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By Dr. Helene A. Sairany: There has been a substantial media reaction in the Kurdish region of Iraq over the 30 patients who have been allegedly harmed by the ocular injections of Avastin (Benvacizumab). Avastin is a monoclonal antibody developed by Genentech/Roche used for cancer patients to minimize the blood supply to the tumor cell….
By Dr. Amy L. Beam: Where is Van? In 2011 Van had the feel of the New York City of eastern Turkey with new high-rise condos and brandname stores with large plate-glass windows. Sidewalks and cafes were crowded with shoppers, businessmen on iPhones, and wealthy tourists from Iran. The population had exceeded one million and Van was…
KT News and Comment: With presidential and parliamentary elections looming, the PUK (Patriotic Union of Kurdistan) has recently sought to distance itself from south Kurdistan’s other ruling party, the KDP (Kurdistan Democratic Party), on two key issues. It has claimed to be opposed to Masud Barzani running for a third presidential term, because the law…
In a letter handed to BDP (Peace and Democracy Party) Co-Chair Selahattin Demirtaş, the jailed PKK (Kurdistan Workers’ Party) leader Abdullah Öcalan expressed his support for the protests that have engulfed Turkey this past week, beginning with a demonstration against the demolition of Gezi Park in Istanbul and escalating following the violent police reaction. “I…
KT News and Comment: The Anglo-Turkish oil giant Genel Energy has donated $20 million to The American University of Iraq – Slemani (AUIS). Dr. Athanasios Moulakis, president of the AUIS, has expressed his gratitude: “We thank the Genel Energy for their generous donation. We also thank the (KRG) Kurdistan Regional Government Prime Minister and both…
By Aziz Sheikhani: Migration is one of the most controversial issues that has received wide attention globally. The question is about the future of those states that people want to migrate to and also about migration as a source of chance and fear. The number of migrants has grown continually because of different factors, such…
KT News: In a statement today the PKK-associated Kurdish Communities Union (KCK) condemned recent police brutality in Turkey and called on the government to meet the protestors’ demands. It also said that the ‘democratic solution process’ it advocates in the peace talks is aimed at the democratisation of not only the Kurdish region, but also…
By Mohammed Hussein: Kurdish Communities Union (KCK) Executive Council President, Murat Karayilan, declared that the PKK would withdraw its guerrillas gradually from Turkey, starting 8 May, 2013. This was a result of the ongoing peace talks between the PKK’s jailed leader, Abdullah Ocalan, and the Turkish government. But what PKK leaders haven’t talked about is…
By Sayran Hadi: I am a link between job seekers and employers in the Kurdistan Region. I receive hundreds of CVs every day and so many people want to change their job. They mostly want to join the oil sector… Life is not easy nowadays, especially in a country like Kurdistan – where business is…
KT News: KESK (Confederation of Public Workers’ Unions) is holding a two-day general strike across Turkey in solidarity with the Taksim protestors. “We will hold a strike, making a statement to the press to condemn the violence of those disregarding the freedom of expression and right to hold demonstration … We will collectively take to…
By Kamal Chomani: Twitter: @KamalChomani The economic development of the Iraqi Kurdistan Region has been overestimated by partisan and some foreign media outlets to the extent that only a few talk about issues of having an established democracy, freedom of speech and human rights. However, many argue about transferring the Kurdistan Regional Government’s (KRG’s) model…
By Momen Zellmi: In July, the Kurdistan region is due to start campaigns for the presidential and parliamentary elections, due to be held on 21st September. The Independent Higher Commission for Elections in Iraq announced this on 23rd May and the recording of the names on the lists will continue until 4th July. There are…
By Cinorek Dogan: Some months ago, as I explained on my blog, a big destruction project got underway in Istanbul. A part of this process is to cut down trees in Istanbul’s Gezi Parkı area. The aim is to re-build a version of the Taxim Topçu Military Barrack (Taksim Topçu Kışlası), which was completely demolished…
By Ramyar Hassani: In a few days’ time, on June 14, the eleventh presidential election in Iran will be held and millions of people will come in front of ballot boxes, mostly by force and intimidation so as not to lose their jobs and positions. This scenario has been repeated for the previous 10 presidential elections…
By Mohammed Hussein: On April 26, 2013, about 60 lawyers and journalists gathered to create a Net of Volunteer Lawyers to advocate journalism in Kurdistan and the rest of Iraq. This Net has been formed to assist journalists who plan to go to court to complain against people who attacked them, said Rahman Gharib, general…
