An increase in the incidence

of accidental fires has

plagued the city of Sle-

mani since the beginning

of July. Not for a long time

have the people of this city witnessed such

raging fires - not since the burning of Was-

man Pasha’s market in the 1990s.

A firefighter, who spoke on condition of

anonymity, said: “In Slemani we have five

firefighting centers, which have three teams

working 24 hours, seven days a week. Every

center has two or three vehicles or a water

tanker. But the grave concern for us now is

all these highrises they are building, when

we have only one 40-meter ladder.”

The big fires in July included an explo-

sion at a fuel station in Kanispika (northwest

of Slemani), which was reportedly caused

by a welder, and another fire in Sabunkaran

at a crowded bazaar due to an electric short

circuit. The brand new building of a regional

bank also went up in flames causing

50,000,000 Iraqi Dinars worth of losses. The

fire in Astell mountain in the Qaradagh area

followed the news of the Goezha mountain

fire, which caused tremendous losses for

nearby villages.

“Astell was the only mountain in Kurdis-

tan where cutting trees was forbidden since

1992. The fire raged for three days. We were

only men without any equipment to extin-

guish the fire,” said Hama Salih Hama, one

of the village firefighters who worked as a

volunteer. “It was the tourists who caused

this accident.”

RamadanMubarak

Issue no.20 Mar 1 - 14, 2007Price $1

Every man for

himselfThe Gorran List has announced that after

winning 25 seats in the new Kurdistan

Parliament, they will enter the January

elections as a separate entity from the

Kurdistan Alliance List. Will the entry

of multiple Kurdish lists weaken the

Kurdish position in Baghdad?

REGION page 3

Baghdad bluesFrom the onset of the US-led war, Kurds

were aware of the danger in Iraq being

able to stand on its own two feet in the

future and resume the cat and mouse

game with its Kurdish minority.

VIEWS page 10

Pressure pointsWhy the Shiite majority are likely to

continue exerting control over Iraq’s

vital oil ministry.

BUSINESS page 13

An old testamentThe church at Sabunkaran stands as

a testament to the harmonious co-ex-

istence among the various ethnic and

religious communities in the Kurdis-

tan Region.

CULTURE page 16

www.soma-digest.com

editor@soma-digest.com

An opendoor policy

Kurdistan’sdisabled

community

Ramadandrum roll

SOMA Digest is a subsidiary of KHAK Press & Media Center.

KURDISH LOBBY

REGION page 4

ABLE AND WILLING

COMMUNITY page 7

BEAT IT

CULTURE page 15

INSIDE: A little bit of Taoism, by Agri Ismail p.8 Kurdish contribution to Iraqi democratization, by Dr Joseph Kechichian p.10 The way forward in Iraq, by Dr Harry Hagopian p.11

A rise in incidence of fires.

Slemaniburning

A fire broke out on 29 August at the Central Bank of Kurdistan Region on ShorushStreet. (photo by Darya Ibrahim)

Awin Abdulrahman

SLEMANI

The late Hakim Abdul Aziz

The death of Abdul Aziz Al Hakim,

leader of the Supreme Iraqi Islamic

Council, was mourned by millions,

not just in Iraq but all over the world where

many memorial services were held for the

prominent Shiite leader.

Hakim lost his battle with cancer after

being diagnosed in May 2007 and died in

Iran, a country with which he had long-

standing ties. Hakim had fled to Iran in

1982 and while in exile established the

Supreme Council for Islamic Revolution in

Iraq. After the American invasion, Hakim’s

party emerged as a dominant force but

gradually lost influence. In an attempt to re-

gain power, it announced an alliance with

radical anti-US cleric Moqtada Al Sadr.

Hakim, who lost a number of his family

members during Saddam Hussein’s

regime, was an advocate for human rights,

which won him a place in the hearts of both

Shiites and Kurds.

