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By Mufid Abdulla:
KRG parliament
The mood of the people is pretty grim and it’s easy to see why: it is four months since the parliamentary election on 21st September 2013 and the five biggest parties are still struggling to reach an agreement. Politically it has been one of the most depressing periods I can remember. The parties are showing a scary lack of responsibility by taking this small country towards the edge of the abyss. Shortages of oil and fuel are apparent on the streets of Suli and Dhok. There is also a shortage of electricity in Suli city for seven hours every day. The main concern of the Barzani party leadership is about oil and yet the people cannot get oil – this is very worrying.
An estate agent operating in the cities of Suli and Erbil told me that the level of sales transactions is starting to slow down because people are unsure about what is going to happen. The Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) leaders don’t want to relinquish their privileges and the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) leaders don’t want to upset the PUK for reasons unknown, because there is so much secrecy surrounding the strategic relationship between these two parties. The Gorran movement doesn’t want to appear humiliated by making too many concessions, and so we are in the middle of nowhere in terms of forming the government.
Despite the protests and power cuts and petrol queues our president is away chairing a meeting in Geneva.
Just a few weeks ago Nawshirwan Mustafa and the Barzanis seemed to be – metaphorically, if not literally – arm in arm but still there has been no agreement. It seems to me that they will eventually form the weakest of cabinets just to keep everyone happy.
To understand how things have reached this point, we must remember that, in previous cabinets, the KDP and PUK divided all the posts 50/50 between themselves but now Gorran has entered the equation making it almost insoluble. I cannot avoid commenting on the incompetence of politicians in the south of Kurdistan – they have not learned the basics of leadership and issue management at a national level. How have things been allowed to reach this stage? This is not what modern politics is about or how modern government is meant to work.
I wonder if the barrier to forming the government is because the opposition would change from parties of protest into parties of government. This long delay proves to me they will not become effective parties of government and instead we will have a weak government that includes opposition parties.
The rise of Syria’s Kurds:
http://www.aljazeera.com/indepth/opinion/2014/01/rise-syria-kurds-201412353941189707.html
The rise of Turkish and Iranian Kurds is next and ultimately the rise of Kurdish dilemma in general in the entire Middle East in UN. Seeking a long term solution, encompassing: either granting them all some kind of self-determination in all parts or establishment of 2 Kurdish states: 1) South Kurdistan engulfing Iraq and Syria 2) North Kurdistan engulfing Kurds in Turkey and Iran or establishment of ” Great Kurdistan” engulfing some parts from all 4 parts?
US Congress to Consider Recognition of Kurdish Genocide.
http://new.krg.us/us-congress-to-consider-recognition-of-kurdish-genocide/
We urge the US Congress to consider our nations full rights to independence in South Kurdistan! That is what we demand!
What a joke!
Are you suggesting the No 1 Armed Forces in the world, the superpower status holder, the world wars victor, is unable to design a plan to solve Kurdish puzzle in the Middle East? Where are those 400+ US Generals with their brilliant ideas? 50 Million homeless Kurds divided among 4 states. What proposals you going to offer to your commander-in chief here. Grant them Autonomy, make them 1-2 different countries, or none of your business. If not would you be kind enough to stop your Human Rights, civil liberties, Freedom, equality, and Justice slogans!
Baqi,
We are independent in south Iraq! We drill our own oil, sell it, and take all the money. We have our own airports! It’s not Iraq that holds us back. It’s us wanting more money from the Iraq national oil money for salaries so we hold ourselves back!
Iraqi must be partitioned in order to survive. All parties have reached this conclusion. True that South bears all the hallmarks of statehood but it is time to officially proclaim our independence. Let’s not defer it any further. Nothing is guaranteed. I am not pessimistic but an ethnic conflict is enough to reverse every gain at any moment. Look at the developments in oil-rich Libya or Egypt. States collapse with their economies. We need international recognition now. Some states may also be prodding us to do so but we must ensure Kirkuk and Kurdish areas are included. At least 80% of it.
Suleiyman,
The end of Iraq is disintegration. There is no other particle solution. We all can clearly predict it! However, everything has its time. It is not wise to further defer it. We need international recognition now. We must officially proclaim it now. Of course with at least 80% of Kirkuk and all Kurdish areas included. I am optimistic but a simple ethnic conflict is enough sometimes to reverse every gain at any moment. Look at the examples/developments in oil-rich Libya and even Egypt! States collapse despite strong economies. Even if we resume it today, it will take us 1-2 year to implement it. Baghdad is a waste of time. We should seriously focus on Kirkuk!