This blog is not by Baqi Barzani. This blog has been made up by someone who has been following Baqi Barzani's corruption reports from Kurdistan.
We think that Baqi Barzani has been pressurised by the KDP to remove his reports online.
The reports contained highly sensitive and accurate information detailing Kurdistan's corruption system. We believe that the KDP has forced Mr. Baqi Barzani, possibly through torture or incentives to remove the reports online.
We have gathered the reports and we are publishing them on this blog, as they have been deleted on eKurd.net and KurdishApect.com.
In Kurdistan We Trust.
Monday 14 March 2011
Clarification from Baqi Barzani
Clarification
After having forged my personal identity and attempting to scathe my prestige for unknown motives, an anonymous writer has been posting articles under my name without my prior knowledge or consent since last 2 months.
This is to confirm that the articles entitled” Corruption continues in Iraqi Kurdistan (From part 1 to part 9) were by no means edited by me, nor the views contained therein reflect those of mine. Therefore, I hold the author fully responsible for the published observations.
Yours Sincerely,
Baqi Barzani
March 11, 2011
After having forged my personal identity and attempting to scathe my prestige for unknown motives, an anonymous writer has been posting articles under my name without my prior knowledge or consent since last 2 months.
This is to confirm that the articles entitled” Corruption continues in Iraqi Kurdistan (From part 1 to part 9) were by no means edited by me, nor the views contained therein reflect those of mine. Therefore, I hold the author fully responsible for the published observations.
Yours Sincerely,
Baqi Barzani
March 11, 2011
Petition to hold peaceful demonstration in Erbil turned down
Kurdishaspect.com - By Baqi Barzani
ERBIL-Hewler, Kurdistan region 'Iraq', - Having earlier announced our goals, we, a set of Kurdish scholars, had submitted an official letter to the Hawler Police Headquarter as well as Ministry of Interior, requesting for permission to hold a totally peaceful pro-democracy protest march in the capital Kurdish city of Hawler [Erbil].
At the inception, we were given full assurances that our petition would be circumspectly considered by the concerned authorities, and we would receive a formal response accordingly.
After remaining in anticipation for days for a response, we decided to reproach them on our own, and try to seek clarification about the status of our petition.
We were ordered by the police chief that given the unstable political status quo, we should abstain from holding such a harmful demonstration, and call off our mind. When we started persisting and arguing with them about our legitimate and constitutional right to Freedom of expression and Assembly, we were threatened to immediately leave the facility, or face legal charges for violating law, creating troubles and inciting mayhem.
Resorting to violence is not and has never been our intentions.
It s very regrettable that our so-called democratic government does not respect the rights of its own citizens even to peaceful demonstration, one of the most inherent and elementary right of every citizen in every nation.
All our telephone conversations are also monitored by KDP intelligences agency, which definitely is another breach of citizens’ rights.
Their denial to grant us the due consent can not and will not in any way and form cause to disillusion, cease or make us abandon our moral objectives. We will firmly stick to our demands.
From the hundreds of support e-mails and phone calls we have received from different cities in Kurdistan, We came to conclusion that the overwhelming majority of Kurdish populace agree with us and strongly support us in our struggle. Reform must take place, corrupt government officials must step down and be replaced, and our rights must be secured from Baghdad.
We will join our fellow citizens and continue our struggle for the betterment of Kurdistan for every one. We stand with our people!
For additional info, please contact:
baqi.barzani@yahoo.com
Phone: 0750-340-1440 ( Hawler)
ERBIL-Hewler, Kurdistan region 'Iraq', - Having earlier announced our goals, we, a set of Kurdish scholars, had submitted an official letter to the Hawler Police Headquarter as well as Ministry of Interior, requesting for permission to hold a totally peaceful pro-democracy protest march in the capital Kurdish city of Hawler [Erbil].
At the inception, we were given full assurances that our petition would be circumspectly considered by the concerned authorities, and we would receive a formal response accordingly.
After remaining in anticipation for days for a response, we decided to reproach them on our own, and try to seek clarification about the status of our petition.
We were ordered by the police chief that given the unstable political status quo, we should abstain from holding such a harmful demonstration, and call off our mind. When we started persisting and arguing with them about our legitimate and constitutional right to Freedom of expression and Assembly, we were threatened to immediately leave the facility, or face legal charges for violating law, creating troubles and inciting mayhem.
Resorting to violence is not and has never been our intentions.
It s very regrettable that our so-called democratic government does not respect the rights of its own citizens even to peaceful demonstration, one of the most inherent and elementary right of every citizen in every nation.
All our telephone conversations are also monitored by KDP intelligences agency, which definitely is another breach of citizens’ rights.
Their denial to grant us the due consent can not and will not in any way and form cause to disillusion, cease or make us abandon our moral objectives. We will firmly stick to our demands.
From the hundreds of support e-mails and phone calls we have received from different cities in Kurdistan, We came to conclusion that the overwhelming majority of Kurdish populace agree with us and strongly support us in our struggle. Reform must take place, corrupt government officials must step down and be replaced, and our rights must be secured from Baghdad.
We will join our fellow citizens and continue our struggle for the betterment of Kurdistan for every one. We stand with our people!
For additional info, please contact:
baqi.barzani@yahoo.com
Phone: 0750-340-1440 ( Hawler)
Corruption in Iraqi Kurdistan continues - Part IX 5.3.2011
arch 5, 2011
Barzani Charity Foundation, directly funded by Masrour Barzani, KDP intelligence chief and President Barzani’s most likely successor, is one of the hundred sham humanitarian organizations deeply involved in embezzlement, fraud and corruption.
Founded years ago and run currently by Shaikh Zana, the organization holds a budget of more than 1 million dollar per annual exclusive of receiving hundreds of thousands from international donor agencies on the name of the disadvantaged Kurds. Apart from for a few projects, enticement from hardly any foreign visitors, and some multicolored pictures,www.ekurd.netwhich are deliberately posted on its website to bear out its credentials, in reality, it has gained nothing valuable so far. The director of this charity foundation retains in his possessions four mansions and hundreds of thousand of public funds.
Among other biased, party-run agencies receiving each tens of million of public funds are: Peyamner, Hawolati, Khabat, Gulan, Chawdir, Kurdsat, KTV, PUK Media, Al-Itehad, Kurdistani New, and the lists goes on.
Peyamner, one of KDP main new agencies, is solely believed to have more than 400 employees. Its yearly expenses exceed 25 million US dollars. Kurdsat, PUK’s main TV station, bears an annual budget of 55 million, whereas KDP-run KTV budget exceed 35 million per annual.
There are hundreds of other smaller party-owned press and media outlets. All these so-called non-profits agencies, organizations and groups are the mouth piece of political parties, deeply drawn in in state corruption, receiving tens of millions of dollars, with their senior mangers and directors subsisting in the most lavish lifestyle.
Our media outlets have opted for silence. In stead of attempting to take part in mirroring and resolving public issues, they have become accomplice in many unethical, debauched actions against their own citizens.
Until, every one be held accountable for their mishandling of government and public properties, be brought in front of a panel to account for their spedings, million dollar worth of illegal assets, corruption issues can not so simply be unraveled in Kurdistan.
Baqi Barzani is a Kurdish citizen of Sought Kurdistan [Iraq]. He advocates the notion of " establishing an independent Kurdish state". He contributes to various Kurdish media outlets, especially ekurd.net. You may reach the author via email at: baqi.barzani@yahoo.com
Copyright © 2011 ekurd.net. All rights reserved
Barzani Charity Foundation, directly funded by Masrour Barzani, KDP intelligence chief and President Barzani’s most likely successor, is one of the hundred sham humanitarian organizations deeply involved in embezzlement, fraud and corruption.
Founded years ago and run currently by Shaikh Zana, the organization holds a budget of more than 1 million dollar per annual exclusive of receiving hundreds of thousands from international donor agencies on the name of the disadvantaged Kurds. Apart from for a few projects, enticement from hardly any foreign visitors, and some multicolored pictures,www.ekurd.netwhich are deliberately posted on its website to bear out its credentials, in reality, it has gained nothing valuable so far. The director of this charity foundation retains in his possessions four mansions and hundreds of thousand of public funds.
Among other biased, party-run agencies receiving each tens of million of public funds are: Peyamner, Hawolati, Khabat, Gulan, Chawdir, Kurdsat, KTV, PUK Media, Al-Itehad, Kurdistani New, and the lists goes on.
Peyamner, one of KDP main new agencies, is solely believed to have more than 400 employees. Its yearly expenses exceed 25 million US dollars. Kurdsat, PUK’s main TV station, bears an annual budget of 55 million, whereas KDP-run KTV budget exceed 35 million per annual.
There are hundreds of other smaller party-owned press and media outlets. All these so-called non-profits agencies, organizations and groups are the mouth piece of political parties, deeply drawn in in state corruption, receiving tens of millions of dollars, with their senior mangers and directors subsisting in the most lavish lifestyle.
