FALLMUNC

SPECPOL Background Guide: Kurdistan

            The Middle East is an area deeply divided along national, ethnic, and religious.  The people of Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, Jordan, and Saudi Arabia are primarily ethnically Arab, while the people of Iran are mostly ethnically Persian and the people of Turkey are ethnically Turkish.  Another ethnic group, the Kurds, are concentrated in the area shown in dark orange on the map, which, as you can see, is spread across five different countries. 

In the 1800s, the British and the French colonized much of the Middle East, drawing country borders with little concern for ethnic, religious, or linguistic enclaves.  This has caused widespread unrest, especially post-World War Two when these colonies were given their independence.  The Kurds, especially, have been fighting a constant guerrilla war against the Turks, the Iraqis, and the Iranians, in an effort to become an autonomous nation.

In 1970, the United States backed a Kurdish revolt against Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein in an effort to distract him from attacking Iran.  Hussein and the Kurd leaders did reach an agreement that allowed the Kurds political independence, but in 1970 the U.S. and Iran again prompted the Kurds to rise up against Hussein's repressive regime, which had reneged on many of its promises, and the Kurds were brutally slaughtered.  Kurd guerrillas continued to battle Iraqi forces, primarily funded by Syria and using the Northern tip as a base for their activities.  But political divisions between the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) and the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) weakened the force of the Kurd movement, and without a united front their fight was continually unsuccessful.  Though the two political factions have made repeated attempts to join forces and negotiate with the Iraqi government, violence inevitably breaks out and derails diplomatic negotiation.  The ongoing guerrilla movement means continuous violence between Kurd guerrillas and Iraqi troops.

Kurds in Iran have also tried repeatedly to assert their independence.  After the Iranian Revolution of 1979, the Kurds launched a rebellion.  By 1983, however, the Iranian government had successfully quelled the uprising, and there has been little organized fighting since.

The Turkish government is particularly repressive of Kurds.  In the 1980s, it was illegal to speak any Kurdish dialect or to have written or audio materials in the language.  These laws were revoked in 1991, but it Kurdish languages are still banned in government facilities like schools and courthouses. 

Your task will be to determine what the UN can do in this situation, and what it ought to do.  Remember that you are representing the opinion of your assigned country, and not your personal opinion.  If your country hasn't been vocal on the issue, find out with whom they usually agree and research that country's position.

Some Good Places to Start