“His death comes as a loss for Kurds es-

pecially the Shiite community. Hakim and

his whole family in general were for human

rights and he was a defender of Kurdish

rights also,” said Sheikh Hussein Khosh-

naw, head of the Imam Husseini Mosque

in Slemani.

According to Khoshnaw, Hakim was a

notable figure in Iraqi politics and his death

will no doubt leave its mark: “One of the

biggest memorial services ever to be held in

Iraqi history was held for him. This goes to

show the support that followed him and the

influence that he had.”

In the Kurdistan Region’s capital Erbil,

an official one-day funeral was held for the

eminent Shiite leader and two days of

mourning in Slemani.

The death of the 59-year-old leader of

the largest Shiite party comes at a time

when the country is gearing up towards the

January 2010 parliamentary elections that

will not only shape but change the political

demographics for the next four years.

Aziz’s son Ammar Al Hakim has been

groomed for a number of months to take

his father's place.

Kurds mourn passing of ‘defenderof Kurdish rights’

Lawen A. Sagerma

SLEMANI

2 Issue 60 July 31 - August 13, 2009

STAFFPUBLISHING HOUSE: Khak Press & Media CenterMANAGING EDITOR: Tanya GoudsouzianDEPUTY EDITOR: Lawen A SagermaCOLUMNISTS: Dr Sherko Abdullah, Agri Ismail, Dr JosephKechichian, Maureen McLuckie, Dr Denise Natali, Anwar M. QaradaghiCONTRIBUTING WRITERS: Zheno Abdulla, Iason Athanasiadis,Karokh Bahjat, Linda Berglund, Devanjan Bose (New Delhi), IlnurCevik (Ankara), Patrick Cockburn, Thomas Davies (Damascus), BayanEissa, Dr Rebwar Fatah (London), Basit Gharib, Dr Harry Hagopian(London), Hemin Hussein, Hewa Jaff, Fakhri Karim (Baghdad), VaniaKarim, Ali Kurdistani, Mohamad Karim Mohamad, Dastan Nouri, AmedOmar, Jamal Penjweny, Asoz L. Rashid (Baghdad), Roshna Rasool,Kurdawan Mohammad Saeed, Jen. A. Sagerma, Dr Tan Azad Salih, DrHussein Tahiri (Australia), Qubad Talabani (Washington, DC), AbdulKarim Uzery

REPORTERS: Awat Abdullah, Darya Ibrahim, Dana Hameed, HeminKakayi (Kirkuk), Saz Kamal, Barzan Kareem, Sazan Mandalawi (Erbil),Galawizh H. Rashid, Dana Rashid

CULTURE WRITERS: Roshna Rasool, Kamaran Najm

UK CORRESPONDENTS: Lara Fatah, Raz Jabary, Sara Naz

LANGUAGE EDITOR: Anwar M. Qaradaghi

PHOTOGRAPHY EDITOR: Aram Eissa

PHOTOGRAPHERS: Kamaran Najm, Soran Naqshbandy

CARTOONS: Ako Gharib

DIRECTOR OF DESIGN: Darya Ibrahim

MARKETING MANAGER: Brwa Abdulrahman

CIRCULATION MANAGER: Rashid Khidr Rashid

WEBSITE: Avesta Group for Software SolutionsPRINTING HOUSE: Hamdi Publishing House (Slemani)

Our offices are located at KHAK Press & Media Center, on Shorosh

Street, Slemani, Iraq.

Tel: 009647701570615

Fax: 0044703532136666

SOMA Digest strives to offer its readership a broad spectrum of viewson Iraqi and Kurdish affairs. As such, all opinions and views expressedin these pages belong to the writers, and do not necessarily reflect theposition of the publication.

