MESOP NEWS : DINDAR ZEBARI – UN Security Council Must Take Quick Decisions About Islamic State

19.08.2014 – Shwan Barzinji – basNews, Erbil – In an exclusive interview with BasNews, Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) Foreign Relations Assistant Head Dindar Zebari has spoken about the conditions of refugees and the impact of Islamic State (IS) insurgents’ attacks on the Kurdistan Region.

Zebari said that the UN’s help for refugees in the Kurdistan Region is regarded as ’third level’; increasing and providing help as quickly as possible. Such help exists in only four  countries; South Sudan, Central African Republic, Syria and Iraq (including the Kurdistan Region).

He mentioned that UN coordinators are expected to visit Erbil and supervise help for the refugees. Asked whether the help provided by the UN and individual countries will address the problem of refugees in the Kurdistan Region, Zebari stated that this help alone is not enough and pointed out that the KRG doesn’t have enough money in reserve due to the budget cut imposed by the federal government of Iraq. Zebari criticized Baghdad and said: “Baghdad has avoided  giving help to the Kurdistan Region for five years. They have not sent any money and haven’t made serious attempts to help refugees. What they have done has not satisfied any needs and this is a concern for us.”

The UN has declared the current situation to be an extreme humanitarian case.

According to UN statistics, there are more than 1,200,000 refugees in the Kurdistan Region. However KRG statistics expect 1,500,000 – 2,000,000 refugees to be in the region within 10 days, and 400,000 Sinjar refugees have entered Dohuk. Kurdish officials have declared this to be beyond the capability of the KRG.

Talking about the help that has been provided to refugees in the Kurdistan Region, Zebari identified two types. Firstly, aid has been given directly from outside Iraq by both the US and UK by sending help to Sinjar Mountain.

Secondly 38 tons of food and basics have been given by France, 30 tons by Qatar, 100 truckloads from Turkey as well as aid from other countries such as Germany and UAE.

He pointed out that no Arab countries, except Qatar and UAE, have shown any sign of sending help to the refugees of Sinjar Mountain.In regards to US air strikes to IS militant camps, Zebari said, “IS is not only a threat to the Kurdistan Region, it is a threat to the security and stability of all the world. Therefore, the continuation of US air strikes on IS insurgents sends the message that protecting the Kurdistan Region means protecting democracy and destroying terrorists.” “We thank the reaction of European Union countries. Beside the need for humanitarian help, we also need military help to fight IS militants because what they are doing is genocide and a crime against humanity. We should have an international, internal and regional plan. The UN Security Council must make a quick decision to shell and destroy the IS terrorist group,” added Zebari.