Nawshirwan Mustafa
Encyclopedia
Nawshirwan Mustafa (born 1944) in Sulaymaniyah
Kurdistan is the chairman of the Movement for Change
and the leader of the official opposition in the Kurdistan Region.
city of Silemani in 1944, Nawshirwan whose name means the immortal soul was named after the twentieth Sassanid Emperor Anushirawan the Just who is also known as Khosrau I
.
Mustafa attended the King Faisal school at Silemani and was also home schooled by a number of tutors, he went onto study at Baghdad University and then later at Vienna University.
, however Nawshirwan flatly refused the offer and resigned from the KDP. Mustafa cites differences in opinion over the approach as to how Kurdish independence should be brought about as the reason for the fallout between himself and the KDP in his biography. Before his resignation Mustafa had organised cells of sympathisers who would also leave the KDP along with himself, these cells would later go on to constitute some of the members of his future political party Komalai Ranjdaran.
rebellion collapsed. After talks with Jalal Talabani
, they decided that a new Kurdish
movement needed to be organized to fill the vacuum. He made his way to Damascus
where a number of meetings between prominent Kurdish
politicians about the future of the Kurdish
resistance were taking place. The result of these meetings was the foundation of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan
, an umbrella organization. At the meeting it was announced that Jalal Talabani
would become the Secretary General and Nawshirwan the deputy Secretary General. In an understanding between the two leaders it was decided that Nawshirwan would lead and organize the movement in Kurdistan while Talabani
would publicize and champion the cause.
Following his return, Mustafa soon took over the leadership of the Komalai Ranjdaran party becoming its Secretary General, which he placed in the Patriotic Union. Jalal Talabani
who led Shoresh Garan also placed his party in the Patriotic Union and a number of smaller parties followed suit. This move by them echoed the agreement which they had formulated in exile, thus leading to the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan
. However, these party's would continue to act largely autonomously within the PUK and it was only in 1991 that they fully integrated into one single party, when Nawshirwan resigned from his post as Secretary General of Komala while still retaining the post of deputy secretary general of the PUK, and dissolved the Komalai Ranjdaran (which compiled over 100% of the PUK membership) to increase the unity within the PUK and allow for the transition of power from the Peshmerga
(the military wing of the PUK) to the civilian population.
Between 1976 and 1992, Nawshirwan was the PUKs chief strategist as well as its Chief negotiator. Alongside his political role, Nawshirwan was the Commander in Chief of all Peshmerga
forces under the control of the PUK, earning the respect of the Kurdish people
for his years of servitude, courage and tactical prowess in battle against the Ba'thist forces of Saddam
.
But he is more notable for his role in the Kurdish
Uprising of March 1991 Raparin which he and small number of his inner circle planned, organized and executed. This uprising led to the creation of the safe haven in Iraqi Kurdistan
and its subsequent autonomy from the Iraq
i government. Nawshirwan, because of his leadership of the Uprising, is accredited with being known in Kurdish
circles as the “architect" of Raparin. This Uprising was also very important because it was the first time since the creation of Iraq
that all of Southern Kurdistan including Kirkuk
, Khanaqin
and Kurdish
areas around Mosul
were liberated and under direct Kurdish
rule. For this achievement alone Nawshirwan has taken his place in Kurdish
history along side other organizers of great Kurdish
uprisings Sheikh Mahmoud Barzinji (1919), Sheikh Said Piran (1925) and Sheikh Ubeydullah (1880s).
After the Kurdish
elections in 1992 which resulted in a power sharing agreement, Nawshirwan argued that instead the PUK should go to parliament as the opposition party because power sharing may cause tensions between the PUK and KDP. Nawshirwan, after 1992, took a backseat role in Kurdish
politics and returned to writing though he still wielded so much influence that he "could ignite Kirkuk with a single telephone call" according to The New Yorker.
After 1992, Nawshirwan limited his involvement in Kurdish
politics to matters of national importance. He refrained from interfering in the day to day running of the region, which he considered solely the job of the Kurdistan Regional Government
. However he was involved in the appointment of various prime ministers and cabinet ministers as well as their dismissals. Nawshirwan left Iraqi Kurdistan
briefly and lived in London
where he focused on writing about Kurdish
political history, but soon returned after the PUK and KDP became entangled in a civil war, he attempted to reconcile Jalal Talabani
and Massoud Barzani
over meditations in Washington
, Dublin, Ankara
and Tehran
. After the 1998 peace accord
, Nawshirwan remained resident in Kurdistan and gradually began to return to public political life and resume full official duties of the deputy secretary general. However due to differences between Nawshirwan and Talabani over the management of the PUK he left public political life in 2006 to set up a media organisation.