CONTENTSCURRENT AFFAIRS ....................................................................................................................3COMMUNITY ..............................................................................................................................6WORD ON THE STREET ............................................................................................................9VIEWS .........................................................................................................................................10 LETTERS ....................................................................................................................................12BUSINESS .................................................................................................................................13CULTURE & MORE ....................................................................................................................15LIFESTYLE .................................................................................................................................17HISTORY ....................................................................................................................................18SOCIETY ....................................................................................................................................19CHAIKHANA ...............................................................................................................................20

SOMA Digest wishes to introduce someKurdish phrases and expressions, whichthe visitor to Kurdistan will find useful.

This episode relates to Judy Roberts, anAmerican school teacher, who has beenteaching English in a school in Slemani forover a year. At the school, she has met Aso,a Kurdish colleague, and their relationshiphas grown so that they were formally en-gaged. Judy has followed up the recent Kur-distan Parliamentary elections. In thisepisode, Judy and Aso are discussing theirobservations:

Aso: Now that the elections are over,

what are your observations my dear?

Esta kawa helbzardin tawaw bu, sar-injekant cheen gyanekem? Judy: Do you mean in general, my

darling?

Aya mebesta be sheweyeki gishti, az-

izakem?

Aso: I don't know. Any comments

that you might have.

Mn nazanim. Her serinjek ke het bet. Judy: Oh, I see.

Ah, te gaishtm.

Aso: And so, come on, say some-

thing, darling.

Eh, enja, dey, shti blle, azizekem. Judy: Yes, my dear, I will firstly

mention the positive points.

Bally, gyanekem. Mn le peshda basykhalla posativekan dekem. Aso: All right, please yourself.

Basha. Be arazuey khot. Judy: The high voter turnout of over

75 percent indicates their determina-

tion to express their political will in a

democratic way. It is greater than in

the US and most European countries.

Rezha berzi hatni deng derani saruhafta u pench le sada amazha bo br-yarian deket ke khwasti ramyarianbe shewayaki democracy der brn.Rezhaka le wlata yekgrtuakan uawrupa gawretra.Aso: Good. What else?

Chake. Che tr? Judy: The peaceful manner in which

the elections took place.

Shewa pr aramyakay helbzardinekay

teda anjam dra. Aso: Any other points?

Hich khalli deka haya? Judy: Yes, an important one. For the

first time, there will be an opposi-

tion group within parliament, which

is verydesirable.

Bally, khalleki gring. Bo yekameenjara, le naw parlamanda, komallekioppozision debet, ka zor wistrawa. Aso: What about negative points?

Ay khalli nere? Judy: They are very few, but the

main one is that I wish the election-

eering campaign could have been

done more harmoniously and quietly.

Zor kamn, bellam khalla seraki-akayan awaya khozga helmati hel-bzardinaka btwanraya be tabaie ubedengy bkraya. Aso: I agree. We have made great

strides and will be even better in fu-

ture.

Le galtam. Ema hengawi chakmannawa u le ayendeda bash tresh de-been.

Kurdish for beginnersANWAR M. QARADAGHI

LOST IN TRANSLATION

Issue 60 July 31 - August 13, 2009 3

REGION|CURRENT AFFAIRS NEWS ANALYSIS&

The establishment of a 40-seat op-

position in the new Kurdistan

Parliament was arguably the first

visible sign of the region’s nas-

cent democracy making some

headway in the federal Kurdistan Region.

While the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan

(PUK) and the Kurdistan Democratic Party

(KDP) - which formed the Kurdistani List

and won the elections on 25 July - try to fig-

ure out the new cabinet, something else is

stirring in the political arena.

The Iraqi parliamentary elections, set for

January of next year, will be a significant

political battle for not just Iraqi Shiite and

Sunni factions but also the Kurds who this

time around may not be entering as a united

list. The Gorran (Change) List, led by the

former deputy secretary general of the PUK

Nawshirwan Mustafa, has announced that

after winning 25 seats in the new Kurdistan

Parliament, they will be entering the January

elections as a separate entity from the Kur-

distan Alliance List.

