US embassy cable - 05BAGHDAD4924

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 BAGHDAD 004924 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/09/2015 
TAGS: PGOV, PREL, KDEM, IZ, Kurdistan Islamic Union, Kurdistan Democratic Party KDP 
SUBJECT: KURDISTAN ISLAMIC UNION LEADER ASKS FOR HELP ON 
RECENT POLITICAL VIOLENCE 
 
 
Classified By: Ambassador Zalmay Khalilzad for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). 
 
1. (C) SUMMARY: The Ambassador met with Kurdistan Islamic 
Union (KIU) leader Salah al-Din Baha al-Din on December 7 
following attacks on six KIU offices in Dahuk the previous 
day.  Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) leader Mas'ud Barzani 
told the Ambassador in a phone call before the meeting that 
he intends to launch an investigation into the attacks and to 
meet with the KIU leader to head off further unrest.  Baha 
al-Din insisted that the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) 
and KDP were behind the attack and warned that both Barzani 
and Talabani (whom he said he believes have USG blessing in 
suppressing dissent in Kurdistan) are exploiting their 
relationship with the U.S.  Baha al-Din urged the Ambassador 
to put the KDP and PUK on notice by denouncing the attacks in 
public.  The Ambassador agreed to issue a statement 
condemning the acts but without blaming any specific group. 
The Ambassador also warned Baha al-Din that other groups may 
be attempting to manipulate him and pit him against Barzani. 
Baha al-Din agreed with the Ambassador's assessment, pledged 
his restraint, and welcomed the plan for a U.S. statement. 
END SUMMARY. 
 
----------- 
The Attacks 
----------- 
 
2. (C) The December 6 attacks against the KIU in Dahuk 
(Kirkuk septel) occurred after crowds appeared in front of 
the party's offices to protest its decision to run 
independently in the coming elections; the crowds also 
demanded that the KIU take down the Kurdistan flag adorning 
its buildings.  The attacks left three party members dead, 
one in critical condition, and two others wounded.  All of 
the offices were set afire and looted. 
 
3. (C) KIU leader Salah al-Din Baha al-Din, a former member 
of the Governing Council, said he was convinced the attacks 
were pre-planned by KDP and PUK activists.  He pointed to an 
article published on the internet two days before the 
attacks, which claimed that PUK and KDP intelligence agents 
were planning a raid on the KIU offices.  Baha al-Din said 
Kurdistan security forces (read: peshmerga) participated in 
the attacks rather than preventing them, adding that the KIU 
member in critical condition had been shot in the head by a 
Kurdistan security officer.  Kurdish firemen on the scene 
refrained from putting out the flames after the buildings 
were torched, he said. 
 
---------------------------------- 
Calling For a Strong U.S. Reaction 
---------------------------------- 
 
4. (C) Baha al-Din alleged that KDP and PUK leaders are 
exploiting their well-known strong relationship with the U.S. 
to suppress dissent in Kurdistan.  He urged the Ambassador to 
take a clear stand by denouncing the attacks on the KIU and 
by supporting democracy in Kurdistan.  The Ambassador's phone 
call to Barzani was insufficient, Baha al-Din added, and 
needs to be followed by a public position.  "I understand 
there are interests here and I don't want a change in U.S. 
policy," he said. "I just want to make sure that the policy 
does not come at the expense of other groups and lead to 
another dictatorship in Kurdistan.  I am not the father of 
democracy myself, but I have a right to be there and to be a 
participant in politics." 
 
5. (C) The Ambassador said he would issue a statement 
specifically denouncing the attacks but without assigning 
blame.  He also warned Baha al-Din not to let the incident 
touch off violence, noting that entities attempting to sow 
discord between Baha al-Din and Barzani and the KDP may have 
been behind the attacks.  Baha al-Din pledged restraint, said 
the U.S. statement would be an excellent step, and suggested 
that the U.S. consider putting a representative on any 
committee formed to investigate the incident. 
 
---------------- 
Other Key Points 
---------------- 
 
6. (C) Baha al-Din made the following other key points in the 
meeting: 
 
-- KIU IS A PEACEFUL PARTY: He said the KIU is a peaceful 
force that aims to have friendly relations with the two 
larger Kurdish parties.  Baha al-Din dismissed allegations 
that the KIU is a terrorist group as slander; the KIU is 
Islamic but absolutely rejects terrorism, he said, and the 
KIU believes Islam and democracy are perfectly compatible. 
Furthermore, he added, the KIU has resisted many calls to use 
arms.  During the attacks, Baha al-Din said, many KIU 
security officers surrendered their weapons and refrained 
from firing even on those who stormed the buildings. 
 
-- BARZANI AND TALABANI NEED TO BE ABOVE POLITICS:  Baha 
al-Din said that he considers Barzani and Talabani to be 
national symbols, not just party leaders, and that he appeals 
to them regularly to act for all of Kurdistan and not out of 
political interests.  Barzani, he asserted, instead listens 
excessively to his intelligence office and invariably pleads 
ignorance when confronted on issues of governance.  Talabani, 
he contrasted, is far more likely to take action on the basis 
of unfiltered information. 
 
-- WHY THE KIU IS RUNNING INDEPENDENTLY: Baha al-Din said the 
KIU decided to split from the Kurdistan Alliance because the 
two leading parties were using politics as a way to divide 
wealth and influence, not serve the people.  Meanwhile, the 
KIU was not rewarded with positions or authority, he said. 
In an internal party vote, he added, the KIU decided that the 
coalition was not serving its interests and that it should 
quit for its own sake and for the sake of democratic 
competition. 
-- THERE WAS CONSTITUTION REFERENDUM FRAUD: Baha al-Din said 
turnout for the constitutional referendum was very low, and 
he accused the KDP and PUK of stuffing ballot boxes to 
improve the constitution's ultimate mandate. 
KHALILZAD