Nawshirwan welcomed the US led coalition which toppled Saddam Hussein
’s regime, seeing it as an opportunity to redraw the role of Kurds in Iraq
. As soon as the old regime had been removed, he ordered the establishment of a PUK office in Baghdad
. He assumed the role of chief Kurdish
negotiator on Transitional Administrative Law which was established under the governing council
and the CPA
. He designed Article 58 which addressed the issue of normalizing Arabised areas of Kurdistan and threatened that if this article was not included, Kurds would no longer be a part of Iraq
. Although this demand was met, he returned to Kurdistan stating the Kurds had seceded on too many of their initial demands and had not been given their fair share.
Nawshirwan returned again as the Chief Kurdish
negotiator during the drafting of the permanent constitution and to insure the inclusion of Article 140 which was an amended version of the TAL
s Article 58 and another Article which provided the Kurds with veto power. He again returned and stated that the Kurds had not received what they were entitled to. Nawshirwan in 2005 turned his attention to domestic politics of the Kurdistan Region
and began to call for administrative reform, saying that bad governance was crippling the region and damaging Kurdish
national interests. He launched a campaign of reform which was ultimately blocked by the leadership of both the PUK and KDP. This resulted in Nawshirwan's surprise resignation on 5 December 2006 as deputy Secretary General during a politburo meeting, where he stated “irreconcilable differences" in the areas of policy and methods of governance for his decision. Nawshirwan has backing from the strategically important Hamewand tribe, whose leaders, among others, have publicly announced their support for his reform movement. He is known for his strong stance on the implementation of the rule of law and his plans to modernize the Kurdish
economy in a free market fashion.
Branches of the Wusha Corporation:
The company's newspaper, Rozhnama; heavily criticized Jalal Talabani for deciding in March 2008 to sack party members from the PUK for speaking out against politicians in the press.
, in the Iraqi Kurdistan
legislative election, 2009. The Change List is a broad coalition which consists of independents, members of the PUK and KDP, and elements from many established parties in Iraqi Kurdistan
.
The Change List won the support of more than 51% of the As Sulaymaniyah Governorate voters. The Change list participated in the Iraqi parliamentary election, 2010 and won 8 seats in both the As Sulaymaniyah and Arbil
Governorates.
Jalal Talabani in November 2011 sent a delegation to see Nawshirwan on his behalf to "seek reconciliation" the delegation were told that “Talabani should reconcile with the People, not with Gorran” and that “we do not have any personal issue with Talabani”, the speedy attempt at reconciliation by Talabani was seen as a fearful response to Mustafa's one on one meeting with Barzani, in which Talabani was fearful that Barzani may seek Mustafa as his new political ally. Mustafa has flatly refused to meet Talabani despite his various requests, the relationship between the one time friends had reached an all time low after the two traded accusations about each other's actions during the Kurdish revolution in the media.
Sulaymaniyah
Sulaymaniyah is a city in Iraqi Kurdistan, Iraq. It is the capital of Sulaymaniyah Governorate. Sulaymaniyah is surrounded by the Azmar Range, Goizja Range and the Qaiwan Range in the north east, Baranan Mountain in the south and the Tasluje Hills in the west. The city has a semi-arid climate with...
Kurdistan is the chairman of the Movement for Change
Movement for Change
The Movement for Change also known as Change List or Gorran is a reformist Iraqi Kurdish political party under the leadership of Nawshirwan Mustafa, founded in 2009 it is the official opposition to the ruling two-party coalition of the Kurdistan Democratic Party and Patriotic Union of Kurdistan...
and the leader of the official opposition in the Kurdistan Region.
Early life
Nawshirwan Mustafa was born in the old quarter of the KurdishKurdish
Kurdish may refer to:*The Kurdish people*The Kurdish language*The Kurdish alphabet*Kurdistan, the land of the Kurdish people which includes:*Iranian Kurdistan*Iraqi Kurdistan*Turkish Kurdistan*Syrian Kurdistan*History of the Kurdish people...
city of Silemani in 1944, Nawshirwan whose name means the immortal soul was named after the twentieth Sassanid Emperor Anushirawan the Just who is also known as Khosrau I
Khosrau I
Khosrau I , also known as Anushiravan the Just or Anushirawan the Just Khosrau I (also called Chosroes I in classical sources, most commonly known in Persian as Anushirvan or Anushirwan, Persian: انوشيروان meaning the immortal soul), also known as Anushiravan the Just or Anushirawan the Just...
.