“If a number of Kurdish lists enter these

elections separately, Kurdish interests when

under threat will unite them, but it is better

for us to be united as it shows others our

unity and strength. If we didn’t have one

Kurdish voice in Baghdad in these last four

years we would have lost out on a number

of things,” said Abd Zebari, a member of the

Iraqi Parliament.

As Iraqi Arabs along with neighboring

countries and foreign observers keep a close

eye on developments, political observers

have said that this stance will divide and

weaken the Kurdish position in Baghdad. In

an interview with Al Jazeera, Mustafa said:

“We do not believe that Kurdish unity is

having a single Kurdish list, we believe that

Kurdish unity is having one Kurdish line.”

“If we talk about elections and differ-

ences and wanting to compete for different

roles, representatives and increasing the

Kurdish voice, I think this is better done

through different independent lists,” said

Mohammad Ahmed, a member of the Kur-

distan Islamic Union in the Iraqi Parliament.

The opposition has argued that it is pos-

sible to work towards a common goal but

enter into the elections as separate political

entities. Others are not so sure.

“I voted for Gorran in the Kurdistan elec-

tions but I will not vote for them in the Iraqi

elections because I believe that it is impor-

tant for all Kurds to be united in Baghdad. I

am in favor of them competing among

themselves in Kurdistan but we should be

together in Baghdad,” said Naz Shareef, an

engineer.

“I see a strong possibility of multiple

Kurdish lists in the next Iraqi elections,” said

Ahmed, adding that multiple lists will lead

to more transparency.

Those who favor separate independent

lists argue that the people of Iraq have been

familiar with lists entering as Shiites, Sunnis

and Kurds for more than half a decade now

and that the time has come for variety.

Feryad Rawanduzi, a member of the Iraqi

Parliament, said: “According to political de-

mographics after the elections of the Kur-

distan Region, it’s not likely that Kurds will

be going into the Iraqi elections as one list.

New Kurdish political entities have a new-

found confidence and want to enter the elec-

tions independently.”

Rawanduzi added that in the current Iraqi

parliament there are two Kurdish lists, the

Kurdistan Alliance and the Kurdistan Is-

lamic Union, the former which has 53 seats

and the latter five seats. He explains that de-

spite this they are still viewed as one in par-

liament.

“When they speak of an important Kur-

dish issue, they see us as having 58 seats.

The worry is that if there are lots of small

may will weaken especially in regards to

strategic issues,” he says.

But others contest that the time is not yet

right for Kurds to follow their own path in

Baghdad.

“There is still the possibility that Kurds

may enter into the elections as one list. The

political situation in Iraq has not reached a

stage where Kurds should no longer fear

that their interests will be threatened. For ex-

ample, the disputed territories have yet to be

resolved so entering as one list is the great-

est support for the Kurdish cause and in par-

ticular these issues,” said Zebari.

“What is important is that Kurds have

one stand in parliament and in Baghdad. It

is inconceivable that Kurds be divided on

Kurdish matters in Baghdad. If there is a law

against Kurdish interests, every Kurd would

oppose it and having separate lists will not

change that unity,” said 37-year-old jour-

nalist Shadman Atoof.

Zebari explains that there are certain parts

of Iraq that do not believe in the Kurdish

cause or attach any significance to it and

often sideline them. He adds that one united

list will show Kurds as a powerful entity

with great strength. As January approaches,

it remains to be seen if it is every Kurd for

himself.

Every Kurd for himself?

Lawen A. Sagerma & Brwa Ab. Mahmud

SLEMANI

Newly confident Kurdish parties enter Iraqi elections.

Replay‘Since 2004, Iraq has beenproviding Syria with detailed informationabout terrorists’ activitiesin Syria against Iraq.Iraq’s stance is to demandthe United Nations toform an internationalcriminal court to try thoseinvolved in the ugly crimesthat have been targeting Iraq and its people.’

