress
The Seventh Congress convened in Galala on November 15, 1966 in the wake of June 29 agreement. The KDP seized the chance to further unify its ranks
Eighth Congress
This congress convened in Naw Pirdan on July 1, 1970 almost four months after March 11 Agreement with the objective of enhancing the ranks of the Party, the people of Kurdistan and that of Iraqi people as whole. This congress is considered to be a very important one with regard to organisation, maximum attendance by Party members, guests, friends of the Party and the Kurdish people as well as realisation of the congressional objectives.
Ninth Congress
This congress convened on the Iraqi-Iranian-Turkish borders, December 4-13, 1979. It was the first congress after the death of its leader Barzani. It was also the first congress after the 1975 conspiracy. The congress was considerably successful in reorganising the parties ranks and re-establishment of the May Revolution institutions. It was in this congress that Massoud Barzani was elected the chairman of the KDP; in his words, “this was the most difficult and burdensome congress”.
Tenth Congress
This congress of the KDP convened in the district of Margewer, December 12-17, 1989. It was in the aftermath of the well documented barbaric chemical attacks against the Kurds and the Anfal operations by the Iraqi regime resulting in the annihilation of tens of thousands of helpless people, displacement and deportation of a similar number of innocent civilians with devastation of more than 4.500 Kurdish villages and townships. In this congress heavy emphasis was laid on unifying the party ranks, and consolidating the Kurdistan Front and popular unity
Eleventh Congress
This congress was convened in Hewler on August 16th 1993 against the background of new and rapid developments in Kurdish politics and the region. Over two third of Iraqi Kurdistan was controlled by the Kurds and an elected Kurdish National Assembly with a regional government was running the affairs of Kurds. In the 11th Congress, a number of other political parties reunited with the KDP and further consolidated and strengthened the Party's position amongst the Kurdish nation.
Twelfth Congress
This congress was convened in Hewler 6th October-13th October and held against a background of several years of internal conflicts and KDP's leading role in the third cabinet of the regional government. The developments in the region and the world all contributed to KDP's new outlook and approaches to international and regional politics. New figures and fresh blood were introduced into the new leadership through a free and democratic election of Central Committee.
Kurdistan Women Union
Kurdistan Women Union (KWU) is the KDP's women organisation division which advocates for the rights of women and interests within the party and society. Ever since its formation in 1952, the KWU has actively participated in the Kurdish national struggle and fought for the realisation of human and democratic rights for the people of Kurdistan. The organisation is engaged on two fronts against oppression and discrimination. In addition, taking an active role in the resistance movements of the KDP against repression of the Kurds by successive Iraqi regimes. KWU has attempted to end discrimination and prejudices within the male dominated Kurdish society. The KWU has established a sewing factory to create jobs for women in Hewler. The Union also operates a social and health care centre to extent basic essential services to poor families. Other projects include the opening of a recreation facility and playground with the assistance of International NGO's to engage children with physical activities after school. Educational programs have been created through meetings and publications to explain the discrimination and injustices endured by women in the society. The Union has sent delegations to a number of European countries to develop relations with women organisations, seek humanitarian assistance for female victims in Kurdistan, and exchange experience on administration and organisation. Future aspirations include opening nursing schools, orphanages for the Anfal children who have lost their parents and obtaining more school supplies. Owing to the economic, political and social transformations, Kurdish women have made great progress. Today, Kurdish women are members of parliament, ministers, teachers, engineers, lawyers, labourers and other professional bodies.
See also
References
- ^ McDowall, David. Modern History of the Kurds. London: I.B. Tauris, 1997. p. 296-297, 300
- ^ "KDP's profile on GlobalSecurity.org".
- ^ http://pukmedia.com/News/7-8-2009/news29.html
- ^ http://www.kdp.se
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