Mustafa attended the King Faisal school at Silemani and was also home schooled by a number of tutors, he went onto study at Baghdad University and then later at Vienna University.
Posts Held
- Secretary General Komalai Ranjdaran 1970-1992
- Commander in Chief of PeshmergaPeshmergaPeshmerga or Peshmerge is the term used by Kurds to refer to armed Kurdish fighters. Literally meaning "those who face death" the Peshmerga forces of Kurdistan have been in existence since the advent of the Kurdish independence movement in the early 1920s, following the collapse of the Ottoman...
Forces 1976-1992 - Deputy Secretary General Patriotic Union of KurdistanPatriotic Union of KurdistanThe Patriotic Union of Kurdistan is a Kurdish political party in Iraqi Kurdistan. The Patriotic Union of Kurdistan was founded on June 1, 1975, by coordinations between Jalal Talabani and Nawshirwan Mustafa...
1976-2006 - Leader of the Movement for ChangeMovement for ChangeThe Movement for Change also known as Change List or Gorran is a reformist Iraqi Kurdish political party under the leadership of Nawshirwan Mustafa, founded in 2009 it is the official opposition to the ruling two-party coalition of the Kurdistan Democratic Party and Patriotic Union of Kurdistan...
2009–present
Kurdistan Democratic Party
Mustafa joined the KDP at the age of 17 while still at high school, he rapidly climbed the ranks and was appointed the head of the KDP youth branch, and was later offered the post of head of the KDP branch of Sulaymaniyah by its then party president Mustafa BarzaniMustafa Barzani
Mustafa Barzani also known as Mullah Mustafa was a Kurdish nationalist leader, and the most prominent political figure in the modern Kurdish politics. In 1946 he was chosen as the leader of the Kurdistan Democratic Party to lead the Kurdish revolution against Iraqi regimes...
, however Nawshirwan flatly refused the offer and resigned from the KDP. Mustafa cites differences in opinion over the approach as to how Kurdish independence should be brought about as the reason for the fallout between himself and the KDP in his biography. Before his resignation Mustafa had organised cells of sympathisers who would also leave the KDP along with himself, these cells would later go on to constitute some of the members of his future political party Komalai Ranjdaran.
Komalai Ranjdaran
Mustafa founded the Komalai Ranjdaran party in 1970 and became its Secretary General in the same year. Komala began as a secret society holding meetings in safe houses and producing propaganda which was spread through there underground network across Kurdistan, the organisation was sometimes called "the brotherhood" by its members.Patriotic Union of Kurdistan
Mustafa was in his final year of studies at Vienna University when the BarzaniMustafa Barzani
Mustafa Barzani also known as Mullah Mustafa was a Kurdish nationalist leader, and the most prominent political figure in the modern Kurdish politics. In 1946 he was chosen as the leader of the Kurdistan Democratic Party to lead the Kurdish revolution against Iraqi regimes...
rebellion collapsed. After talks with Jalal Talabani
Jalal Talabani
Jalal Talabani is the sixth and current President of Iraq, a leading Kurdish politician. He is the first non-Arab president of Iraq, although Abdul Kareem Qasim was half Kurdish....
, they decided that a new Kurdish
Kurdish people
The Kurdish people, or Kurds , are an Iranian people native to the Middle East, mostly inhabiting a region known as Kurdistan, which includes adjacent parts of Iran, Iraq, Syria, and Turkey...
movement needed to be organized to fill the vacuum. He made his way to Damascus
Damascus
Damascus , commonly known in Syria as Al Sham , and as the City of Jasmine , is the capital and the second largest city of Syria after Aleppo, both are part of the country's 14 governorates. In addition to being one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world, Damascus is a major...
where a number of meetings between prominent Kurdish
Kurdish people
The Kurdish people, or Kurds , are an Iranian people native to the Middle East, mostly inhabiting a region known as Kurdistan, which includes adjacent parts of Iran, Iraq, Syria, and Turkey...
politicians about the future of the Kurdish
Kurdish people
The Kurdish people, or Kurds , are an Iranian people native to the Middle East, mostly inhabiting a region known as Kurdistan, which includes adjacent parts of Iran, Iraq, Syria, and Turkey...
resistance were taking place. The result of these meetings was the foundation of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan
Patriotic Union of Kurdistan
The Patriotic Union of Kurdistan is a Kurdish political party in Iraqi Kurdistan. The Patriotic Union of Kurdistan was founded on June 1, 1975, by coordinations between Jalal Talabani and Nawshirwan Mustafa...
