Arabization of Kirkuk
| Arabization of Kirkuk | |
|---|---|
| Part of Ba'athist Arabization campaigns in northern Iraq and Iraqi–Kurdish conflict | |
 Table of comparison of the population statistics of Kirkuk Governorate for the years 1957, 1977 and 1997 | |
| Native name | بەعەرەبکردنی کەرکووک |
| Location | Kirkuk |
| Date | 1960s–present |
| Target | Kurds (mainly) Turkmens, Assyrians |
| Assailant |  Ba'athist Iraq(1960s–2003)  Iraq(2003–present)[1][2] |
Arabization of Kirkuk (Kurdish: بەعەرەبکردنی کەرکووک)[3] is a policy implemented by various Iraqi governments, primarily under the Ba'ath regime, aimed at altering the demographic composition of Kirkuk Governorate by resettling Arab families and displacing non-Arab communities, including Kurds, Turkmen, and Assyrians.[4][5]
Historical background
[edit]The Arabization of Kirkuk began in earnest during the late 1960s under Saddam Hussein's Ba'athist regime.[6] The policy was motivated by Kirkuk's rich oil reserves and its strategic location, which made control over the region crucial to the central government. The Ba'ath Party sought to ensure Arab domination of Kirkuk by forcibly displacing Kurds and other ethnic minorities and replacing them with Arabs from southern Iraq.[7]
Implementation
[edit]The Arabization policy involved forced evictions, land confiscation, and changing the administrative boundaries of the Kirkuk region to reduce the proportion of Kurds and other non-Arab populations. During this period, Kurdish and Turkmen residents were forced to sign "nationality correction" forms, requiring them to identify as Arabs or face expulsion.[8]
Many Kurdish families were displaced to remote areas or neighboring provinces, while Arab families from central and southern Iraq were encouraged to settle in Kirkuk, often receiving government incentives such as housing and employment.[9] Additionally, the government changed the names of neighborhoods and towns to reflect Arab heritage, erasing many elements of Kurdish and Turkmen identity.[10]
Post-2003 Arabization
[edit]Following the fall of Saddam Hussein's regime in 2003, there were efforts by displaced Kurds and Turkmen to reclaim their homes and lands. However, the issue of Arabization resurfaced after the 2017 Kurdish independence referendum when Iraqi forces regained control of Kirkuk, leading to renewed concerns about the forced resettlement of Arab populations.[11][12]
By 2024, local leaders continued to report ongoing efforts by the Iraqi central government to implement policies resembling the earlier Arabization strategies, causing heightened tensions between the different ethnic groups in the region.[13]
Human rights violations
[edit]The Human Rights Watch has documented numerous abuses associated with the Arabization campaign, including forced displacement, destruction of homes, and the denial of basic rights to displaced Kurds, Turkmen, and Assyrians. These policies have contributed to long-standing grievances among these communities, who continue to demand restitution and compensation for their lost lands.[14]
See also
[edit]
- Arabization
- Kirkuk status referendum
- Ba'athist Arabization campaigns in northern Iraq
- Destruction of Kurdish villages during the Iraqi Arabization campaign
- Disputed territories of Northern Iraq
References
[edit]- ^ "پرۆسەی بەعەرەبکردنی جۆراوجۆر بۆ سەر کەرکوک بەردەوامە" (in Kurdish). K24. 30 July 2024. Retrieved 26 September 2024.
Hundreds of thousands of Arab teachers from central Iraq are being transferred to Kirkuk with their property and families, another form of the Arabization process, but under a legal guise.
- ^ "رئيس هيئة المناطق الكوردستانية: إجراء التعداد في كركوك خطر حالياً" (in Arabic). Rudaw. 24 July 2024. Retrieved 26 September 2024.
Now the Arabs are openly and en masse moving towards Kirkuk and there are reports that the Arabs are building villages outside Kirkuk, thus completely distorting the demographics of the province
- ^ Asasard, Farid (24 May 2023). "دەربارەی بەعەرەبکردنی کەرکووک". knwe.org (in Kurdish). کوردستانی نوێ. Retrieved 26 September 2024.
- ^ "Kirkuk: The Arabization Policy and Its Impact". Kirkuk Now. Retrieved 25 September 2024.
- ^ "إلى حين تطبيق المادة 140، الديمقراطي الكوردستاني يطالب بتأجيل إجراء التعداد السكاني في كركوك". زاكروس عربية (zagrosnews.net) (in Arabic). 2024-09-23. Retrieved 2024-09-26.
- ^ "The Kurdistan Memory Programme". kurdistanmemoryprogramme.com. Retrieved 2024-09-26.
- ^ "Historical Background and Ongoing Issues in Kirkuk" (PDF). DC Kurd.
- ^ "The New Arabization of Kirkuk". DC Kurd.
- ^ "Kurds Fear Arabization in Iraq's Kirkuk". Asharq Al-Awsat.
- ^ "Challenge in Iraq's Other Cities: Kirkuk". CFR.
- ^ "Renewed Arabization of Kirkuk Post-2017". CNN.
- ^ "Kurds Criticize New Arabization Efforts in Kirkuk". Esta Media Network.
- ^ "Arabization Policies Reignite Tensions in Kirkuk". Rudaw.
- ^ "Iraq: Claims in Conflict". Human Rights Watch.