Several Turkmen parties and groups have threatened to stage demonstrations in Kirkuk, saying they will turn the city into a “Tahrir Square”, Baghdad’s stronghold of the mass anti-government protests, unless balance is ensured in provision of government jobs to the diverse communities of the multi-ethnic province.
In a press conference on Saturday, November 17 which was attended by KirkukNow reporter, the Turkmen representatives indicated that both the Kurds and Turkmens have been marginalized in the appointment of hundreds of people in the North Gas Company and the National Security Service.
Abbas Muhammad Bayati, deputy head of the Turmen National Movement called for the adoption of the "power sharing scheme in Kirkuk by which 32% of the posts and government jobs would be allocated for each of the Kurdish, Arab and Turkmen components".
The 32% power sharing scheme needs to be implemented
“A list of newly appointed chemical engineers has been announced, in which the majority are from the provinces of Anbar, Ninewa and Diyala, as if Kirkuk has no graduates of chemical engineering,” a statement by the Turkmen factions read.
The gathering also complained about the small percentage of Kurds and Turkmens enlisted in the National Security service.
Turkmen political parties believe that ethnic balance has not been pursued in the security departments since 2003, accusing the Kirkuk administration and the Iraqi government of marginalizing the Turkmens.