, an umbrella organization. At the meeting it was announced that Jalal Talabani
Jalal Talabani
Jalal Talabani is the sixth and current President of Iraq, a leading Kurdish politician. He is the first non-Arab president of Iraq, although Abdul Kareem Qasim was half Kurdish....
would become the Secretary General and Nawshirwan the deputy Secretary General. In an understanding between the two leaders it was decided that Nawshirwan would lead and organize the movement in Kurdistan while Talabani
Jalal Talabani
Jalal Talabani is the sixth and current President of Iraq, a leading Kurdish politician. He is the first non-Arab president of Iraq, although Abdul Kareem Qasim was half Kurdish....
would publicize and champion the cause.
Following his return, Mustafa soon took over the leadership of the Komalai Ranjdaran party becoming its Secretary General, which he placed in the Patriotic Union. Jalal Talabani
Jalal Talabani
Jalal Talabani is the sixth and current President of Iraq, a leading Kurdish politician. He is the first non-Arab president of Iraq, although Abdul Kareem Qasim was half Kurdish....
who led Shoresh Garan also placed his party in the Patriotic Union and a number of smaller parties followed suit. This move by them echoed the agreement which they had formulated in exile, thus leading to the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan
Patriotic Union of Kurdistan
The Patriotic Union of Kurdistan is a Kurdish political party in Iraqi Kurdistan. The Patriotic Union of Kurdistan was founded on June 1, 1975, by coordinations between Jalal Talabani and Nawshirwan Mustafa...
. However, these party's would continue to act largely autonomously within the PUK and it was only in 1991 that they fully integrated into one single party, when Nawshirwan resigned from his post as Secretary General of Komala while still retaining the post of deputy secretary general of the PUK, and dissolved the Komalai Ranjdaran (which compiled over 100% of the PUK membership) to increase the unity within the PUK and allow for the transition of power from the Peshmerga
Peshmerga
Peshmerga or Peshmerge is the term used by Kurds to refer to armed Kurdish fighters. Literally meaning "those who face death" the Peshmerga forces of Kurdistan have been in existence since the advent of the Kurdish independence movement in the early 1920s, following the collapse of the Ottoman...
(the military wing of the PUK) to the civilian population.
Between 1976 and 1992, Nawshirwan was the PUKs chief strategist as well as its Chief negotiator. Alongside his political role, Nawshirwan was the Commander in Chief of all Peshmerga
Peshmerga
Peshmerga or Peshmerge is the term used by Kurds to refer to armed Kurdish fighters. Literally meaning "those who face death" the Peshmerga forces of Kurdistan have been in existence since the advent of the Kurdish independence movement in the early 1920s, following the collapse of the Ottoman...
forces under the control of the PUK, earning the respect of the Kurdish people
Kurdish people
The Kurdish people, or Kurds , are an Iranian people native to the Middle East, mostly inhabiting a region known as Kurdistan, which includes adjacent parts of Iran, Iraq, Syria, and Turkey...
for his years of servitude, courage and tactical prowess in battle against the Ba'thist forces of Saddam
Saddam Hussein
Saddam Hussein Abd al-Majid al-Tikriti was the fifth President of Iraq, serving in this capacity from 16 July 1979 until 9 April 2003...
.
But he is more notable for his role in the Kurdish
Kurdish people
The Kurdish people, or Kurds , are an Iranian people native to the Middle East, mostly inhabiting a region known as Kurdistan, which includes adjacent parts of Iran, Iraq, Syria, and Turkey...
Uprising of March 1991 Raparin which he and small number of his inner circle planned, organized and executed. This uprising led to the creation of the safe haven in Iraqi Kurdistan
Iraqi Kurdistan
Iraqi Kurdistan or Kurdistan Region is an autonomous region of Iraq. It borders Iran to the east, Turkey to the north, Syria to the west and the rest of Iraq to the south. The regional capital is Arbil, known in Kurdish as Hewlêr...
and its subsequent autonomy from the Iraq
Iraq
Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
i government. Nawshirwan, because of his leadership of the Uprising, is accredited with being known in Kurdish
Kurdish people
The Kurdish people, or Kurds , are an Iranian people native to the Middle East, mostly inhabiting a region known as Kurdistan, which includes adjacent parts of Iran, Iraq, Syria, and Turkey...
circles as the “architect" of Raparin. This Uprising was also very important because it was the first time since the creation of Iraq
Iraq
Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
that all of Southern Kurdistan including Kirkuk
Kirkuk
Kirkuk is a city in Iraq and the capital of Kirkuk Governorate.It is located in the Iraqi governorate of Kirkuk, north of the capital, Baghdad...
