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A Talk with Kurdistan Security Chief,
Masrour Barzani
18.9.2008
By Ma'ad Fayad
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September 18, 2008
Erbil-Hewler, Kurdistan region "Iraq", —
Masrour Barzani, Chief of the Kurdistan Region
Protection Agency gives his first ever interview to
Asharq Al-Awsat. The following is the full text:
Q: Could you
speak to us about the nature of your work in this
apparatus?
Barzani: Like other security and intelligence
organs, we try to preserve the region's and our
people's security and be a factor in Iraq's
stability. We fight terrorism, foreign espionage,
and the drug trade. In general our task is to
maintain security. |
Masrour Barzani,
Head of Kurdistan region's security apparatus
Masrour Barzani |
This is not a party
organ. It is like any other regional apparatus. We
have been building it for a long time. So far we
have not succeeded in unifying all the security
organs in the region. Through parliament we
succeeded in passing Law Number 46 to create a legal
framework for the region's security organs. Our work
continues to place the security organs within a
legal regional framework.
Q: Does the
region have other security organs? Does the
Patriotic Union of Kurdistan [PUK] have a similar
apparatus?
Barzani: When the region had two separate
administrations, the PUK had a security apparatus of
its own. Now that the two administrations have been
unified,www.ekurd.net
our aim is to unite the
security organs.
Q: Is there any
rivalry or contradiction between the different
security organs in the region?
Barzani: There is cooperation and
coordination between the two organs. There is no
negative rivalry because our goals are the same.
Q: Do you
coordinate with the security organs in Baghdad and
the US forces?
Barzani: Yes, we coordinate and cooperate
with the federal government's security organs.
Indeed,www.ekurd.net
we have been helpful to
Baghdad's security organs all over Iraq. Because of
the presence of the coalition forces in the region
and Iraq, we coordinate and cooperate with them.
Q: Do you
coordinate and cooperate with some of the region's
security organs?
Barzani: Iraq has a constitutional and legal
frame work that organizes its relations with the
other countries in the region. We obey the Iraqi
Constitution and therefore we do not coordinate with
the other countries in the region.
Q: Is there a
terrorist threat to the Kurdistan region?
Barzani: Yes, there is. However, it is much
smaller than the threat to the other parts of Iraq.
The threat would be greater if we did not fight the
terrorist groups inside and outside the region. We
recently foiled a planned suicide attack in Irbil.
Q: Do you hold
non-Arab detainees in Kurdistan?
Barzani: All the detainees are members of the
terrorist groups and they are all Iraqis.
Q: Are your
activities confined to Iraqi Kurdistan or do you
operate in other Iraqi areas as well?
Barzani: By law we are concerned with
Kurdistan's security but because of the security
vacuum in other parts of Iraq we cooperate and help
to maintain stability and security all over Iraq. We
are always ready to offer any assistance asked of
us.
Q: Did you take
part in uncovering or combating terrorist groups
outside Iraqi Kurdistan?
Barzani: Yes, we did. We took part in
combating terrorist groups in Baghdad, Kirkuk, and
Mosul. We carry out these operations in coordination
with Baghdad, not on our own initiative.
Q: You mentioned
that one of your apparatus' tasks is
counter-espionage. Is there espionage within the
region of Kurdistan?
Barzani: Yes, there is.
Q: Who are the
spies working for?
Barzani: They work for neighboring countries.
Q: Does this
mean that there is no internal espionage on
Baghdad's behalf?
Barzani: No, not at all.
Q: How far does
your apparatus' work affect freedom of expression in
the region?
Barzani: The nature of our work does not
conflict with freedom of expression. On the
contrary, we create a favorable atmosphere to
encourage freedom of expression to allow the people
to speak their minds freely on political and
economic matters.
Q: Do you hold
political prisoners?
Barzani: Of course not. We do not have a
single political prisoner, a prisoner of conscience,
or anyone detained because of his political beliefs.
Q: What efforts
does your apparatus carry out to promote economic
stability?
Barzani: The extent of economic investments
in the region is a sign of security. Any area that
has no security and stability cannot have any
economic investment in it whether external or
domestic. The credit does not go to us but to our
people who cooperate with the region's security
organs.
Q: Do you
coordinate with the regional government?
Barzani: We are part of the regional
government.
Q: Does your
apparatus fall under the jurisdiction of the
region's government?
Barzani: We have not yet finalized this issue
legally. However, the region's prime minister plays
a major role in our work and in regional stability.
Q: The name of
the security apparatus has been changed to the
Kurdish term "Asayesh." Has the essence of the
apparatus been changed?
Barzani: Asayesh is the Kurdish term for
security. We intentionally used this name because
the security apparatus under the former regime left
a negative and frightening effect on the people. We
do not know how we will get rid of that terrible
legacy. Our current security apparatus is a service
organ that we try to make the people trust. Our
citizens are very cooperative with our security
services for the sake of their own safety.
