PUK politburo member and top military commander tells VOA Kurdish Serivice that he will not recognize authority or obey orders from a deputy Prime Minister from the Gorran list, or any other official not belonging to PUK or KDP.
Transcript:
Shekh Ja’far: The positions related to armed forces must go to either PUK or KDP.
VOA: Why not to Gorran, the third biggest party? Or another party?
– They don’t have armed forces. The armed forces belong to PUK and KDP. Therefore KDP and PUK must decide on unification steps. Doesn’t matter at all if another side decrees on Peshmerga forces and Unit 70, I myself will be one of those who won’t obey it.
– Does that mean if the deputy PM from Gorran list issues orders to Peshmerga and your Unit 70, you won’t obey it?
– If it comes to that, I will ignore [such orders] completely. Because he [/Gorran?] has nothing to do with it [Peshmerga forces], nor can he decide on the reunification. I am the one who can decide on the the reunification of the forces and its units… inaudible
– But Mr. Shekh, you [PUK & KDP} speak of governments institutions. Anyone who holds that position…
– Listen dear Missy, you should understand this matter. There a reality today, which is that those two forces belong to PUK and KDP. They must decide what to do with their forces. How can someone from another side decide on the reunification of those two parties’ forces? This is the reality, it can’t be forced [to be otherwise.]
– Mr. Shekh, do you, as PUK, listen to Gorran’s complaints?
– We pay attention to every matter.
– If you do listen, why do you demand that position?
– Which position?
– The position of deputy PM. They are dismayed by your demand.
– I told you in length, but you didn’t understand. I’m telling you that there is a reality today: there are two Peshmerga forces currently; one of them is called Unit 80, which belongs to KDP; another is Unit 70 which is under PUK control. The other parties, Islamists, Gorran, Communist, Socialist don’t control armed forces. PUK & KDP must together decide on the fate of these forces; to reunify, to form a unified army. And the other parties must assist. No one else can decide. I can’t decide on the fate of Unit 80, neither others [except KDP].
You should understand this reality; I’ve explained it to you at length.
– Mr. Sheikh, will the PM deputy have authority over Unit 80?
– I’m telling you! We are taking steps… The Peshmerga Ministry has the authority over both [Unit 70 & 80] forces in terms of administration, deployment, and everything. Only thing left is the step to unification. We currently have an agenda at the Peshmerga Ministry for us to be able to unify these forces, to be under the authority of one leadership and go under Peshmerga Ministry’s inaudible That can only be done by PUK and KDP.
– Can the PM deputy from your [PUK] list have authority over the Unit 80 corps?
– When the authority is unified, when these forces unify… whoever it is [who holds that position], will have their specified authority.
The way you talk about it, suggests that the KRI president also wouldn't have authority over us [military commanders]. That is not correct. “General Command of Kurdistan Peshmerga Forces” means that all decrees come from him, and all forces follow the rule of law.