An attempt to hold a plebiscite on the area
According to the treaty signed between the Kurdish and the Baghdad Government, Plebiscite had to be held in order to define the borders of the Kurdish Autonomous Zone. What would be the future of the areas in which the Turks lived, was the case in the plebiscite held on ethnic origin and the official language on 26th October 1970. In order to determine under whose rule the Turks would be they could not choose their own rights and freedoms but they had to prefer one of the sides rule. Actually; the census would be held for determining the population proportion, not for learning the preference; but in the end, either the Kurdish or the Baas Supporters would earn a right to rule over. In other words, the Turks who were not given autonomy would be ruled either by the Kurdish or by the Arabs. So, the Iraq Turks would be torn between two countries and they would not be able to decide their own future. Due to the disagreement between Baas and Barzani in this period, the oppressions from both of the sides began to increase.
Both of the sides made attempts at tricks and oppressions so that the census would result in favour of them. The Barzani Supporters stealthily went to Kerkük in groups and they settled in the areas such as Molla Abdullah Hill, Rahimova , İskan, Şorca. Furthermore, the Baas Supporters settled 50.000 Arab families into regions such as el-Huriyye , el-Kerame, el-Baas, 17 Temmuz , Philistine and el- Kudüs which were recently built by the government by giving population notes. At the same time, they distributed 180.000 acres to these families and they took measures in order not to make the immigrants redundant by establishing new companies such as Mukavilin al-Arab, Dibis Electric and Kerkük Petrol Firm which employed only Arabs. So as to organise these activities more easily and rule over the region completely, the Baas Supporters exiled the Turk officials, working in Kerkük especially the officials in Registry of Births, into Iraqs areas where there were no Turks. Besides, in case there should be an attack, the Baas Government provided 25.000 of its supporters with automatics as an oppression element except military forces.
Although the Barzani Supporters and the members of Baas Party were armed, it was forbidden for Turks to be armed. The Kurdish started to make the people in all Turkish regions accept their rule by force and threat. They prevented Turkish Education in some towns such as Kifri, Hanekin, Karatepe, Kümbetler, Kızılyar and Yayçı. Especially in Erbil, Hanekin and Kifri, they did not allow the people to speak Turkish even in the street and this led to rebellions. Moreover Kerkük was blockaded by about 3000 Kurdish in North Iraq. Militants disguised as peddlers were ready to attack. They were nearly degenerating a silent occupation into a violent, legal occupation. They offered to bribe some of the Arab policemen into rebelling and inciting Kurdish occupation. As a matter of fact, a plot was held and the conflict between the police and the Kurdish changed into a huge fight. Meanwhile, a pregnant Turkish woman called Sabriye Yasin and three Turkish boys were seriously injured. The most important element was that Kurdish commando occupied the whole city including police stations in a few hours on the pretext of this fight. So, they proved that they could do it anytime. The government had been reacting this situation like an onlooker and it did not dare interfere with the incident.
Barzani repeatedly emphasised these words;
As a result of the census which will be held, Kerkük will be turned over the Kurdish even only one Kurd was defined. What do we fight for if we do not rule over Kerkük ? The North given us legally was already one of our lands. We want Kerkük ... These expressions gave away the Kurds real aims and they were reminded the Turks as a threat.