Our media outlets have opted for silence. In stead of attempting to take part in mirroring and resolving public issues, they have become accomplice in many unethical, debauched actions against their own citizens.
Until, every one be held accountable for their mishandling of government and public properties, be brought in front of a panel to account for their spedings, million dollar worth of illegal assets, corruption issues can not so simply be unraveled in Kurdistan.
Baqi Barzani is a Kurdish citizen of Sought Kurdistan [Iraq]. He advocates the notion of " establishing an independent Kurdish state". He contributes to various Kurdish media outlets, especially ekurd.net. You may reach the author via email at: baqi.barzani@yahoo.com
Copyright © 2011 ekurd.net. All rights reserved
Corruption in Iraqi Kurdistan continues - Part VIII 5.3.2011
Corruption in Iraqi Kurdistan continues - Part VIII 5.3.2011
By Baqi Barzani - ekurd.net
Not much is tolerated to be known to the public in Kurdistan, but knowing what is already known to very one should suffice to establish the fact that what people state about our government and leadership hold nothing, but truth.
The number of fancy malls, gigantic shopping centers, and elevated skyscrapers are noticeably on the rise in Iraqi Kurdistan. Such evolutions bode well! Modernizing our infrastructure should constantly be hailed, but lets take an unfathomable and a closer glance and dig out who actually have possession of them and more significantly, having put them so superbly together, where all the essential finances emanate from? Plus can not these public funds be better capitalized on more vital priorities such as: delivery of more enhanced basic services for the destitute, a superior health care system for the daily succumbing sick, and a more highly developed education system for our youth?
Out of the hundred of underground and family-owned lucrative business projects, every one in Kurdistanand overseas must by now have got wind of some common names, being : Family Fun Mall situated on 100 meter in Hawler [Erbil], Korek Telecom based in Masif Salladin, Daringroup having branches all over, Nishtiman Mall being constructed in Erbil and said to be one of the largest shopping mall in the world with more than 8,000 shops, Mega Mall (modeled after the renowned Sharjah,www.ekurd.neta United Arab Emirates mall); Tablo Mall (near Erbil's Francois Hariri International Stadium); Sofya Mall on celebrated Gulan Road, Arina Shopping Mall, and tens of more. Each of these malls costs at least a minimum of 50 million US dollar to construct.
Situated on 100 meter in Hawler city, Kurdistan, attached to the celebrated Family Park, is a newly-built mall called “Family Fun Mall”. Prime Minister Bahram Salih was the special guest invited for the inauguration ceremony in Dec 15th 2010. This, one of the hundreds of projects run by KDP behind-the-scene, is estimated to have cost 75-80 million US dollar. The project was launched few years ago by a company named “Darin Company”.
Founded and financed by KDP in 1998, Darin Company specializes in three major fields: contracting, Construction & internal project management and General Trade and marketing. With over 200 KDP-appointed employees, Darin is a 500 million dollar worth of Assets Company. At the present time, Darin holds more than 10 construction projects in progress, building thousands of apartments and houses all over Kurdistan. Is this a privately owned company? Can an affluent Kurdish capitalist meet the expense of it and if so, who is he?
Established in the year 2000 under the No Fly zone, Korek Telcom, the largest telephone communication company in the KDP-administered region, stepped into Kurdistan free market. Korek Telcom assets exceeds a billion US dollar. Its annul net income was estimated at 100 million US dollar just in the year 2010. With trivial competition from Asia Cell, which is owned by PUK, it has occupied and monopolized the entire telephone communication market in Kurdistan for more than a decade.
New building complexes and villages analogous to Zakaria apartments, British, Italian and German villages are mutely under construction in assorted Kurdish cities such as: Hawler, Sulaimaniyah, Duhok, Shaqlawa and Zakho, as well, each being worth hundreds of million of US dollars.
Who is behind all the above-indicated business projects along with hundreds of more clouded ones, which sooner or later will come to light?
Shaikh Sirwan, Massoud Barzani's son-in-law, runs all these projects. Owned directly by MassoudBarzani KDP, he is commissioned with the responsibility of overseeing and multiplying the party financial assets. Albeit trying to refute it, if him and KDP does no bear possession of these billion dollar projects in reality, who else does and could? And if so, why not to conduct an investigation to let the public know how and by whom all these business projects are funded?
Reform is important, but so is accountability.
In stead of Masroor Barzani, chief of KDP intelligence, conveying me a message via Kak Sabah Mizouri blustering me to stop criticizing KDP or face the consequences, Nihad Barzani menacing me in a mourning of a next of kin , KDP offering me employment opportunity working for Khabat newspaper or KDP intelligence to spy on my own fellow-citizens , proposing me complimentary lodging in an apartment in Zakari complex , my conscious would me more at ease when a probing is launched into the belongings of all KRG ministers, members of parliament, senior government officials, finances of such colossal projects be accounted for, poverty, inflation and corruption is minimized, socio-economic injustice eradicated, the Peshmarga forces unified, role of law, transparency, good governance, true democracy, respect for freedom of speech, women rights are promoted, our obsolete education and health care system in Kurdistan is renovated, implementation of article 140 is expedited, the upshot of elapsed investigation into the murder of innocent Sardasht Osman and Soran Mama Hama be promulgated and those accessories stand for trial in the court of law, if any, a visit to be paid to the Maidany Azady to meet protesters demands, jobs opportunities be created for tens of thousand of unwaged youths, agonizing families of Anfal, Barzanis, victims of Halabja be subsidized, radical, swift reforms be implemented, otherwise, it is not far to foresee the second wave of uprisings to sweep across Kurdistan in any moment.
Baqi Barzani is a Kurdish citizen of Sought Kurdistan [Iraq]. He advocates the notion of " establishing an independent Kurdish state". He contributes to various Kurdish media outlets, especially ekurd.net. You may reach the author via email at: baqi.barzani@yahoo.com
By Baqi Barzani - ekurd.net
Not much is tolerated to be known to the public in Kurdistan, but knowing what is already known to very one should suffice to establish the fact that what people state about our government and leadership hold nothing, but truth.
The number of fancy malls, gigantic shopping centers, and elevated skyscrapers are noticeably on the rise in Iraqi Kurdistan. Such evolutions bode well! Modernizing our infrastructure should constantly be hailed, but lets take an unfathomable and a closer glance and dig out who actually have possession of them and more significantly, having put them so superbly together, where all the essential finances emanate from? Plus can not these public funds be better capitalized on more vital priorities such as: delivery of more enhanced basic services for the destitute, a superior health care system for the daily succumbing sick, and a more highly developed education system for our youth?
Out of the hundred of underground and family-owned lucrative business projects, every one in Kurdistanand overseas must by now have got wind of some common names, being : Family Fun Mall situated on 100 meter in Hawler [Erbil], Korek Telecom based in Masif Salladin, Daringroup having branches all over, Nishtiman Mall being constructed in Erbil and said to be one of the largest shopping mall in the world with more than 8,000 shops, Mega Mall (modeled after the renowned Sharjah,www.ekurd.neta United Arab Emirates mall); Tablo Mall (near Erbil's Francois Hariri International Stadium); Sofya Mall on celebrated Gulan Road, Arina Shopping Mall, and tens of more. Each of these malls costs at least a minimum of 50 million US dollar to construct.
Situated on 100 meter in Hawler city, Kurdistan, attached to the celebrated Family Park, is a newly-built mall called “Family Fun Mall”. Prime Minister Bahram Salih was the special guest invited for the inauguration ceremony in Dec 15th 2010. This, one of the hundreds of projects run by KDP behind-the-scene, is estimated to have cost 75-80 million US dollar. The project was launched few years ago by a company named “Darin Company”.
Founded and financed by KDP in 1998, Darin Company specializes in three major fields: contracting, Construction & internal project management and General Trade and marketing. With over 200 KDP-appointed employees, Darin is a 500 million dollar worth of Assets Company. At the present time, Darin holds more than 10 construction projects in progress, building thousands of apartments and houses all over Kurdistan. Is this a privately owned company? Can an affluent Kurdish capitalist meet the expense of it and if so, who is he?
Established in the year 2000 under the No Fly zone, Korek Telcom, the largest telephone communication company in the KDP-administered region, stepped into Kurdistan free market. Korek Telcom assets exceeds a billion US dollar. Its annul net income was estimated at 100 million US dollar just in the year 2010. With trivial competition from Asia Cell, which is owned by PUK, it has occupied and monopolized the entire telephone communication market in Kurdistan for more than a decade.
New building complexes and villages analogous to Zakaria apartments, British, Italian and German villages are mutely under construction in assorted Kurdish cities such as: Hawler, Sulaimaniyah, Duhok, Shaqlawa and Zakho, as well, each being worth hundreds of million of US dollars.
Who is behind all the above-indicated business projects along with hundreds of more clouded ones, which sooner or later will come to light?