NOURI AL MALIKI, Iraqi PrimeMinister, says that 90 percent ofterrorists in Iraq infiltrate thecountry through Syria.

‘When Syria is accused ofkilling Iraqis, while it ishousing around 1.2 millionIraqis … thisis consideredan immoral accusation.’

BASHAR AL ASSAD, SyrianPresident, rejecting Iraqicharges that Damascus is involved in attacks inside Iraqiterritories.

Aproblem shared is a problem

halved, or so the saying goes.

Given that the ‘Kurdish’ problem

is actually quartered you would be for-

given for wondering why it has yet to be

solved.

The recent developments in Turkey

show that their government is now ready

to acknowledge that there is no military

solution to this ‘problem’, that a political

negotiation is necessary. It has led to many

discussions on the ‘Kurdish problem’ and

how solving this century old issue can aid

stability in the Middle East. Most of the

discussions have included reference to the

Treaty of Sevres which in not being rati-

fied condemned the Kurds to being split

among four states - who were happy to

have access to the vast natural resources

of Kurdistan, yet not so accommodating

to its people. Were Kurdistan not so

blessed with water, oil and fertile soil, you

wonder if it would have had so much trou-

ble in gaining autonomy and rights for its

people, possibly even the ‘impossible’

dream that is independence. They have

also discussed how at various times, often

for prolonged periods, the Kurds have

been brutally oppressed by these states.

It is interesting that it is always regarded

as a ‘Kurdish Problem’ and not referred to

as a problem of the state structures of the

Middle East.

Kemalist Turkey does not allow for

other ethnicities or nationalities, the very

essence of Turkey is that it believes its

population to be a homogenous entity.

That the current administration is now

willing to acknowledge the existence of

Kurds and contemplate a political solution

underlines the progress that the Kurds are

making and hopefully a welcome change

in the political thinking of the Turkish es-

tablishment.

It is possible that other than the fatigue

of fighting a battle with no end in sights

that two things have influenced the change

in position. Firstly the changes made due

to Turkey’s wish to join the EU, such as

permitting the speaking of Kurdish and the

presence of Kurdish parties elected to the

Turkish parliament have aided the soften-

ing of Turkey’s stance. Secondly the emer-

gence of the KRG as a constitutionally

recognized functional democracy has

shown that given the chance the Kurds can

handle their own affairs while still re-

maining part of a larger federal state such

as Iraq. Indeed the Kurdish region of Iraq

remains the most stable and secure part of

Iraq that is increasingly attractive to for-

eign investors- ironically the largest of

which is Turkey.

As previously mentioned the problem

is always characterized as being ‘Kur-

dish’. Yet Iraq is an artificial state created

by the British to protect their trade interests

in the region. Britain’s decision to develop

and encourage a minority Sunni ruling

class sent Iraq down a road fraught with

ethnic and religious conflicts.

The Western media is increasingly fo-

cusing on Iraq’s Kurdish problem that is

of disputed territories. The Iraqi constitu-

tion provides a mechanism for resolving

these issues, yet the resistance to imple-

menting Article 140 is not Kurdish.

However, it is better to dwell on the

more positive developments. Turkey’s

moves to consult with Baghdad and Erbil

in order to solve the problem, shows po-

litical progression. It is not so long ago that

Iraq and Turkey among others would act

to exploit and encourage splits within the

Kurds and keep the region unstable. Ef-

forts to facilitate autonomy and stability

should be encouraged and pursued care-

fully to ensure a smoother transition and a

fair agreement- with compromise from all

sides, not just a one sided concession. So

far the issues facing the Kurds in Iran and

Syria have received less attention, this

does not make them less pressing or im-

portant, but may be it is better initially to

let the ‘goodwill’ spread naturally out-

wards. The KRG in Iraq can serve as a

model of how to manage a ‘Kurdish Prob-

lem’. In avoiding the implementation of

Article 140, however, it shows that even

in Iraq the problem is not completely

solved. How Iraq chooses to tackle these

disputed areas, is likely to set a precedence

for what is an acceptable method for the

surrounding states to use should they grant

their Kurds autonomy.

