Dokument #1141975
IRB – Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada (Autor)
The following information was provided
during a 25 September 1996 telephone interview with the editor of
the International Journal of Kurdish Studies in New York.
The source explained that in the last 20
years the meaning of the term Peshmerga has expanded from refering
exclusively to a fighter to include several other tasks
(administrative, domestic, maintainance, etc.) inherent to such
organizations. Therefore, the term Peshmerga can refer to someone
who carries out non-combat activities. To encourage loyalty and to
include lower-status non-combat positions, the Kurdish factions now
call all of their members "Peshmerga" without distinction. The
source added that it would be difficult to know the rank or level
of a Peshmerga because the Kurdish parties only introduced
membership cards in 1992-1993, and without much success.
Generally, the ability to leave a Kurdish
organization depends on whether or not it is involved in an armed
confrontation and on the status (combattant or not) of the
Peshmerga. In a period of armed confrontation, quitting a fighting
organization would expose a combattant Peshmerga to retribution. A
combattant Peshmerga in position of command with access to
sensitive information who wished to leave his organization during a
period of fighting because he did not want to fight other Kurds
would face serious difficulties, such as imprisonment. The
organizations have invested resources in training and arming
combattant Peshmergas and they are not willing to let them quit
during period of intense fighting like those that have taken place
since 1994. The source added that combattant Peshmergas who
informed their organizations before 1994 of their intention not to
fight against other Kurds, would have had an opportunity to perform
other tasks in the organization.
A non-combattant Peshmerga without access
to sensitive material who intends to quit the organization would
present a lower security risk. The source added that the person
would have to provide an explanation to the organization, but would
not be ill-treated.
The following information was provided
during a 28 August 1996 telephone interview with an independent
researcher who works as a consultant on Kurdish affairs for
Minority Rights Group in London. The source travels extensively in
the Middle East and in Northern Iraq.
The source stated that a combattant
Peshmerga who refuses to fight when called upon by his party would
face problems in Iraqi Kurdistan. The source added, however, that
if the Peshmerga indicated his intention not to fight before 1993,
he might have been discharged. Before 1993, a Peshmerga discharged
would mainly face economic difficulties.
The following information was provided
during a 24 September 1996 telephone interview with the director of
the Kurdish Studies Program at Florida State University in
Tallahassee.
In general, a Peshmerga who did not want to
fight other Kurds would be permitted to quit his fighting
organization. The source added that high-ranking Peshmerga officers
in possession of sensitive military information would face
difficulties leaving their organization. Ordinary soldiers would
not face these difficulties because they would not have access to
sensitive information. The source was not aware of any case where a
Peshmerga was ill-treated because he refused to fight other
Kurds.
For general information on human rights
abuses in Iraqi Kurdistan, please consult the 28 February 1995
Amnesty International report entitled Iraq: Human Rights Abuses in
Iraqi Kurdistan since 1991. This report, which is available at your
Regional Documentation Centre, provides background information on
the Ministry for Pesh Merga Affairs on page 26, while Chapter 5 of
the same report provides information on human rights abuses by
political parties such as the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK)
and the Kurdish Democratic Party (KDP).
This Response was prepared after
researching publicly accessible information currently available to
the DIRB within time constraints. This Response is not, and does
not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular
claim to refugee status or asylum.
References
Independent researcher and consultant
for Minority Rights Group, London, England. 28 August 1996.
Telephone interview.
Director, Kurdish Studies Program,
Florida State University, Tallahassee. 24 September 1996. Telephone
interview.
Editor, the International Journal of
Kurdish Studies , New York. 25 September 1996. Telephone
interview.