, Khanaqin
Khanaqin
Khanaqin is a city in Iraq. It is located at 34.3°N, 45.4°E in the Diyala Governorate, near the Iranian border on a tributary of the Diyala River...
and Kurdish
Kurdish people
The Kurdish people, or Kurds , are an Iranian people native to the Middle East, mostly inhabiting a region known as Kurdistan, which includes adjacent parts of Iran, Iraq, Syria, and Turkey...
areas around Mosul
Mosul
Mosul , is a city in northern Iraq and the capital of the Ninawa Governorate, some northwest of Baghdad. The original city stands on the west bank of the Tigris River, opposite the ancient Assyrian city of Nineveh on the east bank, but the metropolitan area has now grown to encompass substantial...
were liberated and under direct Kurdish
Kurdish people
The Kurdish people, or Kurds , are an Iranian people native to the Middle East, mostly inhabiting a region known as Kurdistan, which includes adjacent parts of Iran, Iraq, Syria, and Turkey...
rule. For this achievement alone Nawshirwan has taken his place in Kurdish
Kurdish people
The Kurdish people, or Kurds , are an Iranian people native to the Middle East, mostly inhabiting a region known as Kurdistan, which includes adjacent parts of Iran, Iraq, Syria, and Turkey...
history along side other organizers of great Kurdish
Kurdish people
The Kurdish people, or Kurds , are an Iranian people native to the Middle East, mostly inhabiting a region known as Kurdistan, which includes adjacent parts of Iran, Iraq, Syria, and Turkey...
uprisings Sheikh Mahmoud Barzinji (1919), Sheikh Said Piran (1925) and Sheikh Ubeydullah (1880s).
After the Kurdish
Kurdish people
The Kurdish people, or Kurds , are an Iranian people native to the Middle East, mostly inhabiting a region known as Kurdistan, which includes adjacent parts of Iran, Iraq, Syria, and Turkey...
elections in 1992 which resulted in a power sharing agreement, Nawshirwan argued that instead the PUK should go to parliament as the opposition party because power sharing may cause tensions between the PUK and KDP. Nawshirwan, after 1992, took a backseat role in Kurdish
Kurdish people
The Kurdish people, or Kurds , are an Iranian people native to the Middle East, mostly inhabiting a region known as Kurdistan, which includes adjacent parts of Iran, Iraq, Syria, and Turkey...
politics and returned to writing though he still wielded so much influence that he "could ignite Kirkuk with a single telephone call" according to The New Yorker.
After 1992, Nawshirwan limited his involvement in Kurdish
Kurdish people
The Kurdish people, or Kurds , are an Iranian people native to the Middle East, mostly inhabiting a region known as Kurdistan, which includes adjacent parts of Iran, Iraq, Syria, and Turkey...
politics to matters of national importance. He refrained from interfering in the day to day running of the region, which he considered solely the job of the Kurdistan Regional Government
Kurdistan Regional Government
The Kurdistan Regional Government , , is the official ruling body of the predominantly Kurds-populated Kurdistan Region in Northern Iraq...
. However he was involved in the appointment of various prime ministers and cabinet ministers as well as their dismissals. Nawshirwan left Iraqi Kurdistan
Iraqi Kurdistan
Iraqi Kurdistan or Kurdistan Region is an autonomous region of Iraq. It borders Iran to the east, Turkey to the north, Syria to the west and the rest of Iraq to the south. The regional capital is Arbil, known in Kurdish as Hewlêr...
briefly and lived in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
where he focused on writing about Kurdish
Kurdish people
The Kurdish people, or Kurds , are an Iranian people native to the Middle East, mostly inhabiting a region known as Kurdistan, which includes adjacent parts of Iran, Iraq, Syria, and Turkey...
political history, but soon returned after the PUK and KDP became entangled in a civil war, he attempted to reconcile Jalal Talabani
Jalal Talabani
Jalal Talabani is the sixth and current President of Iraq, a leading Kurdish politician. He is the first non-Arab president of Iraq, although Abdul Kareem Qasim was half Kurdish....
and Massoud Barzani
Massoud Barzani
Massoud Barzani is the current President of the Iraqi Kurdistan Region and the leader of the Kurdistan Democratic Party. Barzani was born in Mahabad, Iran, during the rule of the Republic of Mahabad...
over meditations in Washington
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
, Dublin, Ankara
Ankara
Ankara is the capital of Turkey and the country's second largest city after Istanbul. The city has a mean elevation of , and as of 2010 the metropolitan area in the entire Ankara Province had a population of 4.4 million....
and Tehran
Tehran
Tehran , sometimes spelled Teheran, is the capital of Iran and Tehran Province. With an estimated population of 8,429,807; it is also Iran's largest urban area and city, one of the largest cities in Western Asia, and is the world's 19th largest city.In the 20th century, Tehran was subject to...
