Iraqi Shiite Militia Leader Hadi Al-Ameri: A Referendum on Kurdistan Independence Might Lead to Armed Confrontation

Iraqi Shiite militia leader Hadi Al-Ameri, head of the Badr Organization, said that he was against a referendum on Kurdistan independence, which, he said, was not in the interest of Iraq. Al-Ameri, speaking on Rudaw Arabic TV, an Iraqi Kurdish channel, on September 4, warned that the establishment of regional entities on a racial or sectarian basis would lead to armed confrontation. He further said that it was in the interest of Iraq for the PMU to continue even in the post-Islamic State (ISIS) era. Al-Ameri also criticized the Hizbullah-ISIS deal that allowed some 300 ISIS fighters to transfer from the Syrian-Lebanese border to Al-Bukamal, near the Iraqi border

Hadi Al-Ameri: "I am worried that a referendum [on Kurdistan independence] will complicate matters even further. That is why I personally called several times upon the brothers in Kurdistan to reconsider the question of a referendum. This is not a question of insistence. What about the interests of Iraq? What about the interests of the Kurdistan region? When I talk about Iraq, this includes Kurdistan. When we determine what these interests are, we can think about [courses of action]. If we don't achieve results, we will turn to other solutions. I believe that it is possible to reach a result. Does Kurdistan only have problems with the government of Iraq? Are there no problems within Kurdistan itself?

[...]

"I am against the establishment of regional entities on racial or sectarian basis. My view on this is clear. Today, if we..."

Interviewer: "Does this mean that you will confront them with weapons?"

Hadi Al-Ameri: "No... Let me tell you... We will get to armed [confrontation]."

Interviewer: "When?"

Hadi Al-Ameri: "We will reach an armed [confrontation] if we establish racially- or sectarian-based regional entities. Let me ask you a question: If we decide to have a racially-based system  – divided into a Kurdish region and an Arab region – where will the borders of the regions lie? We will have a conflict. This will not be a civilized dispute. It could lead to an armed confrontation. If we have a sectarian division – a Sunni region and a Shiite region – where will the borders between them lie? How will we divide up the territory? We will have disputes even about the division of a single room."

[...]

Interviewer: "In the post-ISIS era, will the Popular Mobilization Units remain?"

Hadi Al-Ameri: Absolutely! It is in the interest of Iraq for the PMU to remain. It is in the interest of Iraq for the PMU to remain.

[...]

Interviewer: "How do you view the deal of Hizbullah and the Syrian government with ISIS to transfer the ISIS militants and their families to the border with Iraq?"

Hadi Al-Ameri: We, of course, opposed this. If the agreement had been to move them from one place to another within Syria, that would have been a Syrian matter, and we would not have a say in it. We objected to this because we heard on the news that they were being transferred to the Al-Bukamal region. We explicitly opposed this. We shall not accept it."