Shaikh Sirwan, Massoud Barzani's son-in-law, runs all these projects. Owned directly by MassoudBarzani KDP, he is commissioned with the responsibility of overseeing and multiplying the party financial assets. Albeit trying to refute it, if him and KDP does no bear possession of these billion dollar projects in reality, who else does and could? And if so, why not to conduct an investigation to let the public know how and by whom all these business projects are funded?
Reform is important, but so is accountability.
In stead of Masroor Barzani, chief of KDP intelligence, conveying me a message via Kak Sabah Mizouri blustering me to stop criticizing KDP or face the consequences, Nihad Barzani menacing me in a mourning of a next of kin , KDP offering me employment opportunity working for Khabat newspaper or KDP intelligence to spy on my own fellow-citizens , proposing me complimentary lodging in an apartment in Zakari complex , my conscious would me more at ease when a probing is launched into the belongings of all KRG ministers, members of parliament, senior government officials, finances of such colossal projects be accounted for, poverty, inflation and corruption is minimized, socio-economic injustice eradicated, the Peshmarga forces unified, role of law, transparency, good governance, true democracy, respect for freedom of speech, women rights are promoted, our obsolete education and health care system in Kurdistan is renovated, implementation of article 140 is expedited, the upshot of elapsed investigation into the murder of innocent Sardasht Osman and Soran Mama Hama be promulgated and those accessories stand for trial in the court of law, if any, a visit to be paid to the Maidany Azady to meet protesters demands, jobs opportunities be created for tens of thousand of unwaged youths, agonizing families of Anfal, Barzanis, victims of Halabja be subsidized, radical, swift reforms be implemented, otherwise, it is not far to foresee the second wave of uprisings to sweep across Kurdistan in any moment.
Baqi Barzani is a Kurdish citizen of Sought Kurdistan [Iraq]. He advocates the notion of " establishing an independent Kurdish state". He contributes to various Kurdish media outlets, especially ekurd.net. You may reach the author via email at: baqi.barzani@yahoo.com
Corruption continues in Iraqi Kurdistan (Part VII)
Kurdishaspect.com -By Baqi Barzani
KRG.s incapacity to ensure protection of Kurdish citizens rights in Kirkuk, to have pressed on the implementation of due referendums and ultimately to incorporate Kirkuk back into Kurdistan geography is the key basis for increasingly growing Arabization and Turkification policies.
I had to hit the road toward Kirkuk and Mosul governorates in order to be able to better weigh up the current circumstances. Just hearing and arguing did not suffice to retort to my questions. I assumed it would be the best to directly converse to the actual Kurdish residents and citizens of Kirkuk, and inquire about their honest varying views on our government, developments, and demands. Below is my conclusion:
Kurdish Kirkuk is facing the immense threat of Kurdish de-population, economic marginalization, urban underdevelopment, and domination by other ethnic minorities. Kurdish citizens of Kirkuk are totally overlooked, increasingly discriminated against and most ominously, with every passing day, KRG is losing its hegemony.
Most Kurds I had the opportunity to talk to were complaining about the lack of physical security, equal access to employment, education opportunities, and water and electricity shortage.
KRG’s indifference and constant intimidations by empowered Arabs and Turkomans minorities resulted in many fellow Kurds to relinquish their belongings, and try to resettle in other major stable parts of Kurdistan such as: Hawler and Sulaymaniyah.
Rapid Turkification of Kirkuk is supplanting old Saddam’s Arabization policy to an extent that most trivial Turkomans groups do not even recognize the legitimacy of KRG, with some radicals even going further by demanding complete self-rule and some arguing that neither KRG, nor federal Iraq, reserve any governance rights over their jurisdiction.
Turkish diplomatic and trade centers, educational institutions, military outposts can be noticed all over. Kurdish and Arabic language instructions at schools, Kurdish culture, and Kurdish mores are gradually waning. Turkish is regarded the official spoken language in most government departments. One can hardly find a Kurdish magazine or newspaper on the streets. Almost eighty percent of the press is circulated in Arabic and Turkish languages. Kurdish citizens of Kirkuk have to refer to Arab and Turkomans Mokhtars’ ( local leaders) for their administrative and municipal concerns. Arabs and Turkmen colonies are getting secluded from Kurdish settlements.
There is no doubt that Turkomans are under the auspice of the Turkish government. While KRG has turned a blind eye to the afflictions of Kurdish citizens, the gap has been filled by foreign states, mainly Turkey making the welfare, safety and preservation of the rights of Turkomas a foreign policy priority.
Discerning that the U.S. troops will soon depart under a Status of Forces Agreement with the Iraqi government that requires that their withdrawal be completed by the end of 2011, armed by regional powers, Turkomans and Arabs groups have already prepared themselves in advance for any possible forceful takeover scenario by Kurdish security forces. Strong alliance has been forged by non-Kurd groups, aimed at utterly eliminating Kurdish diminishing position. In Kirkuk, Turkomans and Arab ethnic groups hold parallel defense capability to Kurdish Peshmarga forces if not surpassing. Ankara and Baghdad hold full control over oil production and exports. Turkish private and state refinery companies have inked long-term agreements with Baghdad to ransack Kurdish national oil. KRG had long given up its reconstruction and integration efforts and the city does not bear any resemblance to any part of Kurdistan at all.
A surge in the population of other nationalities is also perceptible, including Palestinians, Jordanians and Iranians.
The overall situation is worsening and if the current balance holds, it is anticipated that no referendum will ever be held and the reality of incorporating Kurdish oil-rich Kirkuk into KRG will again turn into another 1974-5 reverie.
What are KRG’s strategies to recoup Kirkuk back and what would be its reaction if once more, the referendum is deferred? Has this crucial subject ever been discussed in Kurdistan parliament? Or..
Special thanks to Ekurd.net and Kurdish Aspect for posting my views!
KRG.s incapacity to ensure protection of Kurdish citizens rights in Kirkuk, to have pressed on the implementation of due referendums and ultimately to incorporate Kirkuk back into Kurdistan geography is the key basis for increasingly growing Arabization and Turkification policies.
I had to hit the road toward Kirkuk and Mosul governorates in order to be able to better weigh up the current circumstances. Just hearing and arguing did not suffice to retort to my questions. I assumed it would be the best to directly converse to the actual Kurdish residents and citizens of Kirkuk, and inquire about their honest varying views on our government, developments, and demands. Below is my conclusion:
Kurdish Kirkuk is facing the immense threat of Kurdish de-population, economic marginalization, urban underdevelopment, and domination by other ethnic minorities. Kurdish citizens of Kirkuk are totally overlooked, increasingly discriminated against and most ominously, with every passing day, KRG is losing its hegemony.
Most Kurds I had the opportunity to talk to were complaining about the lack of physical security, equal access to employment, education opportunities, and water and electricity shortage.
KRG’s indifference and constant intimidations by empowered Arabs and Turkomans minorities resulted in many fellow Kurds to relinquish their belongings, and try to resettle in other major stable parts of Kurdistan such as: Hawler and Sulaymaniyah.
Rapid Turkification of Kirkuk is supplanting old Saddam’s Arabization policy to an extent that most trivial Turkomans groups do not even recognize the legitimacy of KRG, with some radicals even going further by demanding complete self-rule and some arguing that neither KRG, nor federal Iraq, reserve any governance rights over their jurisdiction.
Turkish diplomatic and trade centers, educational institutions, military outposts can be noticed all over. Kurdish and Arabic language instructions at schools, Kurdish culture, and Kurdish mores are gradually waning. Turkish is regarded the official spoken language in most government departments. One can hardly find a Kurdish magazine or newspaper on the streets. Almost eighty percent of the press is circulated in Arabic and Turkish languages. Kurdish citizens of Kirkuk have to refer to Arab and Turkomans Mokhtars’ ( local leaders) for their administrative and municipal concerns. Arabs and Turkmen colonies are getting secluded from Kurdish settlements.
There is no doubt that Turkomans are under the auspice of the Turkish government. While KRG has turned a blind eye to the afflictions of Kurdish citizens, the gap has been filled by foreign states, mainly Turkey making the welfare, safety and preservation of the rights of Turkomas a foreign policy priority.
Discerning that the U.S. troops will soon depart under a Status of Forces Agreement with the Iraqi government that requires that their withdrawal be completed by the end of 2011, armed by regional powers, Turkomans and Arabs groups have already prepared themselves in advance for any possible forceful takeover scenario by Kurdish security forces. Strong alliance has been forged by non-Kurd groups, aimed at utterly eliminating Kurdish diminishing position. In Kirkuk, Turkomans and Arab ethnic groups hold parallel defense capability to Kurdish Peshmarga forces if not surpassing. Ankara and Baghdad hold full control over oil production and exports. Turkish private and state refinery companies have inked long-term agreements with Baghdad to ransack Kurdish national oil. KRG had long given up its reconstruction and integration efforts and the city does not bear any resemblance to any part of Kurdistan at all.