. After the 1998 peace accord
Peace treaty
A peace treaty is an agreement between two or more hostile parties, usually countries or governments, that formally ends a state of war between the parties...
, Nawshirwan remained resident in Kurdistan and gradually began to return to public political life and resume full official duties of the deputy secretary general. However due to differences between Nawshirwan and Talabani over the management of the PUK he left public political life in 2006 to set up a media organisation.
Nawshirwan welcomed the US led coalition which toppled Saddam Hussein
Saddam Hussein
Saddam Hussein Abd al-Majid al-Tikriti was the fifth President of Iraq, serving in this capacity from 16 July 1979 until 9 April 2003...
’s regime, seeing it as an opportunity to redraw the role of Kurds in Iraq
Iraqi Kurdistan
Iraqi Kurdistan or Kurdistan Region is an autonomous region of Iraq. It borders Iran to the east, Turkey to the north, Syria to the west and the rest of Iraq to the south. The regional capital is Arbil, known in Kurdish as Hewlêr...
. As soon as the old regime had been removed, he ordered the establishment of a PUK office in Baghdad
Baghdad
Baghdad is the capital of Iraq, as well as the coterminous Baghdad Governorate. The population of Baghdad in 2011 is approximately 7,216,040...
. He assumed the role of chief Kurdish
Kurdish people
The Kurdish people, or Kurds , are an Iranian people native to the Middle East, mostly inhabiting a region known as Kurdistan, which includes adjacent parts of Iran, Iraq, Syria, and Turkey...
negotiator on Transitional Administrative Law which was established under the governing council
Iraqi Governing Council
The Iraqi Governing Council was the provisional government of Iraq from July 13, 2003 to June 1, 2004. It was established by and served under the United States-led Coalition Provisional Authority...
and the CPA
Coalition Provisional Authority
The Coalition Provisional Authority was established as a transitional government following the invasion of Iraq by the United States and its allies, members of the Multi-National Force – Iraq which was formed to oust the government of Saddam Hussein in 2003...
. He designed Article 58 which addressed the issue of normalizing Arabised areas of Kurdistan and threatened that if this article was not included, Kurds would no longer be a part of Iraq
Iraqi Kurdistan
Iraqi Kurdistan or Kurdistan Region is an autonomous region of Iraq. It borders Iran to the east, Turkey to the north, Syria to the west and the rest of Iraq to the south. The regional capital is Arbil, known in Kurdish as Hewlêr...
. Although this demand was met, he returned to Kurdistan stating the Kurds had seceded on too many of their initial demands and had not been given their fair share.
Nawshirwan returned again as the Chief Kurdish
Kurdish people
The Kurdish people, or Kurds , are an Iranian people native to the Middle East, mostly inhabiting a region known as Kurdistan, which includes adjacent parts of Iran, Iraq, Syria, and Turkey...
negotiator during the drafting of the permanent constitution and to insure the inclusion of Article 140 which was an amended version of the TAL
TAL
-Abbreviation:*TAL effector, a family of DNA binding proteins with high sequence specificity*Ralph M. Calhoun Memorial Airport , in Tanana, Alaska*The Alberta Library*The programming languages:**Typed assembly language...
s Article 58 and another Article which provided the Kurds with veto power. He again returned and stated that the Kurds had not received what they were entitled to. Nawshirwan in 2005 turned his attention to domestic politics of the Kurdistan Region
Iraqi Kurdistan
Iraqi Kurdistan or Kurdistan Region is an autonomous region of Iraq. It borders Iran to the east, Turkey to the north, Syria to the west and the rest of Iraq to the south. The regional capital is Arbil, known in Kurdish as Hewlêr...
and began to call for administrative reform, saying that bad governance was crippling the region and damaging Kurdish
Kurdish people
The Kurdish people, or Kurds , are an Iranian people native to the Middle East, mostly inhabiting a region known as Kurdistan, which includes adjacent parts of Iran, Iraq, Syria, and Turkey...
national interests. He launched a campaign of reform which was ultimately blocked by the leadership of both the PUK and KDP. This resulted in Nawshirwan's surprise resignation on 5 December 2006 as deputy Secretary General during a politburo meeting, where he stated “irreconcilable differences" in the areas of policy and methods of governance for his decision. Nawshirwan has backing from the strategically important Hamewand tribe, whose leaders, among others, have publicly announced their support for his reform movement. He is known for his strong stance on the implementation of the rule of law and his plans to modernize the Kurdish
Kurdish people
The Kurdish people, or Kurds , are an Iranian people native to the Middle East, mostly inhabiting a region known as Kurdistan, which includes adjacent parts of Iran, Iraq, Syria, and Turkey...
economy in a free market fashion.
