MESOP NEWS „UNCERTAIN DESTINY FOR KURDS & KURDISTAN“ / OUTLOOK 2017

Political crisis threatens Iraqi Kurdistan existence, senior journalist says

2 Jan 2017 – SULAIMANI, Iraq’s Kurdistan region,— The prominent Kurdish journalist and political analyst Ahmad Mira told Kurdpress that the present political crisis in Iraq’s Kurdistan Region is threatening the existence of the region. The situation has disappointed many in the region and the Kurdish dream, which the Kurds in Iraq have sacrificed their lives to, is being destroyed.

The chief editor of Levin Press, Mira said the economic crisis in the region has left a serious negative impact on the region and its journalism as the later has been seriously restricted and many reporters have been assassinated and many parties, among them ruling Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP), terrors journalists easily, warning about terror not only against journalists but also religious leader and different groups of people.He blamed Kurdish ruling non-democratic system which has boosted tribal leadership rather than a nation-state system, blaming the KDP fr trying to restrict the media, freedom and opposition voices.

Answering the question if only a political party is to be blamed, Mire said that the KDP is the main problem in the region but other parties including the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK), Movement for Change (Gorran) and other parties are at wrong for the situation.

He further blamed the leader of the KDP, Massoud Barzani, as the main person and agent for the political crisis in Kurdistan Region.The journalist warned in the interview about the deepening political tensions and rifts among political parties in the region and reiterated that the crises can destroy the social relations of the region to, a situation the region has faced for the first time in its history.He further added that discussion over the creation of an independent Kurdish state at the moment is all but a poetic dream, adding that the Kurdish state that Barzani is talking about is a childish game as the real base and the internal and regional foundation are not prepared for it to happen.Mire also said that Barzani uses the issue for political purposes as the Kurdish state is a political and national issue and needs internal unity before everything else.The crisis erupted after Massoud Barzani, whose term as Kurdistan President ended on August 20, 2015 but refused to step down and remains unofficially in office. According to the law in Kurdistan, Barzani cannot run for presidency anymore.

Barzani has been accused by critics of amassing huge wealth for his family instead of serving the population. Barzani’s son is the Kurdistan region’s intelligence chief and his nephew Nechirvan Barzani is the prime minister. The KDP of a monopoly all government’s positions in Erbil, and it does not believe in the principles of true partnership and and peaceful transfer of power.

Barzani said in March 2016 I will not leave power until Kurdistan get statehood. “The day we have an independent Kurdistan, I will cease to be the president of that Kurdistan”

Kurdistan PM Nechirvan Barzani has removed four members of his cabinet from the Gorran Movement on October 12, 2015 and Kurdistan Parliament’s Speaker was prevented from entering Erbil city. Since then Kurdistan parliament has been in recess. www.mesop.de