A surge in the population of other nationalities is also perceptible, including Palestinians, Jordanians and Iranians.
The overall situation is worsening and if the current balance holds, it is anticipated that no referendum will ever be held and the reality of incorporating Kurdish oil-rich Kirkuk into KRG will again turn into another 1974-5 reverie.
What are KRG’s strategies to recoup Kirkuk back and what would be its reaction if once more, the referendum is deferred? Has this crucial subject ever been discussed in Kurdistan parliament? Or..
Special thanks to Ekurd.net and Kurdish Aspect for posting my views!
Corruption in Iraqi Kurdistan continues (VI)
Kurdishaspect.com - By Baqi Barzani
Veiled from most of the international community and more vitally from our own Kurdish citizens are some top secret detention facilities currently operating in Kurdistan Autonomous Region under the direct executive of the two major ruling parties (PUK, KDP). These secret facilities are known to only a handful of top officials at the party level. They have existed for years without being proclaimed to the general public.
Without any regard to the right of informing the acquaintance of detainees, legally turning over cases to law enforcement authorities to handle, and ultimately leaving it to judiciary branch of our government to deliver a verdict on case basis, both PUK and KDP continue to act like the only absolute powers in the state by detaining, arresting, interrogating, disappearing and in same rare cases even resorting to excessive use of illegal force to stifle political opponents considered threat to their respective security and economic interests.
Myriad such cases abound in Kurdistan. During the elapsed years, individuals were apprehended for dissimilar reasons from dissimilar parts of Kurdistan, held in captivity for months, some disappeared for years and forever, some were released on only condition of not citing or leaking any sensitive particulars, and almost all were threatened to ward off their political activities.
Just like Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki's office were holding prisoners at a secret jail and torturing inmates at another facility, both Kurdish political parties have been following the same path.
PUK and KDP have also been collaborating with the intelligence services of neighboring Iran, Syria, and Turkey in handing over foreign suspects crossing Kurdistan borders back to their host countries to obtain political credit. Many foreign fighters crossed Kurdistan borders. They were never ceded to government to face prosecution, but rather, their fates were ruled by party leaders.
Party officials will certainly defend their approach, arguing that the successful defense of the country requires that their intelligence services be empowered to hold and interrogate citizens under the false pretext of terrorism, sabotage, unrest incitement for as long as necessary and without restrictions.
The existence of powerful intelligence services is key to survival of every country and protection of populace. However, it does imply that political parties will be so empowered to persecute and breach their own citizen’s rights. These matters are by no means of national security concerns, but rather they pose great menace to bipartisan continuation of monopolistic manipulation of every government branch, contravention of state laws and exploitation of public resources.
It is illegal for PUK and KDP to hold prisoners in such isolation in secret prisons in Kurdistan. These facilities need to be shut down immediately before it turns into another “Abu Garib” humiliation.
The more one investigates the wrongdoings of our government, the more scandals and truths surface.
Veiled from most of the international community and more vitally from our own Kurdish citizens are some top secret detention facilities currently operating in Kurdistan Autonomous Region under the direct executive of the two major ruling parties (PUK, KDP). These secret facilities are known to only a handful of top officials at the party level. They have existed for years without being proclaimed to the general public.
Without any regard to the right of informing the acquaintance of detainees, legally turning over cases to law enforcement authorities to handle, and ultimately leaving it to judiciary branch of our government to deliver a verdict on case basis, both PUK and KDP continue to act like the only absolute powers in the state by detaining, arresting, interrogating, disappearing and in same rare cases even resorting to excessive use of illegal force to stifle political opponents considered threat to their respective security and economic interests.
Myriad such cases abound in Kurdistan. During the elapsed years, individuals were apprehended for dissimilar reasons from dissimilar parts of Kurdistan, held in captivity for months, some disappeared for years and forever, some were released on only condition of not citing or leaking any sensitive particulars, and almost all were threatened to ward off their political activities.
Just like Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki's office were holding prisoners at a secret jail and torturing inmates at another facility, both Kurdish political parties have been following the same path.
PUK and KDP have also been collaborating with the intelligence services of neighboring Iran, Syria, and Turkey in handing over foreign suspects crossing Kurdistan borders back to their host countries to obtain political credit. Many foreign fighters crossed Kurdistan borders. They were never ceded to government to face prosecution, but rather, their fates were ruled by party leaders.
Party officials will certainly defend their approach, arguing that the successful defense of the country requires that their intelligence services be empowered to hold and interrogate citizens under the false pretext of terrorism, sabotage, unrest incitement for as long as necessary and without restrictions.
The existence of powerful intelligence services is key to survival of every country and protection of populace. However, it does imply that political parties will be so empowered to persecute and breach their own citizen’s rights. These matters are by no means of national security concerns, but rather they pose great menace to bipartisan continuation of monopolistic manipulation of every government branch, contravention of state laws and exploitation of public resources.
It is illegal for PUK and KDP to hold prisoners in such isolation in secret prisons in Kurdistan. These facilities need to be shut down immediately before it turns into another “Abu Garib” humiliation.
The more one investigates the wrongdoings of our government, the more scandals and truths surface.
Corruption Continues in Iraqi Kurdistan (Part V)
Kurdishaspect.com - By Baqi Barzani
Prostitution, human trafficking and sexual scandals are rapidly on the rise in Iraqi Kurdistan. What is startling the most is that the overwhelming majority of crimes are committed by our own politicians and senior government officials within KRG. For years, this trend has continued short of any legal action or prosecution of those involved!
US State Department Annual Human Rights Report failed to circumspectly probe this unbridled phenomenon in Kurdistan. Simultaneously, KRG strives hard to cover up the factual figures from NGO’S and Human Rights Groups by disallowing the victims to appeal to law enforcement agencies to report or obtain legal aid , silencing the victims by coercion or monetary recompense, and impeding the independent press from exposing the reality to the last ditch possible.
While I realize that vilifying and disclosing government scandals or any sorts of corruption issues can definitely, severely impact KRG’s repute in the eyes of the democratic societies, but what about the constitutional rights of those victims and how long will this prolong without any intervention? Furthermore, is not the government that has to primarily be blamed for such intentional faults?
At the present time, domestic violence against Kurdish women is one of the most common practices in Kurdistan, especially in KDP-administered regions, including beatings, shootings and burnings. The general lack of security and genuine law in Kurdistan and increasingly conservative societal tendencies has had a serious negative impact on Kurdish women. Every year, hundreds of Kurdish women are raped, sexually abused and slain for honor killings motives, and almost in all cases, women are involuntarily found guilty in the male-dominated traditional Kurdish society without any investigation. Myriad destitute Kurdish women are compelled to turn to prostitution to provide for their children in Kurdistan, some are forcefully drawn into it, and some are invited from foreign countries by our corrupt politicians for pleasure. Women’s trafficking for commercial sexual exploitation has given rise to spread of contagious HIV diseases lately in Kurdistan, as well.
There are a number of prominent government officials within KRG (Ministers, parliamentarians, party leaders or their close relatives) who commit this unspeakable offense against vulnerable Kurdish citizens, especially in Sulaymaniyah, Barzan, Masif, and Duhok .With millions of embezzled dollars, these disgraceful officials have purchased fancy apartments and isolated mansions only for this cause. Such sites are renowned to the law enforcement departments but nobody dares approach there. Despite public and government vast knowledge about such individuals, they still continue to maintain prestigious positions in both political parties (PUK, KDP) in Kurdistan. Is this our government and are these our sincere leaders?
There are no influential women rights agencies in Kurdistan to report such abuses to the UN Department of Human Rights, nor does a just legal system exist to prosecute the perpetrators, nor does our accomplice government bear any particular program to raise awareness among women, therefore, it is imperative for Kurdish women to stand up and speak up in sync for themselves against such injustices. The Iraqi and Kurdistan constitution strictly prohibit sexual abuse and impose heft penalties and sentences for the perpetrators. Kurdish women should no longer remain silent and allow such crimes to take place against them. No one is above the law and if no rule of law exists in Kurdistan, there are numerous international Women Rights organizations that would be more than willing to provide the victims with legal and moral support.
All these involved government corrupt officials, whose names start all the way from top leadership to the bottom, should be forced to step down.
I am positive KRG president is well aware of this fact, as well.
Prostitution, human trafficking and sexual scandals are rapidly on the rise in Iraqi Kurdistan. What is startling the most is that the overwhelming majority of crimes are committed by our own politicians and senior government officials within KRG. For years, this trend has continued short of any legal action or prosecution of those involved!
US State Department Annual Human Rights Report failed to circumspectly probe this unbridled phenomenon in Kurdistan. Simultaneously, KRG strives hard to cover up the factual figures from NGO’S and Human Rights Groups by disallowing the victims to appeal to law enforcement agencies to report or obtain legal aid , silencing the victims by coercion or monetary recompense, and impeding the independent press from exposing the reality to the last ditch possible.
