Resolving Kirkuk: Lessons Learned from Settlements of Earlier Ethno-Territorial Conflicts
Abstract
Tensions among Arabs, Kurds, and Turkomen in northern Iraq have the potential to escalate into intercommunal violence that draws Iraq back into civil war, leads the Kurdistan Region to secede, and topples Iraq s nascent political structures. Of all the issues that could spark violence between these groups, none is more explosive than the political and legal status of the city of Kirkuk. Kirkuk is not the first ethnically heterogeneous territory to be fought over by different communities. Throughout modern history, disputes over ethnically mixed territories have been settled through negotiations that established new structures for governance, instituted policies that either promoted assimilation or guaranteed communal autonomy, and defined relationships between the disputed territory and neighboring entities. Efforts to resolve other ethno-territorial conflicts, whether successful or not, can offer insights that may prove valuable in the effort to reach a negotiated solution regarding Kirkuk. This monograph examines the academic literature regarding the governance of divided and multiethnic territories and regarding the most challenging aspects of ethno-territorial disputes--ethnic identity, security, sovereignty, and control over land. Next, it looks at agreements that resolved three earlier conflicts over multiethnic territories--Northern Ireland and the Bosnian cities of Mostar and Brcko--as well as some of the factors that have prevented Israelis and Palestinians from reaching a negotiated settlement regarding Jerusalem. It then applies insights from the literature and case studies to the situation in Kirkuk, drawing lessons that could positively shape future negotiations. Finally, the report considers steps the United States and other outside parties might take to promote a peaceful resolution of the city's status.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jan 01, 2012
- Accession Number
- ADA561587
Entities
People
- Larry Hanauer
- Laurel E. Miller
Organizations
- RAND Corporation