ABOUT
THE PUK
Current
Role:
In
the aftermath of the Gulf War, the PUK cooperated closely with
the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) and other Kurdish democratic
elements to create a united front. To bolster the administration
of their territory, the PUK and KDP formed a coalition government,
the Kurdistan Region Government, in Iraq. The Kurdish Regional
Government was accountable to the 105 members of the Kurdistan
National Assembly which was elected in May 1992. These parliamentary
elections were the first democratic elections ever held in Iraqi
Kurdistan. Both parties held 50 seats and five seats were assigned
to representatives of the Assyrian community.
Regrettably,
in May 1994, the consensus that prevailed between the PUK and
KDP collapsed, resulting in internecine fighting. Consequently,
a defacto partition of the Kurdistan Region took place with one
zone dominated by the PUK and the other dominated by the KDP.
Despite
this setback, the PUK continues to play a leading role in the
building the democratic institutions that have made the Kurdistan
region the first and only one in Iraq to enjoy the fruits of democracy,
free speech, and the protection of basic human rights. On a regional
scale, the PUK maintains relations with neighboring states, promoting
the political cause of Kurdish rights and exploring avenues for
peacefully resolving regional conflicts.
Today,
PUK-administered areas encompass the provinces of Sulaimani, liberated
Kirkuk, and a significant part of Irbil. This area is home to
nearly 1.75 million people. The Regional Government in this area
is a coalition comprising the PUK, as the senior coalition partner,
and the Toilers’ party, the Social Democratic Party of Kurdistan,
the Conservative Party, and the Islamic Movement, as well as independent
personalities.
PUK’s
Kurdistan Regional Government has achieved important successes.
The administration has worked effectively to address the humanitarian,
social, and economic needs of the population. It is cooperating
with UN agencies in the region to develop a viable mechanism for
the implementation of the UN’s oil-for food program. The
authorities, directly as well with assistance from the NGO and
international communities, have begun rebuilding a countryside
devastated by the Iraqi government’s Anfal campaigns against
the Kurds.
Further,
the PUK administration has been instrumental in applying the rule-of-law
and ensuring basic respect for human rights. The area enjoys considerable
freedom of expression and political activity. There are as many
as 30 newspapers and magazines, 8 television stations and numerous
radios stations operated by various political and cultural group
and associations. These media outlets offer the people a spectrum
of opinion and sources of information seldom encountered in the
Middle East. Unlimited access to the media is a driving force
behind the PUK’s efforts to modernize and democratize the
society.
The
PUK has championed women’s rights. Woman in the region have
won on legal changes that allowed women to inherit wealth and
file for divorce, as well as assuring them of equal employment
opportunities.
These
achievements were attained in a very difficult political and security
environment. The PUK appreciates the vulnerable position of the
Iraqi Kurdish community and understands that a unified Kurdish
front is essential to safeguarding our people. The peace accord
between the PUK and KDP, proclaimed in Washington in September
1998, represents a unique opportunity for the people of Iraqi
Kurdistan to end the regrettable episode of domestic conflict,
and is hoped to lead to unified administration for the region
based on the rule of law and democratic accountability.
The
PUK is committed to maintaining sound working relations with the
KDP to maximize our resources and realize a better future for
Iraqi Kurdistan. The prospects of enduring peace offer new opportunities
for building upon these achievements and ensuring that a functioning
social and democratic system of government will prevail in this
region.
Program:
The
PUK strives for the right of self-determination for the Kurdish
people within a unified democratic Iraq. The PUK advocates a political
settlement to the Kurdish national issue that is based on the
principles of democracy, human rights and recognition of national
and cultural identity.
The
PUK seeks the promotion of a civil society with democratic institutions
in Iraqi Kurdistan. It advocates free and open elections, democratic
institutions, freedom of speech and the press and other fundamental
human rights, including gender equality. Placing itself within
the mainstream of the world’s social democratic movement,
the PUK believes that a combination of free market forces and
government policy is necessary to promote balanced economic and
social development and welfare.
The
PUK recognizes that Kurds are not the only persecuted peoples
in the Republic of Iraq and strives to defend the rights of all
ethnic and religious minority communities in Iraq. In this regard,
the PUK works with representatives of Iraq’s Turkman and
Assyrian communities, as well as women’s organizations.
As part of the Kurdistan Regional Government, the PUK codified
respect for Iraqi Kurdistan’s many different political,
cultural, and ethnic communities. These provisions enabled the
formation of a Turkman and Assyrian Educational and Cultural Associations,
as well as the restoration of churches in Sulaimani and other
districts on behalf of the Christian community.
The
PUK actively engages the democratic forces in Iraq to bring about
a democratic system of government. The PUK advocates a federal
and democratic Iraqi state in which the Kurds, and other ethnic/cultural
communities, will be able to develop their economy, their culture
and their society.