While I realize that vilifying and disclosing government scandals or any sorts of corruption issues can definitely, severely impact KRG’s repute in the eyes of the democratic societies, but what about the constitutional rights of those victims and how long will this prolong without any intervention? Furthermore, is not the government that has to primarily be blamed for such intentional faults?
At the present time, domestic violence against Kurdish women is one of the most common practices in Kurdistan, especially in KDP-administered regions, including beatings, shootings and burnings. The general lack of security and genuine law in Kurdistan and increasingly conservative societal tendencies has had a serious negative impact on Kurdish women. Every year, hundreds of Kurdish women are raped, sexually abused and slain for honor killings motives, and almost in all cases, women are involuntarily found guilty in the male-dominated traditional Kurdish society without any investigation. Myriad destitute Kurdish women are compelled to turn to prostitution to provide for their children in Kurdistan, some are forcefully drawn into it, and some are invited from foreign countries by our corrupt politicians for pleasure. Women’s trafficking for commercial sexual exploitation has given rise to spread of contagious HIV diseases lately in Kurdistan, as well.
There are a number of prominent government officials within KRG (Ministers, parliamentarians, party leaders or their close relatives) who commit this unspeakable offense against vulnerable Kurdish citizens, especially in Sulaymaniyah, Barzan, Masif, and Duhok .With millions of embezzled dollars, these disgraceful officials have purchased fancy apartments and isolated mansions only for this cause. Such sites are renowned to the law enforcement departments but nobody dares approach there. Despite public and government vast knowledge about such individuals, they still continue to maintain prestigious positions in both political parties (PUK, KDP) in Kurdistan. Is this our government and are these our sincere leaders?
There are no influential women rights agencies in Kurdistan to report such abuses to the UN Department of Human Rights, nor does a just legal system exist to prosecute the perpetrators, nor does our accomplice government bear any particular program to raise awareness among women, therefore, it is imperative for Kurdish women to stand up and speak up in sync for themselves against such injustices. The Iraqi and Kurdistan constitution strictly prohibit sexual abuse and impose heft penalties and sentences for the perpetrators. Kurdish women should no longer remain silent and allow such crimes to take place against them. No one is above the law and if no rule of law exists in Kurdistan, there are numerous international Women Rights organizations that would be more than willing to provide the victims with legal and moral support.
All these involved government corrupt officials, whose names start all the way from top leadership to the bottom, should be forced to step down.
I am positive KRG president is well aware of this fact, as well.
Corruption in Iraqi Kurdistan continues (Part IV)
Kurdishaspect.com - By Baqi Barzani
US gradual liberation is transforming into permanent occupation of Kurdistan. Either the US should support an independent Kurdish state in South Kurdistan (Iraq) or cease its sham democratization and Americanization policies.
For centuries, the Kurds hinged on imperialists Superpowers to come to their rescues from tyrants and occupiers. During our elongated history of struggle, Superpowers seized myriad golden prospects by letting down our struggles and twisting them in the favor of their own economic interests in the region. Short-lived uprisings were incited in discrete parts of Kurdistan through military and economic assistance to the Kurdish armed forces and once ends were achieved, as usual, Kurds were abandoned in bafflement. Now time has come for the Kurds to play the shrewd card and conclude the most unique opportunity that they enjoy at their disposal into their favor.
KRG is very optimistic about Kurdistan-Washington vague ties despite US recurring pledge of sustained support and protection. Kurdish officials have a tendency to over-estimate the power and abilities of the USA. KRG officials love to vent and postulate that we should abide by every command issued by US administration, without a measure of necessary realism and forethought. The US pretexts to prolong its presence is the provision of protection and democratization of Kurdistan whereas the US herself continues to violate human rights all over the world. A country that has yet to address African American racism issue, soaring Muslim religious discrimination and unjust immigration polices against Mexican-Latino immigrants, it first has to improve its own Human Rights record before attempting to implement it elsewhere.
Pentagon has already mulled over the notion of establishing a permanent military base in Kurdistan just like Vietnam, Germany and Japan. After waging an 8 year old ongoing war, with billions of dollars in treasury deficits, and worsening US status in Middle East, it is most likely that such a plan would go ahead. However, U.S. oil policy rests on the miscalculation that Iraqi Kurds can not exert pressure on U.S. o alter its foreign policies more pro-Kurdish because they are not yet in a position to afford losing the current degree of autonomy, especially the billions of dollars collected from the central government and sale from huge oil revenues.
In October of 1973, Arab oil producing nations imposed an oil embargo on the United States. US-OPEC relationship is up for grabs. American addiction on Middle East oil can be used as the best weapon by the KRG to prod the US to support an independent Kurdish state in South Kurdistan (Iraq) or to cope with less stronger ties.
US democratization and Americanization goals can turn into realities only when Washington genuinely supports Kurdish independence rights fully just like South Sudan and corrupt KRG officials need to start thinking about alternative self-sustaining strategies, as well.
We must not depend on any power.
US gradual liberation is transforming into permanent occupation of Kurdistan. Either the US should support an independent Kurdish state in South Kurdistan (Iraq) or cease its sham democratization and Americanization policies.
For centuries, the Kurds hinged on imperialists Superpowers to come to their rescues from tyrants and occupiers. During our elongated history of struggle, Superpowers seized myriad golden prospects by letting down our struggles and twisting them in the favor of their own economic interests in the region. Short-lived uprisings were incited in discrete parts of Kurdistan through military and economic assistance to the Kurdish armed forces and once ends were achieved, as usual, Kurds were abandoned in bafflement. Now time has come for the Kurds to play the shrewd card and conclude the most unique opportunity that they enjoy at their disposal into their favor.
KRG is very optimistic about Kurdistan-Washington vague ties despite US recurring pledge of sustained support and protection. Kurdish officials have a tendency to over-estimate the power and abilities of the USA. KRG officials love to vent and postulate that we should abide by every command issued by US administration, without a measure of necessary realism and forethought. The US pretexts to prolong its presence is the provision of protection and democratization of Kurdistan whereas the US herself continues to violate human rights all over the world. A country that has yet to address African American racism issue, soaring Muslim religious discrimination and unjust immigration polices against Mexican-Latino immigrants, it first has to improve its own Human Rights record before attempting to implement it elsewhere.
Pentagon has already mulled over the notion of establishing a permanent military base in Kurdistan just like Vietnam, Germany and Japan. After waging an 8 year old ongoing war, with billions of dollars in treasury deficits, and worsening US status in Middle East, it is most likely that such a plan would go ahead. However, U.S. oil policy rests on the miscalculation that Iraqi Kurds can not exert pressure on U.S. o alter its foreign policies more pro-Kurdish because they are not yet in a position to afford losing the current degree of autonomy, especially the billions of dollars collected from the central government and sale from huge oil revenues.
In October of 1973, Arab oil producing nations imposed an oil embargo on the United States. US-OPEC relationship is up for grabs. American addiction on Middle East oil can be used as the best weapon by the KRG to prod the US to support an independent Kurdish state in South Kurdistan (Iraq) or to cope with less stronger ties.
US democratization and Americanization goals can turn into realities only when Washington genuinely supports Kurdish independence rights fully just like South Sudan and corrupt KRG officials need to start thinking about alternative self-sustaining strategies, as well.
We must not depend on any power.
Corruption in Iraqi Kurdistan Continues (Part III)
Kurdishaspect.com - By Baqi Barzani
Where is our national oil heading to and who is pocketing the revenues?
To further widen my horizons on the corruption plague, I got compelled to expand my journeys throughout Kurdistan. My ongoing independent research has exceedingly assisted me in further developing my factual understanding of the state of affairs in Kurdistan as well as divulging scores of obscure KRG’s hypocritical exploits that continues to affect the lives of ordinary Kurdistani citizens. For decades, despite public knowledge, the status quo has maintained wordlessly. Optimistically, some imperative corrective/preventive measures will be taken now by the concerned authorities or the general public.
In part one this topic on burgeoning corruption, I had indicated briefly to the black, huge oil smuggling business in Iraqi Kurdistan. Here are some additional facts and details:
Private foreign oil drilling firms from XXX countries have been dynamic inKurdistan since 1991. I prefer to avoid citing their names. With cooperation and coordination with KDP and PUK, they did their job, got paid and left for different reasons. Since then, oil has been smuggled out of Kurdistan. At the outset, a strategic joint agreement between PUK and KDP was sealed regarding the trading and sharing of oil revenues. It lasted for a while, it ceased for a while, and then all over again, it was renewed and it carries on till now. Both parties are well conscious of the facts and figures, but abstain deliberately from releasing the statistics to the general public. Realities will soon someday come to light, especially when the general public starts questioning them...
PUK controls the lion's share of oil trade in and around Sulaimaniya, while KDP has the whole oil wells in villages, cities and surrounding Duhok and Hawler governorates under its full clout.
