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By Rauf Naqishbendi:
The current political, social, and economic state of Iraqi Kurdistan is disheartening, largely due to the corruption of the Talabani and Barzani tribes, who have monopolized power like despotic kings. Envisioning the future of Kurdistan, there is little hope left, as the Barzani and Talabani clans have not only looted the nation’s resources but also corrupted people’s ethics to the point where individual responsibility to the public good is lacking. Lust for power and insatiable greed have become prevalent, and with that, the sense of national pride and the old belief in the sanctity of the land and its people have vanished.
In a world where national pride is void, ethics are corrupted, leaders serve themselves rather than the public good, and greed and lust for power prevail, a society is created where people feel detached from their homeland. This detachment is evident in the number of people liquidating their possessions and fleeing the country, seeking refuge abroad.
When a nation’s authority becomes an instrument of foreign powers, that nation is doomed, as the well-being of its citizens and national interest are compromised. “No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other” (Matthew 6:24-26). This is the case in Kurdistan, where current authorities have a history of being agents of Kurdish enemies, transgressing both just and natural laws against the people of Kurdistan.
Let us examine the state of the economy. At present, people are suffering financially due to high inflation. During this global inflationary period, many nations have adopted economic stimulus measures to ease their citizens’ financial burdens. In Kurdistan, however, the prices of goods and services are skyrocketing, with no relief from the government, even though fuel and gas prices have peaked and government revenues have ballooned. While Kurdistan is an oil and natural gas exporter, the prices of gasoline, natural gas, and utility bills remain inflated. People are dismayed by exorbitant utility bills and the lack of government intervention. Moreover, high unemployment, exacerbated by the absence of industries and innovation, has resulted in burdensome financial conditions.
The lack of opportunities due to high unemployment and other social issues has driven people to flee the country in search of refuge abroad, despite the dire consequences of their journey. Many are gambling with their lives, knowing that even if they survive the journey, any destination will be better than the homeland they have abandoned.
The sense of Kurdish patriotism and the path to Kurdish independence are fading, replaced by greed, nepotism, and tribal fighting. Tyranny and self-assertion are rising, suffocating the voices of freedom and self-expression, and opposition is demonized, jailed, or killed. The leaders who were supposed to shepherd the nation have instead mingled with wolves, leaving their people at the mercy of predators (occupiers).
The self-imposed leaders Barzani and Talabani have divided Kurdistan and pledged their loyalty not to the Kurds, but to their occupiers, renewing the old historical national disarray. “Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation; and every city or house divided against itself shall not stand” (Matthew 12:25). This has been the history of the Kurds, the oldest nation in the world, yet never united in the face of their enemies. Whether manipulated by their enemies or siding with them, the Kurds have remained divided. The agonizing reality is that there is no reconciliation or compromise between the two ruling Kurdish families, as neither is willing to yield power. Their persistent division of the nation will ruin Kurdish lives and revoke the little freedom they attained since the US invasion of Iraq.
Disgracefully, Barzani endorsed Turkey’s incursion into Kurdistan, which has infuriated the PKK. The clash between Barzani and the PKK is imminent, and while the PKK may be victorious, Turkey’s reaction could be ominous, potentially leading to a full-scale Turkish invasion of Kurdistan with bloody consequences. Additionally, the Iraqi government is gradually stepping up to regain control of Kurdistan to restore Iraq’s integrity. It is not a question of if, but when this will happen. Kurdistan is legally part of Iraq, and the Kurdish Regional Government and its Parliament are unrecognized and ineffective. Recently, Iraq stopped Barzani and Talabani from selling oil and gas, crippling Kurdistan’s economy. Public employees are not receiving their salaries, leading to teacher strikes and the closure of schools and government offices, causing severe financial difficulties for the nation.
The atrocities committed by the Talabani and Barzani families against the Kurds are immense. These tyrannical leaders have robbed the people of their resources, becoming some of the wealthiest individuals not only in Kurdistan but in the world. They are the wealthiest Kurdish families in the history of the Kurds.
Examining the current economic, social, and political affairs, one can conclude that every aspect of life in Kurdistan is deteriorating. The future of Kurdistan is bleak, with pending calamities and national disasters on the horizon. The damage done to national pride by the current authorities is unfathomable. The time is now for the people to revolt against tyrannical rule, to shake off the yoke of oppression, and to break the shackles of bondage imposed upon them by their ruthless and shameless leaders.
