students and teachers take to the streets against Abadi’s speech
We, as academic staff and students of all colleges of both Salahaddin University-Erbil and Polytechnic University-Erbil, gathered here to vigorously condemn Iraqi Prime Minister Mr. Heyder Al-Abbadi’s speech, in which he considered standing against the Kurdistani people’s wills and rights as a great victory and equated it to the defeat of ISIS terrorists in Iraq.
This hate speech is a reflection of the mindset of some current Iraqi Governments’ high-ranking officials, in which they severely stand against the Kurdistani people. In addition, Iraqi Government’s decisions and measures taking against the Kurds are unconstitutional, against the law and unjustified mass punishment.
Using military actions and budget restrictions as a pressure card against Kurdistanis do not only violate the Iraqi constitution but they also stand against all Iraqis, violate coexistence among the ethnicities and religion. Actually, this action is implemented systematically by the Iraqi Government.
Iraqi Prime Minister by standing against the Kurdistanis’ peaceful message to the victory achieved over ISIS showed irresponsible and therefore he should be investigated. Mr. al-Abbadi in his words demeans a peaceful and democratic nation of approximately three million people who did nothing against anyone, rather just cast their vote to determine their future. This is at a time when over 1800 martyrs and 10,000 injured have recently been a victim in the war against ISIS in defence of not only Iraq, defended the world too. Mr. Abbadi cannot conceal the fact that it was Peshmerga who defeated ISIS. Mosul’s liberation was the outcome of Peshmerga’s achievements. It was Peshmerga who defeated ISIS in the frontlines in Mosul and paved the way to Iraqi forces to liberate the city.
Sanctions, unjustified mass punishment, displacing people, Tuz Khurmatu’s genocide, and Mr. Abbadi’s hatred behaviour are antagonistic.They are unconstitutional and against law. This policy is the continuation of Baath polices of repudiation conducted in the last century, even worse. Like ISIS who displaced people and the people of Kurdistan accommodated them, the current Iraqi Government displaced tens of thousands of people and committed crime against Kurds, and it is going on in its reckless violation.
Here, we call upon Mr. al-Abbadi and those who are of the same belief as him, the Kurds like freedom and never give into any oppression and pressures. Now a generation in Kurdistan has been raised who loves freedom and knows well how to deal with and react to oppressions. Moreover, Iraqi high-ranking officials should learn from the history of humiliation of Iraq, and the language of hatred and resentment, military actions and imposing oneself have always been unsuccessful and useless. This irresponsible behaviour of Iraqi Government proves that Kurdistani’s decision for voting YES for referendum was right and in time.