Oil in Bazian refinery, Dola Bakra, Koyeh, and Khaneqin, which is in PUK sphere of influence, directly ends up in the hands of Islamic Republic of Iran. PUK has signed numerous secrete trade agreements with Iran in 2003, 2006, 2010. Since 2003, Iran has constantly tried to boost its ties and strengthen its grip in the governorate of Sulaimaniya. Official Iranian cultural and trade centers can visibly be noticed in city center in Sulaimaniya as of Feb.5, 2011.
As for KDP: Iranian oil tankers also illicitly transport Kurdistan oil from wells located in Kavro Gosek, Perdesht, Barda Rash, Shivashav, ( between Hawler and Duhok highway) en route to Hawler,-Sulimania- Bandare Abbas port. The cost of oil for a 24-foot flat tanker sold to Iran by KDP is currently at rate of 6500 US $. According to the feedback from employees working there, some 1,000 (One thousand) tankers are filled and transported on a daily basis from these four regions alone to Iran. Just these 4 regions. Due to the sensitivity of subject matter, KDP has been very cautious in appointing only top confidante members of Barzani tribe in running and overseeing capacities in such sites.
Owing to the close relationship between KDP-ANKARA, oil refined from or round Zakho district is sold merely to Turkish Private and state refinery companies for a reduced rate of 5000 $ per a 24-foot flat tanker, as per a mutual accord reached between KDP-Ankara in 2003. Some 4000 tankers depart Kurdistan en route to Diarbakir, Ankara, Istanbul and Izmir through Ibrahim Khalil Customs Facility every day. We are talking hundreds of millions per annual.
The names of the Iranian oil companies purchasing Kurdistan oil consist of: Milat, Nokan, Kaivan and Paivand, the four major ones.
More intriguing is that all these oil tankers and containers have the word” IRAQIOIL” inscribed on them, another way to put the realities out of public sight. KRG authorities claim recently that they have allowed discrete oil companies to resume exploring and extracting oil in Kurdistan region newly. Let me rectify a misrepresentation here. The entire story is nothing more than another distorting approach. KRG is lately making the announce public because they can no longer rebuff or conceal these surfacing truths. Oil trade resumed in 1991.
Is Duhok governorate really the talked-about Duhok?
I paid a visit to the governorate of Duhok, which is also under the influence of KDP. I was under the impression that at least Duhok has undergone rapid economic development. The truth of matter is except for a set of luminous, luxurious complex buildings that is also owned by senior KDP elite, nothing has actually changed. Major roads are still unpaved; the public suffer from water and electricity shortages, and continue to whine about Government lack of involvement. Fabrications about booming economy and reconstruction efforts by KRG are only implied to multiply commercial profits by drawing more worldwide investment and obtaining more political mileage.
It is time for accountability, for some serious answering and questionings, for uprooting the corruption plague, for eradicating these social and economic injustices, for reforming, for bettering Kurdistan, enacting some serious ant-corruption laws, changing the life of every one, and for spending the public funds on public welfare!!
Where is our national oil heading to and who is pocketing the revenues?
To further widen my horizons on the corruption plague, I got compelled to expand my journeys throughout Kurdistan. My ongoing independent research has exceedingly assisted me in further developing my factual understanding of the state of affairs in Kurdistan as well as divulging scores of obscure KRG’s hypocritical exploits that continues to affect the lives of ordinary Kurdistani citizens. For decades, despite public knowledge, the status quo has maintained wordlessly. Optimistically, some imperative corrective/preventive measures will be taken now by the concerned authorities or the general public.
In part one this topic on burgeoning corruption, I had indicated briefly to the black, huge oil smuggling business in Iraqi Kurdistan. Here are some additional facts and details:
Private foreign oil drilling firms from XXX countries have been dynamic inKurdistan since 1991. I prefer to avoid citing their names. With cooperation and coordination with KDP and PUK, they did their job, got paid and left for different reasons. Since then, oil has been smuggled out of Kurdistan. At the outset, a strategic joint agreement between PUK and KDP was sealed regarding the trading and sharing of oil revenues. It lasted for a while, it ceased for a while, and then all over again, it was renewed and it carries on till now. Both parties are well conscious of the facts and figures, but abstain deliberately from releasing the statistics to the general public. Realities will soon someday come to light, especially when the general public starts questioning them...
PUK controls the lion's share of oil trade in and around Sulaimaniya, while KDP has the whole oil wells in villages, cities and surrounding Duhok and Hawler governorates under its full clout.
Oil in Bazian refinery, Dola Bakra, Koyeh, and Khaneqin, which is in PUK sphere of influence, directly ends up in the hands of Islamic Republic of Iran. PUK has signed numerous secrete trade agreements with Iran in 2003, 2006, 2010. Since 2003, Iran has constantly tried to boost its ties and strengthen its grip in the governorate of Sulaimaniya. Official Iranian cultural and trade centers can visibly be noticed in city center in Sulaimaniya as of Feb.5, 2011.
As for KDP: Iranian oil tankers also illicitly transport Kurdistan oil from wells located in Kavro Gosek, Perdesht, Barda Rash, Shivashav, ( between Hawler and Duhok highway) en route to Hawler,-Sulimania- Bandare Abbas port. The cost of oil for a 24-foot flat tanker sold to Iran by KDP is currently at rate of 6500 US $. According to the feedback from employees working there, some 1,000 (One thousand) tankers are filled and transported on a daily basis from these four regions alone to Iran. Just these 4 regions. Due to the sensitivity of subject matter, KDP has been very cautious in appointing only top confidante members of Barzani tribe in running and overseeing capacities in such sites.
Owing to the close relationship between KDP-ANKARA, oil refined from or round Zakho district is sold merely to Turkish Private and state refinery companies for a reduced rate of 5000 $ per a 24-foot flat tanker, as per a mutual accord reached between KDP-Ankara in 2003. Some 4000 tankers depart Kurdistan en route to Diarbakir, Ankara, Istanbul and Izmir through Ibrahim Khalil Customs Facility every day. We are talking hundreds of millions per annual.
The names of the Iranian oil companies purchasing Kurdistan oil consist of: Milat, Nokan, Kaivan and Paivand, the four major ones.
More intriguing is that all these oil tankers and containers have the word” IRAQIOIL” inscribed on them, another way to put the realities out of public sight. KRG authorities claim recently that they have allowed discrete oil companies to resume exploring and extracting oil in Kurdistan region newly. Let me rectify a misrepresentation here. The entire story is nothing more than another distorting approach. KRG is lately making the announce public because they can no longer rebuff or conceal these surfacing truths. Oil trade resumed in 1991.
Is Duhok governorate really the talked-about Duhok?
I paid a visit to the governorate of Duhok, which is also under the influence of KDP. I was under the impression that at least Duhok has undergone rapid economic development. The truth of matter is except for a set of luminous, luxurious complex buildings that is also owned by senior KDP elite, nothing has actually changed. Major roads are still unpaved; the public suffer from water and electricity shortages, and continue to whine about Government lack of involvement. Fabrications about booming economy and reconstruction efforts by KRG are only implied to multiply commercial profits by drawing more worldwide investment and obtaining more political mileage.
It is time for accountability, for some serious answering and questionings, for uprooting the corruption plague, for eradicating these social and economic injustices, for reforming, for bettering Kurdistan, enacting some serious ant-corruption laws, changing the life of every one, and for spending the public funds on public welfare!!
Corruption in Iraqi Kurdistan continues (Part 2)
Kurdishaspect.com – By Baqi Barzani
In Hawler, Duhok and Sulaimaniya governorates, the two major political parties (PUK and KDP) control all government institutions, parliament, judiciary, security forces and Peshmerga and intelligence apparatus. None of these government branches reserve any autonomy or authority. The head of these departments are directly appointed by the two totalitarian factions, depending on their sphere of influence. A vivid instance is the two separate intelligence agencies whose primary mission is merely eavesdropping on one another and the opposition groups, including their arch rival (Goran, or the change movement) as well as the Islamic and leftist smaller groups at the behest of foreign countries. Our Peshamrga forces, whose primary objective is to protect the national borders against foreign aggression and ensuring stability in case of need, are not yet merged together in reality, do not cooperate with one another and function totally independently, receiving commands directly from
their party leaders.
Contrary to what most allege about the national elections meeting internationally recognized electoral standards for free and fair elections, the election results inKurdistan did not reflect the will of the voters. The President, Prime Minister, and the Parliament of Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) were cherry picked by foreign countries. The Iraqi Electoral Commission admitted the fact that there were frauds and miscalculation issues. There is an imposed unity government currently in place in Kurdistan that may possibly be composing of different political, religious, ethnic parties, but the fact is the opposition groups and especially, Islamists have no say at all. KRG has curtailed their activities by holding excessive power to contain their annual budget.