The KRG is often criticized by Kurds

outside Iraq for not doing enough for those

Kurds, but its hands in that sense are po-

litically tied. Yet what it can do for other

Kurds is to continue to build on its suc-

cesses, further consolidate the democratic

process in Iraqi Kurdistan and fulfil its

promises to reform the less effective forms

of governance. In doing this they will con-

tinue to strengthen the argument for grant-

ing all Kurds full rights and regional

autonomy within Iran, Turkey and Syria.

This current round of good will is not

likely to mean a quick end to the problem,

but it should not be discounted lightly,

with careful nurturing it could lead to the

emergence of a second KRG, then the

problem would indeed have been halved.

— BY LARA FATAH IN LONDON

A problem shared is a problem halved

4 Issue 60 July 31 - August 13, 2009

Qubad Talabany is the Kurdistan Regional

Government (KRG) representative in the

United States. Second son of Iraqi Presi-

dent Jalal Talabany, he was one of the key

negotiators in the drafting of the Transi-

tional Administrative Law, Iraq's first post-

Saddam Constitution.

Does the KRG office attempt to unify the

various Kurdish groups to create a

stronger lobby?

To some extent we have been able to refo-

cus the priorities of the variously different

Kurdish organizations in the US to adapt

more to the needs and challenges that Kur-

distan as a region faces today internation-

ally. Every Kurd living in the US can and

should act as an ambassador for Kurdistan,

whether it is socially, culturally, politically,

economically or a whole host of different

ways. It is not just our office that should rep-

resent Kurds. We have not wanted to repli-

cate or replace the work of existing and

capable organizations, but we have tried to

coordinate some of their activities better.

Does your office also maintain ties with

Kurdish organizations not from Iraq?

Undoubtedly being the official representa-

tion of the KRG to the United States a lot of

people look to this office, whether it is for

guidance, assistance or for a whole lot of

other reasons. We have an open door policy.

We deal with our obligations to have an

open door policy to the Kurds living in the

US. We maintain relationships with non-

Iraqi Kurdish organizations, but mainly for

coordination on cultural or educational ac-

tivities, rather than of a political nature.

Do you think that in the near future the

post of KRG Representative to the US

will be replaced by Kurdish ambassador

to the US?

First of all for Kurdistan to have an ambas-

sador, Kurdistan would need to be a coun-

try and need to have diplomatic recognition.

As that is not the policy of the KRG, I feel

that our representation abroad, while con-

tinuing to formalize and institutionalize, will

have to take on a creative role. It is less about

the title of the person, more about the sub-

stance of the work. Fact of the matter is that

today we are recognized as the representa-

tion of the Kurdistan Region of Iraq, and

while we work with the embassy of Iraq, we

do not work for them.

How do you gauge the effect of the June

25th elections on the political develop-

ment of the Kurdistan Region?

Elections always generate excitement and I

am delighted to see the level of excitement

that was generated with the elections. Our

political progress is important. The fact that

there was a viable and healthy opposition in

the elections was important for Kurdistan’s

political development. We must respect the

process, respect the different ideologies and

different opinions, and we must try to act

within expected norms; not to try to create

instability. I am confident that the leaders of

the various slates will operate with integrity

and decency and with the wish to continue

developing the Kurdistan Region’s political

development... The fact that there is a vi-

brant and healthy opposition is exciting to

watch.

What are your views on the KRG unifi-

cation with Kirkuk?

