VZCZCXRO8986
OO RUEHBC RUEHDE RUEHIHL RUEHMOS
DE RUEHKUK #0076/01 0901530
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
O R 311530Z MAR 06
FM REO KIRKUK
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 0588
RUEHGB/AMEMBASSY BAGHDAD IMMEDIATE 0552
INFO RUCNRAQ/IRAQ COLLECTIVE
RUEHKUK/REO KIRKUK 0616

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 KIRKUK 000076 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
BAGHDAD FOR POL, POLMIL, NCT, USAID, IRMO, ROL COORDINATOR 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL:  3/31/2016 
TAGS: PGOV PINS KISL PINR IZ
SUBJECT: HALABJAH: PM BARZANI BLAMES THE PUK 
 
REF: (A) KIRKUK 69, (B) BRITISH CG'S MARCH 29 LETTER TO PM BARZANI (E-MAILED TO EMBASSY BAGHDAD POLITICAL SECTION) 
 
KIRKUK 00000076  001.2 OF 002 
 
 
CLASSIFIED BY: Scott Dean, Acting Regional Coordinator, , REO 
Kirkuk, DoS. 
REASON: 1.4 (b), (d) 
 
 
 
¶1.  (C)  INTRODUCTION AND SUMMARY.  With RC(A) March 29, 
KRG-Erbil PM Barzani blamed the PUK for the heavy-handed 
response by the KRG-Sulaymaniyah to the Halabjah riot.  Barzani 
said the PUK had known about the growing tension, but had done 
nothing to stem it.  The PUK had undertaken many projects in 
Halabjah, but they did not have enough PR effect.  The PUK had 
built new apartments instead of paving the main road.  Barzani 
also pointed to Islamist instigators, but did not elaborate. 
The British Consul General pressed KRG-S PM Omar Fattah on March 
27 about human rights violations in the wake of Halabjah.  The 
Kurds said the PUK Politburo would decide whom the KRG-S would 
charge out of the 40-50 people the KRG-S had detained.  The CG 
responded this was not for a party organization to decide.  The 
CG suggested that the KRG promise to charge detainees swiftly 
and allow NGO's access.  The CG believes that the KRG realizes 
it has made a mistake and is now looking to clean up the mess. 
END INTRODUCTION AND SUMMARY. 
 
REGIONAL COORDINATOR MEETS WITH PM BARZANI 
------------------------------------------ 
 
¶2.  (C)  RC(A) raised with Barzani the heavy-handed response by 
the Sulaymaniyah Kurdistan Regional Government to the March 16 
riot in Halabjah.  RC(A) pointed out it had hurt the KRG's human 
rights image.  He explained that, while violent protest was 
criminal, those detained should be charged or released and that 
journalists should be allowed to cover news events. 
 
¶3.  (C)  In response, PM Barzani complained that supporters from 
his own Kurdistan Democratic Party were among those beaten.  He 
blamed the whole incident on the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan. 
(NOTE: The PUK dominates the KRG-S.)  He said the PUK had known 
for 3-4 weeks about the growing tension: organizers had declared 
publicly they would not allow foreign diplomats to attend the 
March 16 ceremony.  The PUK had suffered earlier protests in 
Kalar, Kifri, Ranya and even Kou Senjaq, which the PUK 
considered its stronghold.  Despite this, the PUK had done 
nothing to head off the Halabjah protest.  By contrast, Barzani 
said that after the Erbil governor had called him March 28 to 
say that some IDP's might protest, he as PM had agreed to meet 
with them to forestall a demonstration.   The PUK should have 
promised Halabjah assistance before the riot instead of sending 
a "parade of ministers" now to promise it. 
 
¶4.  (C)  More broadly, Barzani said, parties had raised people's 
expectations too high.  The PUK had undertaken many projects in 
Halabjah, but they did not have enough PR effect.  They had 
built new apartments instead of paving the main road.  Barzani 
also pointed to Islamist instigators as one cause of the riot, 
but did not elaborate. 
 
 
BRITISH CONSUL GENERAL MEETS WITH KRG-S PM FATTAH 
--------------------------------------------- ---- 
 
¶5.  (C)  The British Consul General, Colin Crorkin, met with 
KRG-S PM Omar Fattah on March 27 to press human rights 
complaints.  The CG asked how many people the KRG-S intended to 
charge of the 40-50 they had detained.  The Kurds said they did 
not yet know: the PUK Politburo was to meet March 28 to decide. 
The CG responded this was not for a party organization to 
decide.  He pointed out that the KRG had had a week's warning 
about the protests and thus should have been able to have 
adequate security forces on hand.  The Kurds answered that they 
allowed protest; the British CG noted that the only allowed 
protests were PUK sponsored.  The CG suggested to Mohammad 
Ihsan, the KRG Human Rights Minister, that the KRG issue a 
statement promising to charge detainees swiftly and allow NGO's 
access.  The CG also gave an shorter version of the same 
presentation to KRG-E minister Falah Bakir March 29.  The CG 
believes that the KRG realizes it has made a mistake and is now 
looking to clean up the mess. 
 
¶6.  (SBU)  The British CG sent a "personal" letter to Fattah 
March 29 to follow up.  REO e-mailed the complete letter to 
Embassy Baghdad POL; extracts follow. 
 
BEGIN EXTRACTS. 
 
(2)  ... There are enough articles about... alleged subsequent 
treatment of journalists and protestors to give cause for 
concern.... (The letter then references media reports that PUK 
officials have threatened the death penalty.)  You made clear 
 
KIRKUK 00000076  002.2 OF 002 
 
 
that the death penalty would not be applied...  I am also 
concerned about reports from a number of journalists about the 
manner in which they were treated by security officials: these 
include beatings and theft of property.  However, of most 
concern is the detention of between 30 and 50 individuals 
(figures agreed by PUK spokespersons)... who have yet to be 
charged. 
 
(3)  There is also the case of the Hawlati journalist, Hawez 
Hawezi, who was arrested on 17 March for apparently writing an 
article that was critical of the ruling party and politicians. 
You explained that he was actually detained for inciting people 
to riot but others claim that he was within the law and merely 
exercising his right as a journalist.  In any event, no charges 
were brought against him despite him being detained for three 
days. 
 
(4) ... (T)hose responsible for criminal acts should be charged 
and be held accountable for their actions.  This process needs 
to be transparent and accountable, and any sentences should be 
proportionate to the offences for which an individual is found 
guilty... However, it is not reasonable to detain people for 
lengthy periods without any charges being brought.  Such 
behaviour, if true, does not indicate a society that has respect 
for individual's rights or has an awareness of social justice 
and civil protection. 
 
(6) You said during our meeting that many of the laws in the 
Kurdish region date from the Ba'athist era and that you would 
welcome help in modernising your regional laws.  This is an area 
where I am sure we can be of assistance.... 
 
END EXTRACTS. 
 
COMMENT 
------- 
 
¶6.  (C)  Protestors have alleged that the KRG purposefully did 
not make front-and-center improvements to Halabjah (such as 
paving the main road) specifically in order to show it still 
needed continuing foreign assistance.  We doubt any American 
court would find the Hawlati article an incitement to riot. 
ORESTE