Q: It is said
that your security services require any Iraqi
citizen who wishes to reside in the Kurdistan region
to have an entry visa,www.ekurd.net
a sponsor, and a
residence permit. What is your response to these
reports? Are you trying to place obstacles before
Iraqi citizens who wish to come and reside here?
Barzani: We are not a separate country. We do
not require a visa from Iraqi citizens. Our cities
are Iraqi cities like any others. The reports about
visas are rumors that seek to distort the region's
reputation. Nevertheless, certain security
procedures are taken when someone enters the region
whether he is an Arab or a Kurd. These procedures
apply also to Kurds who come from other parts of
Iraq. This is because of the poor security situation
in the other parts of Iraq. We wish to protect the
citizens of the region. Thousands of Iraqi families
have settled here because of the stability in our
region. We do not wish to risk this stability and
open the doors to terrorists, booby-trapped
vehicles, and suicide attackers.
Q: What are
these procedures?
Barzani: They are very simple. Every person
who wishes to reside in the region should visit an
Asayesh center, register his address, and obtain a
permit to reside in the region. This makes it easier
for us to know who the inhabitants are. There is
another procedure which we do not strictly require.
If the newcomer knows a longtime resident, we would
like him to sponsor him but we do not apply this
procedure strictly. The media exaggerate its
importance and some of our security personnel apply
it too strictly but this is individual behavior that
we are trying to eliminate. We hope soon to
eliminate all these procedures when the security
situation improves everywhere in Iraq. The important
thing is that everyone should know that the aim of
these procedures is to defend their security and the
region's security rather than place obstacles in the
face of newcomers. On the contrary, the region's
presidency has given instructions to facilitate the
entry of new arrivals on condition that this should
not take place at the expense of the region's
security. We have long borders with the neighboring
countries and many persons try to infiltrate into
Iraqi territory across these borders. It is
difficult to control all the possible entry points,
especially as the security situation in neighboring
provinces is unstable. This does not allow us to act
with great confidence at the entry points that we
share with these provinces. Therefore, we are forced
to adopt these measures for the safety of the
region's citizens. We sincerely hope that security
will improve all over Iraq so that we can remove the
checkpoints and open the gates of our cities to all
visitors, Arabs and Kurds alike.
Q: There is a
lot of talk on the streets and in the media about
financial corruption in the region. Does your
apparatus intervene in combating this corruption?
Barzani: Some corruption cases reach us and
we handle them. We report the other cases to other
government departments. At any rate, this issue does
not lie at the heart of our work.
Q: There is talk
that foreign intelligence services are training your
cadres, including the CIA and Israel's Mosad. Could
you give us direct clarification on this point?
Barzani: Frankly, if you want the whole truth
from me, this news is totally untrue. The problem is
that those who spread these rumors know nothing
about what is really happening in the region. I do
not know how effective my answer is to the people
who spread these rumors.
Q: Do your
security services use any form of torture to extract
confessions from detainees?
Barzani: No, absolutely not. This practice is
absolutely unacceptable in the Kurdistan region.
When we took over this apparatus, we decided that it
would be a merely service organ. The region's
president issued strict instructions not to use
torture to extract confessions and not to put undue
pressure on any detainee or suspect. If this
happens, the confession is considered invalid and
any official who practices torture or any form of
pressure is investigated and punished. This is a
matter of principle to us.
Q: What groups
pose a real threat to the region of Kurdistan?
Barzani: In the first place Al-Qaeda, Ansar
al-Islam, Ansar al-Sunnah, and other terrorist
groups.
Q: Do your
security centers and jails take human rights
standards into account?
Barzani: All our instructions stress the
importance of human rights. We monitor these matters
very carefully. We run courses to train our cadres
to observe human rights standards when they deal
with suspects.
Q: Some Kurdish
journalists and writers have been murdered in the
region. Several Kurdish newspapers accused the
security services and some party organs of being
behind the murders. What is your comment?
Barzani: We strongly regret the death of any
journalist, writer, politician, or citizen. This is
a very sad thing. People usually make accusations
without ascertaining the facts. It is easy to make
accusations. At any rate, not only journalists but
also military persons, politicians, merchants, and
ordinary citizens have been murdered here in the
region and in other parts of Iraq. Were the security
services and party organs behind those incidents? If
anyone has proof of any party being involved in a
murder, let him bring us this proof and we will be
grateful to him. We will investigate these
regrettable incidents. However, making hasty and
gratuitous accusations is another matter. There are
hostile circles that try to slander the reputation
of this or that party by making false accusations.
Q: What
procedures are you taking versus these accusations
by the Kurdish press?