Wusha Corporation
Nawshirwan, in March 2007, established the Wusha Corporation in the Sulaimaniyah. In response to a question as to why he had established such as vast media outlet, Nawshirwan stated, "we have attempted to change Kurdish politics from the inside, now let us attempt it from the outside". Nawshirwan has had a long history of pushing for a free media in the region in an interview with the London based Al-Sharq al-Awsat on 31 May 2003, he stated Iraq and Kurdistan need to "enact news laws that live up to the spirit of the age and are in line with the principles of human rights and civil society."Branches of the Wusha Corporation:
- Kurdish News Network, 24hr International News Channel
- Rozhnama, Weekly Newspaper
- Sbeiy, News Website
- Dangi Gorran, 24hr Radio Station
The company's newspaper, Rozhnama; heavily criticized Jalal Talabani for deciding in March 2008 to sack party members from the PUK for speaking out against politicians in the press.
Movement for Change
Nawshirwan was the head of the main opposition list, Change ListMovement for Change
The Movement for Change also known as Change List or Gorran is a reformist Iraqi Kurdish political party under the leadership of Nawshirwan Mustafa, founded in 2009 it is the official opposition to the ruling two-party coalition of the Kurdistan Democratic Party and Patriotic Union of Kurdistan...
, in the Iraqi Kurdistan
Iraqi Kurdistan
Iraqi Kurdistan or Kurdistan Region is an autonomous region of Iraq. It borders Iran to the east, Turkey to the north, Syria to the west and the rest of Iraq to the south. The regional capital is Arbil, known in Kurdish as Hewlêr...
legislative election, 2009. The Change List is a broad coalition which consists of independents, members of the PUK and KDP, and elements from many established parties in Iraqi Kurdistan
Iraqi Kurdistan
Iraqi Kurdistan or Kurdistan Region is an autonomous region of Iraq. It borders Iran to the east, Turkey to the north, Syria to the west and the rest of Iraq to the south. The regional capital is Arbil, known in Kurdish as Hewlêr...
.
Arbil
Arbil / Hewlêr is the fourth largest city in Iraq after Baghdad, Basra and Mosul...
Governorates.
Jalal Talabani in November 2011 sent a delegation to see Nawshirwan on his behalf to "seek reconciliation" the delegation were told that “Talabani should reconcile with the People, not with Gorran” and that “we do not have any personal issue with Talabani”, the speedy attempt at reconciliation by Talabani was seen as a fearful response to Mustafa's one on one meeting with Barzani, in which Talabani was fearful that Barzani may seek Mustafa as his new political ally. Mustafa has flatly refused to meet Talabani despite his various requests, the relationship between the one time friends had reached an all time low after the two traded accusations about each other's actions during the Kurdish revolution in the media.
Quotes About Mustafa
- Cameron W. Barr, The Christian Science MonitorThe Christian Science MonitorThe Christian Science Monitor is an international newspaper published daily online, Monday to Friday, and weekly in print. It was started in 1908 by Mary Baker Eddy, the founder of the Church of Christ, Scientist. As of 2009, the print circulation was 67,703.The CSM is a newspaper that covers...
, March 27, 2003: "Mustafa, a gray-haired eminence in the Kurdish movement, was the architect of the Kurds' 1991 uprising against the regime of President Saddam Hussein" - Chris KutscheraChris KutscheraChris Kutschera is a French journalist, researcher, writer, specialist on the Middle East and the Kurds.He has written several books and published numerous articles in the Monde Diplomatique, Les Cahiers de l’Orient, Al Wasat and The Middle East magazine....
, The Middle East magazine, May 2008: "Mustafa is the enfant terrible of the Iraqi Kurdish national movement" and "he says loudly what many people dare not even whisper". - Quil Lawrence, National Public Radio, May 5, 2009: "Mustafa is stern and often abrupt, but he's considered clean, even by a jaded and cynical Kurdish public".
- Jeffrey GoldbergJeffrey GoldbergJeffrey Mark Goldberg is an American journalist. He is an author and a staff writer for The Atlantic, having previously worked for The New Yorker. Goldberg writes principally on foreign affairs, with a focus on the Middle East and Africa...
, The New YorkerThe New YorkerThe New Yorker is an American magazine of reportage, commentary, criticism, essays, fiction, satire, cartoons and poetry published by Condé Nast...
