Several major changes occurred in the Iraqi political arena and the internal situation of the Kurdistan Democratic Party between the third and fourth congresses of the Kurdistan Students Union, which lasted three years, which had a direct impact on the Kurdistan Students Union, between the third and fourth congresses of the Kurdistan Students Union, which lasted three years.
On February 8, 1963, the Baathists seized power in a military coup, and Aylul Revolution , which had been ongoing for nearly two years, entered a new phase after the coup. An attempt was made to reach an agreement between the government and the revolution leadership through negotiations to resolve the issues (at that time, members of the Kurdistan Students Union constituted a large part of the revolution's force and were fighting actively with the members and Peshmerga of the revolution).
But after the failure of the negotiations, in June 1963, the Baath Party resumed its large-scale attacks on the revolution's Peshmerga forces. What had the greatest impact on the Party and the revolution at this stage was the orientation of some members of the Political Bureau of the Kurdistan Democratic Party to join the Baath Party and their agreement with Iran, which led to their subsequent withdrawal from the revolution.
On November 18, 1963, the army overthrew the Baath Party, and Abd al-Salam Arif took power, and negotiations with the revolution were resumed. The Political Bureau group that intended to separate approached the revolution leadership and participated together in the government negotiations. The success of the negotiations led to the peace agreement on February 10, 1964, and this party split had a major impact on the revolution and the organizational work of the Party, and its effects were fully reflected in the Fourth Congress of the Kurdistan Students Union.
Holding the Congress
In light of the ceasefire and the February 10, 1964 agreement, and in order to reorganize their internal situation, strengthen their ranks, and evaluate the variables and developments, the Kurdistan Students Union decided to hold its fourth congress in 1964. After preparations, the congress was held from February 14 to 18, 1964, in the village of Chokhmakh in Sulaymaniyah Governorate, which was one of the liberated areas under the control of the revolution.
The congress began with the slogan "Victory for our revolution and autonomy for Kurdistan within a democratic Iraq". It is interesting that the members of the Badinan Students Union were not invited to the congress, although most of them were in the liberated areas and were in the ranks of the revolution's forces. This was considered an attempt by the Political Bureau group to gain full control over the organization by marginalizing the Badinan members.
However, the congress elected a new leadership for the organization during its four days of sessions, most of them from Sulaymaniyah, Fuad Mela Mahmoud as president and Nechirvan Mustafa as secretary, and the members of the secretariat office were as follows:
1- Omar Tawfiq - Supervisor of Sulaymaniyah Governorate
2- Fuad Ibrahim - Supervisor of Baghdad and its suburbs
3- Comrade Salah - Supervisor of Erbil Governorate
Among the most important decisions of the congress:Forming a front consisting of the Kurdistan Students Union, the Kurdistan Democratic Youth Union, the Kurdistan Women's Union, and the Kurdistan Teachers Union. Banning the activities of any mass organization for students except for the Kurdistan Students Union. Emphasizing support for the revolution.
The leadership elected at the congress failed to perform well, so after only six months, the organization decided to hold its second congress.
Sources:1- Encyclopedia Committee of the Kurdistan Democratic Party, History of the Kurdistan Democratic Party Congress and Conference (Program and Internal Regulations), Volume One, First Edition, (Erbil - Rojhalat Press - 2021).
2- Sasan Awni, Kurdistan Students Union: Aspects of Struggle and History, (Erbil - Ministry of Education Press - 1998).
3- Erfan Aziz Aziz, Congresses and Conferences of the Kurdistan Students Union, First Edition, (Erbil - Rojhalat Press - 2012).
4- Majid Hassan Ali, The Kurdish Student Movement in Iraq (1926-1970), Master's Thesis/Salahaddin University in Erbil 2008, Spirez Publications, (Erbil - Haji Hashim Press).
5- Abdulkarim Fandi, Kurdistan Students Union: An Organized Revolutionary Faction and a Strong Supporter of the Kurdish Revolution, Gulan Arabi Magazine, Gulan Media Institution, Issue 22, Erbil, March 25, 1998.
6- Shazin Hirsh, Democratic and Professional Organizations in Several Historical Documents 1958-1968, Second Edition, (Sulaymaniyah - Raz Press - 2001).