kirkuk iraq visitors kirkuk northern iraq greet impose statue kurdish peshmerga fighter gun sling shoulder reminder tensions build hotly-contested city ahead referendum kurdish independence erect july statue come symbolize kurds want cement hold oil-rich kirkuk part region hold next monday vote peshmerga mean confront death military force autonomous region iraqi kurdistan referendum risky especially kirkuk multi-ethnic city also claim arabs since oil discover 1930s kurdistan region produce around 600,000 barrel per day bpd oil central government baghdad iraq neighbor western power fear vote could divide country spark wide regional conflict arabs kurds cooperate dislodge islamic state stronghold mosul already least one kurd kill pre-referendum clash security checkpoints erect across city prevent violence kurds say determine go ahead vote though non-binding could trigger process separation country already divide along sectarian ethnic line iran turkey unite state western ally oppose vote non-kurds fear baghdad attempt regain control kirkuk send shi ite militias pmu also know hashid al-shaabi station outside province fear hashid come fight start kirkuk say nazim mohammed arab mosul flee kirkuk northern city overrun islamic state back iran militias fear independent kurdistan would split iraq give tehran less influence kirkuk populate kurds arabs turkmen christians minorities one 15 ethnically mix areas northern iraq participate referendum claim central government baghdad kurdistan regional government krg decision krg president massoud barzani include so-called dispute territories plebiscite widely interpret unilateral move consolidate kurdish control critics say kurdish intentions already clear referendum announce peshmerga fighters seize kirkuk 2014 flee iraqi security force leave oil field vulnerable islamic state militants sweep across northern iraq statue dedicate peshmerga design represent appreciation people kirkuk tensions krg baghdad new hinge oil revenue kurds long accuse baghdad fail make budget payments region central government oppose oil deal make kurds without consent nevertheless kurds mark territory run-up vote peshmerga outposts dot area protect flame oil field kirkuk outskirts kurdish flag hoist across city since spring fly alongside iraqi flag government build dream long-denied statehood since world war one kurds say ready fight necessary kurdistan land belong kurdish people kemal al-kirkuki kurdish military commander responsible front-line islamic state tell reuters base dibis one pmu right take ... ask leave kurdish territory peacefully prepare fight need monday clash break kirkuk kurdish convoy celebrate referendum drive turkmen political party office kurd kill two others injure security source say follow week escalate rhetoric kurdish leadership baghdad parliament vote reject referendum oust kirkuk kurdish governor najmaddin kareem conflict dispute territories bitter kurdistan region iraq declare break-off baghdad kirkuk would fall right border two kirkuk produce around one quarter region oil kurds want press separation sort say joost hiltermann mena program director international crisis group boundary question become critically important baghdad erbil continue take unilateral step say things escalate reliable statistics kirkuk population kurds arabs say demographic majority vital legitimize respective claim province kirkuk mean census 2005 constitution draft two years former iraqi leader saddam topple u.s.-led invasion take place risk ethnic religious tensions saddam anfal campaign wag kurds 1980s force arabisation dispute areas eject kurds province arabs part iraq settle take kurdish home businesses 1988 saddam cause international outrage stag chemical attack kurdish city halabja kill thousands people many arabs oust since saddam topple 2003 embolden kurds reclaim large part dispute territories include kirkuk displace kurds provide incentives return kurds areas also move anger minorities since 2003 600,000 kurds arrive many illegally say ali mehdi sadiq turkman member kirkuk local council without dialogue everything possible need avoid war engulf whole iraq blame governor kareem kurd live 30 years unite state call kurdish discrimination minorities governor say kurds would guarantee minorities right point relative stability kurdistan region contrast baghdad suicide bomb frequent support kurdish independence worry minorities refuse sit behind iraqi flag interview prefer kurdish one say would destroy iraqi passport minute get kurdish one shrug decision iraq parliament last week sack unlawful add proud day anticipate trouble ahead residents kirkuk stockpile basic foods flour rice milk since announce referendum hardly customers market dead say 27-year-old ali hamza arab small textiles shop old city several kurds interview support independence vote privately say worry clash afterwards face people fear clash economic problems governor kareem say take big step like referendum anything possible nothing come without price graphic iraq 's oil produce region kirkuk click kirkuk shape flashpoint ahead kurdistan independence vote