Some have compared Kurdistan with Middle Eastern nations. Kurdistan is even worse than Tunisia. Tunisian economy is not comparable to Kurdistan. Tunisia is a one of the European Union’s most established trading partners in the Mediterranean region and ranks as the EU’s 30th largest trading partner. At least, in the afore-cited country, the general public reserves the right to pour into streets, voice their opposition, demand reforms or new elections. In Kurdistan, any such move would definitely be crushed or confront strong government resistance. The rate of unemployment in Kurdistan exceeds countries such as Tunisia, Egypt, Jordan and Yemen. The only main disparity is in Kurdistan the vast majority of party adherents receive free salaries. It is estimated that roughly 70% of our people in Kurdistan are unemployed, illiterate and live under the poverty line.
Syrian Hafez al-Assads overall tenure, Yemen’s President Ali Abdullah Saleh , Algerian President Abdelaziz Bouteflika, or Jordanians King Abdulla II are far from comparison when it comes to Kurdish leaders and Kurdistan, having been ruled by KDP for more than a century. Many of these nation states came in to existence after 1920, and governments were toppled through military coups or proletarian demonstrations. For an entire century, we have been struggling for our national independence. Thanks to the superpowers for their occupation ofKurdistan under the name of national liberation and even more thanks to our strategies and leadership.
The so-called democracy or new looming democracy in Kurdistan is nothing more than media hype for the two major political parties.
A revolution within by the people for the people!
In Hawler, Duhok and Sulaimaniya governorates, the two major political parties (PUK and KDP) control all government institutions, parliament, judiciary, security forces and Peshmerga and intelligence apparatus. None of these government branches reserve any autonomy or authority. The head of these departments are directly appointed by the two totalitarian factions, depending on their sphere of influence. A vivid instance is the two separate intelligence agencies whose primary mission is merely eavesdropping on one another and the opposition groups, including their arch rival (Goran, or the change movement) as well as the Islamic and leftist smaller groups at the behest of foreign countries. Our Peshamrga forces, whose primary objective is to protect the national borders against foreign aggression and ensuring stability in case of need, are not yet merged together in reality, do not cooperate with one another and function totally independently, receiving commands directly from
their party leaders.
Contrary to what most allege about the national elections meeting internationally recognized electoral standards for free and fair elections, the election results inKurdistan did not reflect the will of the voters. The President, Prime Minister, and the Parliament of Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) were cherry picked by foreign countries. The Iraqi Electoral Commission admitted the fact that there were frauds and miscalculation issues. There is an imposed unity government currently in place in Kurdistan that may possibly be composing of different political, religious, ethnic parties, but the fact is the opposition groups and especially, Islamists have no say at all. KRG has curtailed their activities by holding excessive power to contain their annual budget.
Some have compared Kurdistan with Middle Eastern nations. Kurdistan is even worse than Tunisia. Tunisian economy is not comparable to Kurdistan. Tunisia is a one of the European Union’s most established trading partners in the Mediterranean region and ranks as the EU’s 30th largest trading partner. At least, in the afore-cited country, the general public reserves the right to pour into streets, voice their opposition, demand reforms or new elections. In Kurdistan, any such move would definitely be crushed or confront strong government resistance. The rate of unemployment in Kurdistan exceeds countries such as Tunisia, Egypt, Jordan and Yemen. The only main disparity is in Kurdistan the vast majority of party adherents receive free salaries. It is estimated that roughly 70% of our people in Kurdistan are unemployed, illiterate and live under the poverty line.
Syrian Hafez al-Assads overall tenure, Yemen’s President Ali Abdullah Saleh , Algerian President Abdelaziz Bouteflika, or Jordanians King Abdulla II are far from comparison when it comes to Kurdish leaders and Kurdistan, having been ruled by KDP for more than a century. Many of these nation states came in to existence after 1920, and governments were toppled through military coups or proletarian demonstrations. For an entire century, we have been struggling for our national independence. Thanks to the superpowers for their occupation ofKurdistan under the name of national liberation and even more thanks to our strategies and leadership.
The so-called democracy or new looming democracy in Kurdistan is nothing more than media hype for the two major political parties.
A revolution within by the people for the people!
Corruption in Kurdistan Continues - Part 1
So far, numerous articles/reports have been published in the press to highlight rampant corruption, abuse of public and government funds and mismanagement issues in Iraqi Kurdistan. KRG officials have not only striven to refute these facts, but also resorted to intimidation and muzzling of critics. Most notably, as elected representatives of people, they have totally failed to address such imperative issues diligently. When the subject of corruption is focused, to evade the accountability, KRG officials shift the blame on one another just like the unresolved status of Kirkuk. The two major political parties (PUK and KDP) have long been targeted for their inactions and failures. When confronted by people about what they have really been able to achieve for the nation so far, they simply divert the entire issue with a pretext that since 2003 they have made tremendous progress in all areas and taken the necessary steps to resolve the shortfalls, particularly about the deteriorating state of corruption. Fairly arbitrating, one cannot utterly rebuff KRG claims and efforts however, in view of the available time, opportunities to eradicate this epidemic and with ample resources at their disposal, their strategies have proven ineffective. Facts and statistics radically contradict with what KRG officials tout and try to sell to public and the international community. Billions of public funds are squandered every year without any accountability and without reaching the goals any near.
To seek the extent of truth in these contentions, I planned to set off to Kurdistan on my own and perform an independent research on this subject. Following is my findings based on a number of visits to government institutions in Hawler, Duhok and Kirkuk governorates, conversations with the general public, families of Anfal, Barzanis, interviews with KRG officials, senior members of Kurdistan parliaments and ministries and ultimately a visit directly to " Sares Rash" , KDP's headquarter.
To commence with, I would like to point toward our monopolized economy. All financial institutions, business centers, commercial lands and complex, illegal and legal foreign import/export, black market, foreign investment projects in Duhok, Sulaymaniyah ,Kirkuk and Hawler are owned overly or covertly by the two major political parties (KDP and KDP). Without political connection and membership or a mandatory partnership agreement, one is not allowed to launch or implement any form of business investment project in Iraqi Kurdistan. Senior members in both parties splurge public funds on comfy cars, lavish vacations and for their personal interests while, the poor starve to death and die from disease due to the lack of government attention.
Public funds are deposited into private accounts in finical institutions in Lebanon, Europe and the USA in numerous accounts under different names with the knowledge of host states. There is no taxing system to scrutinize such illegally earned incomes.
Real Estate and cash distribution, retirement plans and business and education opportunities are only accessible to members of the political parties. Without joining one of the two major ruling parties in Kurdistan, one does not see much prospects of advancement. Superior job placement is only for opted members of political parties, not based on requisite merits. Many talented and qualified young Kurdish candidates are deprived from employment opportunities. The old belief of regionalism, tribalism (Sorani, Badini), factionalism, ( PUK, PDK) and nepotism has not yet been overcome.
Members of parliament and government ministries receive something equivalent to $7000 US dollar monthly as pension for their entire lives. Some have served only for a two year term and been retired. On average, each member holds at least 5 to 10 real estate properties exceeding millions of dollars in value. There is no land ceiling law enacted to restrict unlimited ownership of the limited resources (Land). Senior leaders in KDP have constructed mile-long villas on the expense of martyred families. They obtain residential lands at no cost and resell it back to the destitute for tens of millions of US dollars.
Private foreign countries have resumed extracting, refining and exporting Kurdistan oil since 1991. It has been two decades since Kurdistan oil and natural resources have been exploited illegally and exported in secret to state refinery companies in Iran and Turkey. New York Times report (Smugglers in Iraq Blunt Sanctions against Iran) had confirmed the same account in an article published on 8 July 2010.
Anfal, Halabja and Barzani families receive only 350 dollar despite the ever-increasing inflation. A TV set costs 500 US dollar. Some of these families manage to survive in uninhabited shelters short of the most basic necessities, including: electricity, water, clean drinking water. Among them are families which have lost more than three male members at the same time, leaving the dependents without any livelihood. The underprivileged class of the society continues to suffer from power shortage twenty hours per day. In certain areas, the power goes off for days while the government continues to collect utility bills every month regardless. In some cases, in some same neighborhood, there are residents who enjoy full un-interrupted power while some have none. Citizens' rights are infringed as a result of discriminatory and unequal power distribution practices. Urbanization and devolvement in certain areas is hampered due to such inequalities. Colonies mostly inhabited by Kurdish citizens are more vulnerable to lack of government intervention, places such as Italian, English villages and areas in Ankawa are provided with 24/7 electricity. School going children cannot study, food materials in freezers get rotten, and day to day activities are hampered. There are no research/development centers, nor does the government bear any contingency plans in place for alternate energy resources. Solar energy, which is nonpolluting and abundantly available in Kurdistan, can easily be harvested to solve the power crisis.
People are compelled to remain loyal to some political parties instead of working in the interest of the Nation. The system of transportation is ineffective and does not serve the purpose. Government departments have not yet been computerized with centralized information system.