, April 14, 2003: "It has been said that Mustafa is a man who could ignite Kirkuk with a single telephone call" and that his "his spies and rebels had seized cities across Kurdistan within days of Saddam’s retreat from Kuwait" - Lennox Samuels, NewsweekNewsweekNewsweek is an American weekly news magazine published in New York City. It is distributed throughout the United States and internationally. It is the second-largest news weekly magazine in the U.S., having trailed Time in circulation and advertising revenue for most of its existence...
, Jun 23, 2009: "The fact is that Gorran's standard bearer, Nawshirwan Mustafa, is also one of the peshmerga's heroes, just like KDP boss Massoud Barzani and PUK leader Jalal Talabani" - Borzou DaragahiBorzou DaragahiBorzou Daragahi is a print and radio journalist and the former Baghdad bureau chief for the Los Angeles Times. A U.S. citizen of Iranian descent, he was a 2005 Pulitzer Prize finalist for his coverage of Iraq and led the bureau that was named a 2007 Pulitzer finalist for its Iraq coverage...
, Los Angeles TimesLos Angeles TimesThe Los Angeles Times is a daily newspaper published in Los Angeles, California, since 1881. It was the second-largest metropolitan newspaper in circulation in the United States in 2008 and the fourth most widely distributed newspaper in the country....
, November 7, 2007: "Mustafa the steely-eyed intellectual turned guerrilla commander helped secretly organize the 1991 uprising against Saddam Hussein that challenged Baghdad's rule in the north and led to the establishment of the Kurdish autonomous region" - Barham SalihBarham SalihBarham Ahmad Salih is an Iraqi Kurdish politician. He is currently the prime minister of the Kurdistan Region of Iraq. He is married and has a daughter who attended Princeton University and a son who graduated from King's Academy in Madaba, Jordan and currently attends Columbia.-Early life:Dr....
KRG Prime Minister in an interview with Nalia Radio and Television Channel, October 2011, "Kak Nawshirwan Mustafa is a notable leader of Kurdistan who also historically revived the Kurdish revolution in 1976, he was my superior for 30 years and is the intellectual giant of our Kurdish nation" - Gareth R. Stansfield, Iraqi Kurdistan: Political development and emergent democracy, "Mustafa is recognised as being guru-style ideologue, he represents a curious mix of an institutional historical figure, and yet is aggressively non-conformist within the PUK"
- Hasan Kanbolat, Today's ZamanToday's ZamanToday's Zaman is one of two English-language dailies based in Turkey. Established on January 16, 2007, the newspaper's main competitor is the older Hürriyet Daily News....
, "Mustafa has created a powerful opposition alternative unforeseen in politics in Kurdistan" - The United States Department of StateUnited States Department of StateThe United States Department of State , is the United States federal executive department responsible for international relations of the United States, equivalent to the foreign ministries of other countries...
, WikileaksWikileaksWikiLeaks is an international self-described not-for-profit organisation that publishes submissions of private, secret, and classified media from anonymous news sources, news leaks, and whistleblowers. Its website, launched in 2006 under The Sunshine Press organisation, claimed a database of more...
, U.S state department refers to Mustafa as the "legendary Peshmerga commander"
See also
- Movement for ChangeMovement for ChangeThe Movement for Change also known as Change List or Gorran is a reformist Iraqi Kurdish political party under the leadership of Nawshirwan Mustafa, founded in 2009 it is the official opposition to the ruling two-party coalition of the Kurdistan Democratic Party and Patriotic Union of Kurdistan...
- Patriotic Union of KurdistanPatriotic Union of KurdistanThe Patriotic Union of Kurdistan is a Kurdish political party in Iraqi Kurdistan. The Patriotic Union of Kurdistan was founded on June 1, 1975, by coordinations between Jalal Talabani and Nawshirwan Mustafa...
- Jalal TalabaniJalal TalabaniJalal Talabani is the sixth and current President of Iraq, a leading Kurdish politician. He is the first non-Arab president of Iraq, although Abdul Kareem Qasim was half Kurdish....
- Massoud BarzaniMassoud BarzaniMassoud Barzani is the current President of the Iraqi Kurdistan Region and the leader of the Kurdistan Democratic Party. Barzani was born in Mahabad, Iran, during the rule of the Republic of Mahabad...
- Mustafa BarzaniMustafa BarzaniMustafa Barzani also known as Mullah Mustafa was a Kurdish nationalist leader, and the most prominent political figure in the modern Kurdish politics. In 1946 he was chosen as the leader of the Kurdistan Democratic Party to lead the Kurdish revolution against Iraqi regimes...