KIRKUK, Kurdistan Region – Kirkuk Governor Najmaldin Karim has refused to heed a decision by an Iraqi court to take down the Kurdistan flag in the city of Kirkuk which was officially raised upon a decree by the city’s Provincial Council five months ago.
“The decision will have no effect in Kirkuk,” Karim said on Tuesday of the Iraqi Administrative Court’s decree which was issued last week. “The Kurdistan flag will fly high.”
He went on to deride the decree saying “we only replace them with new ones if their colors fade.”
“This kind of decision is against the people of Kirkuk causing violence in the city,” said Ahmed Askari, head of the Brotherhood faction.
Askari insisted that the decision is “irreversible” suggesting this question to be over through some political agreements.
Tahseen Kahiye, head of the Turkmen faction in KPC told Rudaw that the decision was legal and should be respected by the city’s authorities.
“The Administrative Court’s ruling is totally legal. We hope the Kirkuk local government implement it and commit to it as the Provincial Council’s decree is overturned now,” said Kahiye.
He warned if the decree was not put in place in Kirkuk, they will turn to the international community.
Karim announced at a Kurdish Newroz event on March 20 that the Kurdish flag should be raised in Kirkuk alongside the Iraqi one.
The flag was raised at Kirkuk’s castle. It was the first time the Kurdish flag had been raised at the castle by a government official.
The Kirkuk Provincial Council voted on March 28 to raise the Kurdistan flag over state buildings in the province. Some Turkmen and Arab representatives boycotted the session, following earlier concerns that the move may cause conflict among the city's diverse components.
The decision to raise the Kurdistan flag along with the Iraqi flag has also been met with opposition from Iran and Turkey.
The multi-ethnic city of Kirkuk is home to Kurds, Arabs, and Turkmen among others. It has been secured by Kurdish Peshmerga forces since mid-2014 after Iraqi government troops left the city ahead of a possible attack by radical Islamic insurgents when they took over large swathes of the country. The province has one of Iraq’s largest oil fields within its borders.
“The decision will have no effect in Kirkuk,” Karim said on Tuesday of the Iraqi Administrative Court’s decree which was issued last week. “The Kurdistan flag will fly high.”
He went on to deride the decree saying “we only replace them with new ones if their colors fade.”
The Kurdish-led Brotherhood faction, having most of the Kirkuk Provincial Council (KPC) seats decried the decision by the Iraqi Administrative Court, saying they will appeal it.
“This kind of decision is against the people of Kirkuk causing violence in the city,” said Ahmed Askari, head of the Brotherhood faction.
Askari insisted that the decision is “irreversible” suggesting this question to be over through some political agreements.
The ruling from the Iraqi Administrative Court came last week after several members of the Iraqi Turkmen Front earlier filed a complaint regarding the vote by the Kirkuk Council in March.
Tahseen Kahiye, head of the Turkmen faction in KPC told Rudaw that the decision was legal and should be respected by the city’s authorities.
“The Administrative Court’s ruling is totally legal. We hope the Kirkuk local government implement it and commit to it as the Provincial Council’s decree is overturned now,” said Kahiye.
He warned if the decree was not put in place in Kirkuk, they will turn to the international community.
Karim announced at a Kurdish Newroz event on March 20 that the Kurdish flag should be raised in Kirkuk alongside the Iraqi one.
The flag was raised at Kirkuk’s castle. It was the first time the Kurdish flag had been raised at the castle by a government official.
The Kirkuk Provincial Council voted on March 28 to raise the Kurdistan flag over state buildings in the province. Some Turkmen and Arab representatives boycotted the session, following earlier concerns that the move may cause conflict among the city's diverse components.
The decision to raise the Kurdistan flag along with the Iraqi flag has also been met with opposition from Iran and Turkey.
The multi-ethnic city of Kirkuk is home to Kurds, Arabs, and Turkmen among others. It has been secured by Kurdish Peshmerga forces since mid-2014 after Iraqi government troops left the city ahead of a possible attack by radical Islamic insurgents when they took over large swathes of the country. The province has one of Iraq’s largest oil fields within its borders.
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