By Arian Mufid:

As we have begun a new year, naturally, we look back on the year that has passed, and there was little to be excited about. The year opened with the public’s sour mood, which has shaped the most consequential events of 2021. The consequences of Covid 19 in Southern Kurdistan was economic turbulence, from which civil servants suffered the most. Oil has been the second focus and ‘hot cake’ of the nation. Oil, and related corruption with the American media reporting on the lavish lifestyle of Barzani family and their houses in the US.

The main events in the Suli area were dominated by the political struggle inside the PUK’s “Talabani family” which has dominated most the media in the south of Kurdistan. The majority of people are convinced that the conflict inside the Talabani family is not in line with the Nation’s interests. There isn’t any day without a killing or shooting incident. The PUK leadership created the Suli area to the Northern Ireland in 1920 when the instabilities forced people to emigrate to UK due to civil war inside IRA and fake judicial system.

Turkish expansion and aggression rapidly increased and literally controls the whole area in the KRG area. Prominent Kurdish writers called the KRG the product of the UK, US and Turkish military junta, otherwise why can it stop the Turks from their aggression? Ordinary people of Kurdistan have no hope and aspiration within KRG and that is the main factor for mass emigration from last August through Belarus seeking to reach western Europe.

Strategic relations between the KDP and PUK still survived throughout 2021. Yet it is still possible for the coalition to reclaim control over its own destiny. To do it, however, the Talabanis need to be seen to compromise again and seem to adopt more moderate goals. However, as the coalition struggled to conceal its differences on key issues such as the future of Kurdistan (Self-determination), one thing appeared to unite them which is the money from oil and to run-up to the election.

There is nothing progressive about a government that consistently spends more that it can. Everybody else says goodbye to 2021 without a nostalgic tear in their eye. I cannot conclude this year’s reporting without thanking all for sharing your views with me and acknowledging my articles.