A very bad news from S Kurdistan

[Londoner]

It seems a serious split happening inside PUK. Kosret Ressul and Burham Salih has established their own central command. The head of PUK anti terror group has accused an important PUK decision maker as busy and forgotten PUK affairs. I hope things don't escalate further. It is going to very unhealthy for Kurdistan.

[Piling]

It was not a surprise : their bad relations between with Hero Talabani are well-known. Since years, PUK faces a such disfunction. They should better to create a new party, even if the split of PUK in many small parties (Nejm al din Kareem is also a 'free gamer' ) would increase the weight of KDP. About domestic issues, I know that Kurds are always frightened when several political movements are in competition. But it is, in fact, the essence of democracy.

[Anthea]

It seems a serious split happening inside PUK. Kosret Ressul and Burham Salih has established their own central command. The head of PUK anti terror group has accused an important PUK decision maker as busy and forgotten PUK affairs. I hope things don't escalate further. It is going to very unhealthy for Kurdistan.

Do you think that this has anything to do with the Gorran's sudden rise to power since it's reunification with the PUK?

I gather this was not seen as a popular move by many PUK supporters/members

It was NOT a popular move with me either - I HATE the two-faced trouble making Gorran with a passion

[Anthea]

It was not a surprise : their bad relations between with Hero Talabani are well-known. Since years, PUK faces a such disfunction. They should better to create a new party, even if the split of PUK in many small parties (Nejm al din Kareem is also a 'free gamer' ) would increase the weight of KDP. About domestic issues, I know that Kurds are always frightened when several political movements are in competition. But it is, in fact, the essence of democracy.

As a KDP supporter I would love to see the PUK divide into 100 different political parties

[Piling]

As a KDP supporter I would love to see the PUK divide into 100 different political parties

The danger is that people could chose to vote Islamist parties. Suleymanieh ppl mock Duhok area as 'islamist traditional conservative' Kurds but in fact, in elections, the biggest scores of Islamists happened in Suleymanieh.

[Londoner]

It was not a surprise : their bad relations between with Hero Talabani are well-known. Since years, PUK faces a such disfunction. They should better to create a new party, even if the split of PUK in many small parties (Nejm al din Kareem is also a 'free gamer' ) would increase the weight of KDP. About domestic issues, I know that Kurds are always frightened when several political movements are in competition. But it is, in fact, the essence of democracy.

As a KDP supporter I would love to see the PUK divide into 100 different political parties

But this could backfire against Kurdistan interest very seriously. Especially if it strengthens Goran, whom claimed engineered the violent dispute against KDP on 1994/6.

[Anthea]

The danger is that people could chose to vote Islamist parties. Suleymanieh ppl mock Duhok area as 'islamist traditional conservative' Kurds but in fact, in elections, the biggest scores of Islamists happened in Suleymanieh.

Last thing Kurds need is for Islamists to gain any more strength

But this could backfire against Kurdistan interest very seriously. Especially if it strengthens Goran, whom claimed engineered the violent dispute against KDP on 1994/6.

I remember some of it - I think that even PUK parted company with the vile Gorran

[Piling]

We can expect that Iran will interfere in PUK mediation, also.

[Anthea]

We can expect that Iran will interfere in PUK mediation, also.

It is a mess

[Anthea]

PUK divisions on display after announcement of decision-making body

Divisions within the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) were on display Friday (September 2) after one faction in the party responded to the announcement of a new decision-making body that would determine the legitimacy of party policies.

Politburo head Mala Bakhtiyar, member Hero Ibrahim Ahmed and others released a statement following a meeting in Sulaimani that said any body formed outside of the party’s established regulations would be deemed illegitimate.

The statement was in response to an announcement the previous day by another faction in the party – that includes deputy Secretary-Generals Kosrat Rasul and Barham Salih – that a new decision-making center would be the only legitimate producer of PUK policy.

The group also called for a party congress to be established.

Bakhtiyar and Ibrahim said in their statement that the decision center was neither discussed in the politburo nor with the leadership council and had not been approved by the PUK’s central council.

“Any announcement of any organs or centers that were not approved by internal regulations will be determined illegitimate by the majority of the PUK’s senior members,” read the statement released by eleven senior members, two of which were outside the Kurdistan Region.

The PUK’s Central Council will hold an already scheduled meeting in the near future to announce the final policy and stance of the party, the statement added.

Deputy Secretary-Generals Kosrat Rasul and Barham Salih, along with six other senior members of the PUK’s politburo and leadership council, issued a statement on Thursday announcing a new party ‘decision center’, and calling for the formation of a legitimate party congress.

“Until the PUK’s management issues are resolved through a legitimate congress, we are announcing a PUK decision center,” the statement read. “From now on, no decision will be considered a PUK decision if it isn’t accepted by the PUK decision center.”

A number of PUK members expressed their disapproval of Thursday’s statement. PUK central council member Atta Sarawi called the announcement of a PUK decision center a “coup” against the party.

http://www.nrttv.com/EN/Details.aspx?Jimare=9795

[Anthea]

PUK military leaders call on security forces to stay neutral in party dispute

The Patriotic Union of Kurdistan’s (PUK) military, intelligence and security officials have called on their security forces to stay neutral during the party’s internal crisis.

Lahur Jangi Talabani, head of the PUK’s intelligence agency, the Dazgay Zanyari, Sheikh Jaafar Mustafa, head of Peshmerga unit 70, Wasta Rassul, the Peshmerga commander in Kirkuk, and Mustafa Chawrash, head of the PUK’s Peshmerga organization, met with PUK military and security forces on Saturday and asked them to not become involved in any disputes or tensions.

According to a statement issued by the PUK Peshmerga command of unit 70 forces, Sheikh Jaafar Mustafa and Mustafa Chawrash lead the meeting with “all the commanders of unit 70 forces, counter-terror, defense and emergency forces, border guards, electricity police, oil and gas police, and Talabani’s (Mam Jalal) Secretariat brigade that are now on the frontlines against ISIS.”

In the meeting, they agreed on three points by consensus.

First, the Kurdistan Peshmerga forces exist to protect the people and Kurdish lands. They are an important factor in keeping unity between all sides and entities within the Kurdistan Region.

Secondly, the PUK Peshmerga unit 70 will remain neutral. They will not take a side in any dispute or tensions but will advocate for unity within the party.

Third, Unit 70 forces consider themselves to be the holders of the legacy of martyrs and will not allow any person or party to try to divide or weaken the PUK.

On Thursday, Kosrat Rasoul Ali, first deputy of the PUK, and Barham Salih, second deputy, backed by several members of the PUK politburo, leadership committee, and MPs, announced the formation of a decision-making body in an apparent effort to wrest control of the party from the Talabani family.

The leading faction of the party, headed by Jalal Talabani’s spouse Hero Ibrahim Ahmed, denounced their declaration and called for the party to hold a meeting to find a solution to the rift.

The events have raised concerns that the political dispute may disable the PUK, the second most powerful party in the Kurdistan Region. There are also fears that PUK security forces may become involved in the party’s row as the ranks of the leadership of both factions include senior military and security officials.

http://rudaw.net/english/kurdistan/030920161