Barzani: Just as in any other sphere in the
region including culture, the economy, and political
activity, the press needs to become more mature and
professional in accordance with the requirements of
journalistic work. It was we who encouraged freedom
of expression and freedom of the press. There are
writers and journalists who can tell the difference
between freedom of expression and assaults on
others. There are some who cannot tell the
difference and think that whatever they write falls
under the heading of freedom of the press even if it
slanders others. We are working together to reach an
equation where we preserve freedom of expression
while protecting people from being slandered. A bill
has been referred to parliament that organizes
journalistic work while protecting the citizens from
being slandered. Parliament decided that the
proposed law was too harsh and the presidency asked
that it be reviewed. Slander is indeed not part of
journalistic work. In my view a journalist wins
respect through the credibility of what he writes or
loses it when he has no credibility.
Q: The Kurdish
armed forces go by several names including the
Peshmerga and the Regional Guard. Which ones are the
official forces that defend the region?
Barzani: According to the constitution, the
forces that defend the region are the Regional Guard
forces.
Q: What is the
connection between the Peshmerga or the Regional
Guard forces and the Iraqi Defense Ministry?
Barzani: The Regional Guard forces are part
of the overall Iraqi defense system. Since the
region of Kurdistan is part of Iraq, these forces
defend this part of Iraq's territory.
Q: Have you
reached a solution regarding placing the Peshmerga
or the Regional Guard forces under the jurisdiction
of the Iraqi Defense Ministry?
Barzani: In principle there is no problem.
All that remains to be done are tactical steps.
However, the federal government is not cooperating
properly with us to include the Regional Guard
forces and pay their salaries. Now the region of
Kurdistan is part of Iraq but when we demand our
rights or certain services on the grounds that we
are part of Iraq, our demands and requests are
ignored. The region of Kurdistan's budget is
well-known to be17% of Iraq's total revenue. Large
sums are deducted from this sum, however, and only
14% of Iraq's revenue reaches the region. Part of
our budget is deducted under the name of sovereign
allocations for the Iraqi Army. The Regional Guard
forces and the Peshmerga are identified as part of
Iraq's defense system, that is, they are part of the
Iraqi armed forces. When we demand appropriations
for these forces, however, the federal government
says no and claims that these forces are part of the
region of Kurdistan and their appropriations should
come from its budget. The federal government uses a
double standard with us. In obligations we are part
of Iraq but when it comes to rights, we are
sidelined. When we are asked to carry out certain
tasks, we do so and are always prepared to help but
when we demand our rights, we are ignored.
Q: Have the
Peshmerga forces taken part alongside the Iraqi
forces in battles in Basra, Baghdad, or Mosul?
Barzani: The Peshmerga operate on the Iraqi
Government's orders. They participated in operations
in Baghdad and other places on the federal
government's request. According to the region's
president, the Peshmerga will fulfill any security
request demanded by the federal government for the
sake of stability. As I noted, they are part of
Iraq's defense system. Anyone who does not view them
in this light does not believe in the new Iraq. Iraq
is no longer a totalitarian state or governed by
decisions from the center. According to the
constitution, Iraq today is a federal, pluralistic,
democratic Iraq based on power participation and on
participation in rights and obligations. The Kurds
are basic partners in government. They are not a
marginal force.
Q: On the level
of your security apparatus, are you partners to the
security decisions made in Baghdad?
Barzani: In principle, we are members of a
joint security commission with the federal
government. The important thing is the principle.
The important thing is for Baghdad to believe that
we are its partners. If this is accepted, there will
be much cooperation and many problems will be
solved. However, when there are committees of which
we are members but the decisions we make are not
implemented, this is not proper partnership.
Q: The situation
in Khanaqin almost reached the point of armed
confrontation between the Peshmerga and the Iraqi
Army. How do you describe this from a security point
of view?
Barzani: What happened in Khanaqin was
something bad. The Iraqi Army's entry was not for
the purpose of combating terrorism, for Khanaqin is
very secure. The army entered for political reasons.
Some circles in the federal government believe that
disputed territories should be under the federal
government's control. However, the idea of disputed
territories means that no final decision has been
made on their ownership. Why else would they be
called disputed territories? Agreement should be
worked out between the two sides over their
ownership. Khanaqin is the most secure area in the
Diyala Governorate. Saddam Hussein's regime tried
for many years to seize these areas by force but
failed. Now, attempts are being made to take these
areas from us by other means.
Q: What is the
reason for your failure to appear in the media?
Barzani: I do not appear in the media because
of the nature of my work. I also do not like
publicity.
Q: Were you
chosen to lead this apparatus because you are
President Barzani's eldest son?
Barzani: I was selected on merit. I pay a
price for being Masud Barzani's son and a security
official.
Q: Are there
disagreements or a power struggle between you and
your cousin, Prime Minister Nechirvan Barzani as is
rumored?
Barzani: On the contrary, I like him very
much. We grew up together. Our relationship has
always been fraternal. I respect him on a personal
level and because he is the prime minister. There is
no rivalry between us but some of our enemies would
like us to quarrel. God willing, this will not
happen.
Copyright, respective author or news agency,
asharqalawsat com
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