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Editorial by Mufid Abdulla: The Christian Science Monitor has published an excellent article by Dan Murphy. Noting the international media’s portrayal of Kurdistan as an “America-loving, western-leaning success story”, he says recent events expose a darker reality:
By Shwan Zulal Gulf Keystone Petroleum (GKP), a successful oil company operating in the Kurdistan region, has this week issued an update on its operations. The company said that the Kurdistan Regional Government’s Ministry of Natural Resources has asked it to prepare to export up to 5,000 bopd from the Shaikan block. GKP is making all…
Interview with Mehmet Ali Birand by Kamal Chomani: ‘If Turkey can’t solve the Kurdish problem, she will always be a limping giant’, declared Mehmet Ali Birand, top Turkish journalist, writer and political analyst, in a special interview with Livin Magazine focusing on Turkey’s upcoming General Elections and the Kurdish question. This is an edited translation.
Journalists beaten, sued, detained, threatened with death Press release by Human Rights Watch (New York, May 24, 2011) – Kurdistan regional government officials and security forces are carrying out a growing assault on the freedom of journalists to work in Iraqi Kurdistan, Human Rights Watch said today. Regional officials should stop repressing journalists through libel…
By Shenah Abdullah: When we gather these days anywhere in the city of protest, the brave city of resistance, we speak in melancholic voices about that corner of the city which we once occupied and called our own. A place that was full of hope of what we might achieve, despite the challenges. Yes, I am talking about Maidani…
By Ruwayda Mustafah Rabar: The Middle East has been rocked by protests, starting from Tunisia and spreading throughout the region. In places like Syria, protesting was unimaginable and unthinkable and yet the people mobilised for a change that can quench Syria’s thirst for real democracy. Similarly in Kurdistan, protesting against corruption, nepotism, and rampant mismanagement within…
By Kamal Chomani: The Kurdish leadership has often talked about a ‘thriving democracy’ in Iraqi Kurdistan, and through this they secured increased Western support. We saw hundreds of articles about ‘The Other Iraq’, but now such claims are being disproved.
By Mufid Abdulla In Kurdistan the two ruling parties view newspapers and the media as agents of revolution. Over the last few months the pressure on journalism has become more intense than ever. Several newspapers are notably independent and not in the pockets of the parties. They have opposed the recent actions of the KRG…
By Newshirwan Mustafa: Yes, Kurdistan is in a crisis. This crisis is not a product of today’s events. It is not the echo of what is happening in the Middle East and North Africa. It is not the product of the recent demonstrations. It is not the creation of the opposition. The crisis in Kurdistan is not the…
By Shwan Zulal: The oil and gas laws in Iraq are set to be delayed once again and there seems to be no political will to resolve the issues holding back some companies investing in Iraqi energy sector. A dispute is brewing and this time it is between the Iraqi parliament and Al-Maliki’s (Nuri Al-Maliki,…
By Mufid Abdulla: The Syrian uprising marks a turning point in the demands of its people for liberation. The Syrian dictatorship has been in power for almost 45 years without any kind of popular participation. The nepotistic nature of this dictatorship – comprising al-Assad’s father, uncle, brother and father-in-law – is clear and their power…
By Mufid Abdulla: Kurdistan has shown again that successful regime change can only come about by people power and not by military force. The face of Kurdistan has changed since the deployment of the army and militant forces in Sulaymani. But despite the initial reaction of Talibani to the masses, Kurdistan is not Syria and…
By Dr Hoshiar Molod: You must be happy, because you think that your military forces have crushed my beloved city, Sulaimany. Your military forces are not the peshmarga, which we use to know. They are not on our side: they are on your side. That puts them on the opposite side of the Peshmarga. But remember….
By Mufid Abdulla: Exactly one year ago on 4th May 2010, Sardasht Osman, a young journalist and student, was kidnapped in broad daylight from outside his university in Hawler, the capital of Kurdistan. Two days later his body was found dumped 70 miles away in Mosul city. Sardasht Osman was studying English literature and writing…
By Mufid Abdulla: In the Sulaymani area, Talabani and his henchman are operating like a military junta. Since 19 April they have deployed a huge number of soldiers and weaponry to suppress peaceful protests. There have been mass arrests, randomly targeting people from all walks of life – students, lecturers, poets, writers, merchants, and so…
