By Junaid Jamali: Over the course of the nine-year Syrian civil war, the Kurds in Syria have paid exorbitant prices in military and social terms. In 2018 and 2019, they lost the regions of Afrin, Ras al-Ain/Sari Kani and Gire Spi/Tell Abyad to Turkey and Turkish-backed militias, resulting in the displacement of most Kurdish residents…
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Category Archives: KDP
KRG’s Failure to Form Government as the Two Parties Fight for Posts
By Ismael Aziz: A couple of years ago Kurdish politics in the south of Kurdistan was awash with nice predictions. However, since then, with an end to the terrorist attacks of ISIS, but also the referendum disaster, political shocks and economic crisis and uncertainty, Kurdish politics today is at its lowest ebb among the…
Kurdistan Became a Paradise – for the KDP and PUK
By Ismael Aziz: After ISIS attacked the south of Kurdistan in August 2014, 1,700 Peshmergas were killed and 12,000 injured in the ensuing conflict. While the leaders of the two dominant Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) parties, the KDP and PUK, made visits to the battlefields to take selfies and show their presence for the sake…
As The New Year Opens, Politics is Dying: KRG Politicians Must Go
By Arian Mufid: A year ago Kurdish politics in the south of Kurdistan was awash with nice predictions. It is safe to say that 2017 — which brought the terrorist attacks of ISIS to an end, but also the referendum disaster, political shocks and economic uncertainty, the death of Nawshirwan Mustafa the leader of Goran,…
Barzani vs. PKK: Recipe for Kurdistan’s Second Civil War?
By Diliman Abdulkader: The first modern Kurdish civil war took place in southern Kurdistan, in what is now the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) territory, between Jalal Talabani’s Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) and Masoud Barzani’s Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP). The conflict took the lives of nearly 5,000 Kurdish fighters and civilians, dividing the autonomous region between…
How The Gorran Movement Fell Out Of Love With Change
By Arian Mufid: In 2009 when the Gorran movement gained 25 seats, a fresh chapter in Kurdish politics began with the promise of an era driven by the aspirations of young people seeking to build a new type of party unprecedented in the south of Kurdistan. The man behind this movement was Nawshirwan Mustafa, the…
Do We Need Laws and Lawyers in Kurdistan?
By Jegr Nathim: “Congratulations on an outstanding result”, said the gracious lady from the assessment and awards unit at the University of South Wales in the UK. “You will be awarded the Clark’s legal prize for the best performing LLM student!” she continued as she handed me out my Masters in Law certificate. But contrary…
Barzani’s Controversial Position
By Issa Chomani: The Kurdistan Democratic Party [KDP], led by Massoud Barzani has reached the realisation that, they alone are not the decision makers unilaterally, on crucial matters concerning the political system, economy, oil and gas files, constitution amendments, foreign affairs, etc. Just a few days are now left until the end of Barzani’s presidency…
The Crisis of Leadership: Qubad Talabani as an Example
By Kamal Chomani: In a recent interview televised by NRT, the Kurdistan Regional Government’s (KRG) Deputy Prime Minister Qubad Talabani listed four items as main issues facing his government: Being at war with Daesh (IS), Financial Crisis, Internally Displaced People (IDP), and disunity among political parties. What he failed to acknowledge is, of course, the…
The KRG Economy: Booming or Dooming?
By Harem Karem and Kamal Chomani: ‘Kurdistan is booming’ was the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) oligarchy’s catchphrase – often echoed by short-sighted foreign businessmen – over the past decade. Undoubtedly, there has been development: hundreds of hotels and skyscrapers have mushroomed in the region, the standard of living has improved in comparison with the civil…
Kurdistan: Why International Support is Crucial – SOAS Debate, London, 27 Feb
By Kurdistan WISC at SOAS Kurdish Society: Following the success of our first event in November, we are holding a follow-up debate entitled “Kurdistan: Why International Support is Crucial”. SOAS, University of London, Lecture Theatre G2 Friday 27th November, 5:30pm – 7:30pm The guest panellists are: Dr Alan Semo– UK Representative, Democratic Union Party (PYD) Farhad Marf–…
KDP and PUK leaders accused of oil and gas trading with the ISIS enemy
By Hasan Dawary: Just two weeks ago three brothers belonging to one family were killed by ISIS when Peshmarga forces liberated Zumar. Almost immediately the President of Kurdistan, Masud Barzani, issued a decree that no more than one brother in a family can be allowed onto the front line at the same time. Yesterday a…
Genocide: 10 Reasons Why Ezidis Refuse to Return to Shingal
By Amy L. Beam, Ed.D: Since Sept 3, 2014, Dr. Amy L. Beam has visited with hundreds of Ezidis in 12 refugee camps in Turkey. While camp directors and international media continue to say the Ezidis will return to Shingal “when it is safe,” she has not found one Ezidi refugee who agrees. To the…
