Nawshirwan Mustafa

Nawshirwan Mustafa
Nawshirwan Mustafa
Leader of the Movement for Change
Personal details
Born	1944 Silemani, Kurdistan
Political party	Movement for Change
Residence	Silemani, Kurdistan
Occupation	Politician
Profession	Historian
Religion	Muslim
Website	http://www.gorran.org

Nawshirwan Mustafa' (Kurdish: Newşîrwan Mistefa) (born 1944) in Sulaymaniyah Kurdistan is the chairman of the Movement for Change and the leader of the official opposition in the Kurdistan Region.^[1]

Early Life

Nawshirwan Mustafa was born in the old quarter of the Kurdish 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, 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 Peshmerga Forces 1976-1992
• Deputy Secretary General Patriotic Union of Kurdistan 1976-2006
• Leader of the Movement for Change 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 Barzani, 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^{[citation needed]}. 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

Nawshirwan Mustafa meeting with Masoud Barzani, 26/09/2011

Mustafa founded the Komalai Ranjdaran party in 1970^{[citation needed]} 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 Barzani 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^{[citation needed]}.

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.^{[citation needed][2][3]}

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 Iraqi government. Nawshirwan, because of his leadership of the Uprising, is accredited with being known in Kurdish circles as the “architect"^[4] 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)^{[citation needed]}.

Nawshirwan Mustafa meeting with Jalal Talabani, 2009

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"^[5] 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 setup 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 TALs 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.

Wusha Corporation

Mustafa with Talabani and Barzani

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.^[6]

Movement for Change

See also: Iraqi Kurdistan legislative election, 2009

Nawshirwan was the head of the main opposition list, Change List, in the Iraqi Kurdistan legislative election, 2009.^[7] 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.

Change List which was found by Nawshirwan Mustafa in 2006

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”^[8], 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^[9], 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.^[10]

Quotes About Mustafa

• Cameron W. Barr, The Christian Science Monitor, 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"^[11]
• Chris Kutschera, 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"^[12].
• 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"^[13].
• Jeffrey Goldberg, The New Yorker, 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"^[14]
• Lennox Samuels, Newsweek, 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"^[15]
• Borzou Daragahi, Los Angeles Times, 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"^[16]
• Barham Salih KRG Prime Minister in an interview with Nalia Radio and Televsion 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"^[17]
• 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"^[18]
• Hasan Kanbolat, Today's Zaman, "Mustafa has created a powerful opposition alternative unforeseen in politics in Kurdistan"^[19]

Publications

This list is incomplete; you can help by expanding it.

• Mustafa, Nawshirwan (1981). Karesati Hekari. Kurdistan: Zargata. ISBN None. 
• Mustafa, Nawshirwan (1992). Kurds and Ejams. Kurdistan: Zargata. ISBN None. 
• Mustafa, Nawshirwan (1993). The Government of Kurdistan. Kurdistan: Zargata. ISBN 9090063560. 
• Mustafa, Nawshirwan (1995). Kêşey Partî û Yekêtî. Kurdistan: Zargata. ISBN None. 
• Mustafa, Nawshirwan (1997). From the Danube shore to the Nawzang valley. Kurdistan: Zargata. ISBN None. 
• Mustafa, Nawshirwan (1997). The fingers which break each other. Kurdistan: Zargata. ISBN None. 
• Mustafa, Nawshirwan (1998). Going around in circles. Kurdistan: Zargata. ISBN 3980614034. 
• Mustafa, Nawshirwan (1998). The emirate of Baban between the grinding stones of the Persians and Turks. Kurdistan: Zargata. ISBN None. 
• Mustafa, Nawshirwan (2000). Kurdistanî ʻÊraq: serdemî qełem u muraceʻat, 1928-1931. Kurdistan: Zargata. ISBN None. 
• Mustafa, Nawshirwan (2002). Jian: Be tementirîn rōjnamey kurdî 1926 - 1938. Kurdistan: Zargata. ISBN None. 
• Mustafa, Nawshirwan (2004). Jian: Çend lapereyek le mêjûy rojnamewaniy Kurdî, 1938-1958: rojnamewaniy nihênî. Kurdistan: Zargata. ISBN None. 
• Mustafa, Nawshirwan (2009). Ême û Ewan. Kurdistan: Zargata. ISBN None. 

See also

• Movement for Change
• Patriotic Union of Kurdistan
• Jalal Talabani
• Massoud Barzani
• Mustafa Barzani

References

1. ^ Muir, Jim (2009-07-24). "Iraqi Kurds vote in 'vibrant' elections". BBC. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/8167986.stm. Retrieved 2009-07-24. 
2. ^ Standard website
3. ^ Iraq’s Political Machinations | Workers Bush Telegraph
4. ^ *The Christian Science Monitor, Lessons on how to oust Hussein, http://www.csmonitor.com/2003/0327/p08s01-woiq.htm
5. ^ * The New Yorker, WARTIME FRIENDSHIPS, http://www.newyorker.com/archive/2003/04/14/030414fa_fact?currentPage=all
6. ^ Washington Institute for Near East Policy, The Future of the Iraqi Kurds, http://www.washingtoninstitute.org/pubPDFs/PolicyFocus85.pdf
7. ^ KurdishMedia.com: News about Kurds and Kurdistan
8. ^ Kurdistan Tribune, PUK leader Talabani seeks reconciliation with Gorran leader, http://kurdistantribune.com/2011/puk-leader-talabani-seeks-reconciliation-gorran-leader/
9. ^ EKurd, Kurdistan opposition leader Nawshirwan responds to speech of Talabani, http://www.ekurd.net/mismas/articles/misc2010/1/independentstate3414.htm
10. ^ EKurd, Jalal Talabani says Nawshirwan Mustafa secession was aggressive, http://www.ekurd.net/mismas/articles/misc2011/6/state5169.htm
11. ^ Cameron W. Barr, Lessons on how to oust Hussein, http://www.csmonitor.com/2003/0327/p08s01-woiq.html
12. ^ CHRIS KUTSCHERA 35 YEARS of JOURNALISM, The Voice of the Opposition from Within, http://http://www.chris-kutschera.com/A/Nawshirwan.htm
13. ^ QUIL LAWRENCE, Iraqi Kurds Try To Reform Two-Party System, http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=103805844
14. ^ Jeffrey Goldberg, Letter From Northern Iraq: Wartime Friendships, http://www.jeffreygoldberg.net/articles/tny/letter_from_northern_iraq_wart.php
15. ^ Lennox Samuels, Count Your Change, http://www.thedailybeast.com/newsweek/2009/06/23/count-your-change.html
16. ^ Borzou Daragahi, IRAQ: Man on the hilltop, http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/babylonbeyond/2007/11/man-on-the-hill.html
17. ^ Barham Salih, NRT Channel, http://nrttv.com/K_Direje.aspx?Jimare=8509
18. ^ Gareth R. Stansfield, Iraqi Kurdistan: Political development and emergent democracy, http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=FB4ErXPRRd0C&pg=PA91&dq=mustapha+puk&hl=en&ei=IhjATv3eL4SIhQfKm-m4Bg&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q=mustafa&f=false
19. ^ Hasan Kanbolat, Toward a Talabani and Nawshirwan alliance in northern Iraq, http://www.todayszaman.com/columnist-181936-toward-a-talabani-and-nawshirwan-alliance-in-northern-iraq.html

Persondata
Name	Mistefa, Nawshirwan
Alternative names
Short description
Date of birth	1944
Place of birth	Silemani, Kurdistan
Date of death
Place of death