Technical and Professional education is not emphasized as a result of which we are forced to depend on foreign experts by paying huge remuneration from public funds. The government has not established adequate universities, colleges for students. In other words, students perceive no future in pursuing higher education and they merely focus on business or non technical occupations.
Intimidation, imprisonment, and repression of critical opponents, anti government voices are beyond measure. Media is only an entertainment tool, not used for public enlightenment purpose. The general public has no clue what their government does. It's a deliberate scheme to keep the public away from the realities.
In certain regions, if someone wishes to serve his people by his own private capital, establishing any kind of facility is forbidden. A plain example is in or around Barzan region.
Another alarming point is the manipulation of our markets by Turkish Turks. Turkish capitalists own 70% of small business centers in Kurdistan. If this status quo persists, it is estimated that by 2021, they will hold enough leverage to run our economy and politics.
Iranian and Turkish intelligence agents are stationed all over, including Sare Rash. MIT agents visit our leaders and hold meetings on a regular base. Imposed economic sanction has pressured Iran to dispatch its agents all over Kurdistan in pursuit of US latest technology and to safeguard its deficiencies.
Along the Kurdistan/Turkey borders, clandestine business centers have been constructed that except for certain KDP high-ranking officials, no one dares enter. Almost every residential building has been commercialized.
No efforts have been put to produce any manufactured goods s at all. We are totally dependent on Turkish and Iranian imports. There is not a single item that is not imported from other countries. It is a great threat to our economic independence. In case of a simple border closing for a week, there will be a real crisis that can easily bring the routine life to a standstill. The revenues generated from different sources are plundered instead of being expended on renovating and upgrading our superseded system.
KRG has made the public contingent on free salaries on purpose for numerous grounds. First: they continue to remain dependent and loyal to political parties. Second: to divert their attention from the growing corruption and away from interfering in politics. The recipients of such benefits are again members of the political parties only, not the poor.
Employees in government department's work no more than 3-4 hours per day. Some government's banks and offices are only open from 10 to 12 a.m., which causes many public issues to remain unsolved or unattended.
In conclusion: In view of KRG 17% budget from the central government, billions of dollars revenues from illicit public oil export, gigantic business investment projects, joint share in foreign oil companies, international humanitarian aid, reselling of public land, Kurdistan generates more than the essential funds to address all these concerns. The key question is where, how, when and why all these used or misused?
Kurdish citizens should wake up and to react to such situations. The system is corrupt and in immediate need of radical changes and reforms. The ruling parties abuse their power and betray public faith.
It is time for a complete change either through a military coup or a revolution to alleviate public sufferings from such dictators once and for all.
To seek the extent of truth in these contentions, I planned to set off to Kurdistan on my own and perform an independent research on this subject. Following is my findings based on a number of visits to government institutions in Hawler, Duhok and Kirkuk governorates, conversations with the general public, families of Anfal, Barzanis, interviews with KRG officials, senior members of Kurdistan parliaments and ministries and ultimately a visit directly to " Sares Rash" , KDP's headquarter.
To commence with, I would like to point toward our monopolized economy. All financial institutions, business centers, commercial lands and complex, illegal and legal foreign import/export, black market, foreign investment projects in Duhok, Sulaymaniyah ,Kirkuk and Hawler are owned overly or covertly by the two major political parties (KDP and KDP). Without political connection and membership or a mandatory partnership agreement, one is not allowed to launch or implement any form of business investment project in Iraqi Kurdistan. Senior members in both parties splurge public funds on comfy cars, lavish vacations and for their personal interests while, the poor starve to death and die from disease due to the lack of government attention.
Public funds are deposited into private accounts in finical institutions in Lebanon, Europe and the USA in numerous accounts under different names with the knowledge of host states. There is no taxing system to scrutinize such illegally earned incomes.
Real Estate and cash distribution, retirement plans and business and education opportunities are only accessible to members of the political parties. Without joining one of the two major ruling parties in Kurdistan, one does not see much prospects of advancement. Superior job placement is only for opted members of political parties, not based on requisite merits. Many talented and qualified young Kurdish candidates are deprived from employment opportunities. The old belief of regionalism, tribalism (Sorani, Badini), factionalism, ( PUK, PDK) and nepotism has not yet been overcome.
Members of parliament and government ministries receive something equivalent to $7000 US dollar monthly as pension for their entire lives. Some have served only for a two year term and been retired. On average, each member holds at least 5 to 10 real estate properties exceeding millions of dollars in value. There is no land ceiling law enacted to restrict unlimited ownership of the limited resources (Land). Senior leaders in KDP have constructed mile-long villas on the expense of martyred families. They obtain residential lands at no cost and resell it back to the destitute for tens of millions of US dollars.
Private foreign countries have resumed extracting, refining and exporting Kurdistan oil since 1991. It has been two decades since Kurdistan oil and natural resources have been exploited illegally and exported in secret to state refinery companies in Iran and Turkey. New York Times report (Smugglers in Iraq Blunt Sanctions against Iran) had confirmed the same account in an article published on 8 July 2010.
Anfal, Halabja and Barzani families receive only 350 dollar despite the ever-increasing inflation. A TV set costs 500 US dollar. Some of these families manage to survive in uninhabited shelters short of the most basic necessities, including: electricity, water, clean drinking water. Among them are families which have lost more than three male members at the same time, leaving the dependents without any livelihood. The underprivileged class of the society continues to suffer from power shortage twenty hours per day. In certain areas, the power goes off for days while the government continues to collect utility bills every month regardless. In some cases, in some same neighborhood, there are residents who enjoy full un-interrupted power while some have none. Citizens' rights are infringed as a result of discriminatory and unequal power distribution practices. Urbanization and devolvement in certain areas is hampered due to such inequalities. Colonies mostly inhabited by Kurdish citizens are more vulnerable to lack of government intervention, places such as Italian, English villages and areas in Ankawa are provided with 24/7 electricity. School going children cannot study, food materials in freezers get rotten, and day to day activities are hampered. There are no research/development centers, nor does the government bear any contingency plans in place for alternate energy resources. Solar energy, which is nonpolluting and abundantly available in Kurdistan, can easily be harvested to solve the power crisis.
People are compelled to remain loyal to some political parties instead of working in the interest of the Nation. The system of transportation is ineffective and does not serve the purpose. Government departments have not yet been computerized with centralized information system.
Technical and Professional education is not emphasized as a result of which we are forced to depend on foreign experts by paying huge remuneration from public funds. The government has not established adequate universities, colleges for students. In other words, students perceive no future in pursuing higher education and they merely focus on business or non technical occupations.
Intimidation, imprisonment, and repression of critical opponents, anti government voices are beyond measure. Media is only an entertainment tool, not used for public enlightenment purpose. The general public has no clue what their government does. It's a deliberate scheme to keep the public away from the realities.
In certain regions, if someone wishes to serve his people by his own private capital, establishing any kind of facility is forbidden. A plain example is in or around Barzan region.
Another alarming point is the manipulation of our markets by Turkish Turks. Turkish capitalists own 70% of small business centers in Kurdistan. If this status quo persists, it is estimated that by 2021, they will hold enough leverage to run our economy and politics.
Iranian and Turkish intelligence agents are stationed all over, including Sare Rash. MIT agents visit our leaders and hold meetings on a regular base. Imposed economic sanction has pressured Iran to dispatch its agents all over Kurdistan in pursuit of US latest technology and to safeguard its deficiencies.
Along the Kurdistan/Turkey borders, clandestine business centers have been constructed that except for certain KDP high-ranking officials, no one dares enter. Almost every residential building has been commercialized.
No efforts have been put to produce any manufactured goods s at all. We are totally dependent on Turkish and Iranian imports. There is not a single item that is not imported from other countries. It is a great threat to our economic independence. In case of a simple border closing for a week, there will be a real crisis that can easily bring the routine life to a standstill. The revenues generated from different sources are plundered instead of being expended on renovating and upgrading our superseded system.
KRG has made the public contingent on free salaries on purpose for numerous grounds. First: they continue to remain dependent and loyal to political parties. Second: to divert their attention from the growing corruption and away from interfering in politics. The recipients of such benefits are again members of the political parties only, not the poor.
Employees in government department's work no more than 3-4 hours per day. Some government's banks and offices are only open from 10 to 12 a.m., which causes many public issues to remain unsolved or unattended.
In conclusion: In view of KRG 17% budget from the central government, billions of dollars revenues from illicit public oil export, gigantic business investment projects, joint share in foreign oil companies, international humanitarian aid, reselling of public land, Kurdistan generates more than the essential funds to address all these concerns. The key question is where, how, when and why all these used or misused?
Kurdish citizens should wake up and to react to such situations. The system is corrupt and in immediate need of radical changes and reforms. The ruling parties abuse their power and betray public faith.
It is time for a complete change either through a military coup or a revolution to alleviate public sufferings from such dictators once and for all.
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