We have been adamant in our insistent re-

quests and calls for the full and speedy im-

plementation of article 140 of Iraq’s

permanent constitution. That article is the

basis for discussion between the various po-

litical forces in the country. It is a critical

component to the validity of the constitution

as a whole. [And it] allowed all sides to ac-

tually agree on this constitution as a pack-

age, and we are a little disappointed at how

slowly steps have been taken to implement

this constitution. It is not for Kurdistan to

say that Kirkuk must rejoin Kurdistan and

not for Baghdad to say that Kirkuk should

not join Kurdistan. The people of Kirkuk

must be given the opportunity to determine

their own destinies, but in order for that to

happen the injustices committed against the

people of Kirkuk must be reversed. We can-

not allow Saddam’s genocide of Kirkuk to

be legitimized, which is why there must be

a normalization of the disputed territories,

in Kirkuk and other disputed territories, and

ultimately a referendum that determines the

political fate of these territories.

The KRG has been criticized over the

lack of progress in the execution of article

140. Could you update us on this matter?

It is a very complicated issue... The polit-

ical will, nationally and regionally to move

this process forward and to gain the right

kind of attention and involvement from the

international community, has been difficult.

The multinational forces have not wanted to

deal with this issue quickly for a host of rea-

sons, one of them being that it is just a very

complicated issue and that there is really a

win-win to be had in their mind. Another, I

think, impending factor has been the lack of

political will by key elements within the fed-

eral government in Baghdad and, to be a lit-

tle self-critical, I think there has also been a

lack of a strategic policy on the part of the

Kurdish leadership. Up until very recently

there was not a unity of purpose within the

representations of Kurdistan inside Kirkuk,

and that has resulted in a criticism of the

people of Kirkuk towards the Kurdish lead-

ership. I have seen most recently a change of

focus and a greater self-reflection. The lead-

ership of Kurdistan, as it has been resolute

on the issue of hydrocarbons in Iraq, must

remain as resolute and united on the issue of

disputed territories and must present a united

Kurdistani front on resolving the disputed

territories.

What is the state of the relationships that

the KRG maintains with its neighbors?

The relationship of Kurdistan with its

neighboring countries is constantly matur-

ing and there is a much greater understand-

ing by all sides involved as to respecting the

rights of the Kurdistan Region, respecting

the concerns of neighboring countries and

creating an environment where we have

mutual respect for each other and we have a

mutual understanding not to interfere in the

internal affairs of each other, which should

be the basis for any neighbouring relations.

There has been enormous progress in rela-

tions with, in particular, Turkey. If you re-

call about 19 months ago it was almost a

full-scale invasion by Turkey into the Kur-

distan Region. There were daily aerial sor-

ties over the Kurdistan Region and there

was a non-existent political relationship be-

tween Turkey and the KRG. There was

even actually no recognition of the KRG.

Since May of 2008 I have seen the relation-

ship improve through behind the door meet-

ings to slightly more official meetings, to

meetings with the Prime Minister of the

Kurdistan Region, culminating in meetings

between the Turkish envoy for Iraq and the

President of the Kurdistan Region. I think

the ice on the cake really was the meeting

between the President of Turkey and the

Prime Minister of the Kurdistan Region,

which was held in Baghdad last year. That

alone goes to show you the extent of the

turnaround in the relationship. Neither side

is getting ahead of itself; neither side is get-

ting overly excited. There are serious con-

cerns on both sides, but I think there is the

right trend, the right attitude by both sides

and I think a much greater level of respect

for each other’s concerns and expectations.

Do you have any plans to move on to the

political stage in Kurdistan?

I certainly do not expect to stay her for-

ever. I have been posted to the United States

for nine and a half years, take out a year in

2003 when I was in Iraq and Kurdistan. But

obviously I will go where is necessary to go

and if the leadership feels that I am valuable

somewhere else, I will do what is right for

Kurdistan and go where I could be most ef-

fective and most helpful. Of course it is my

dream to one day go back to Kurdistan and

serve Kurdistan from Kurdistan and not just

from the United States.

An open door policyRaz Jabary

WASHINGTON, DC

The KRG’s representative in the US discusses thescope of his work and the challenges ahead.

The historic parliamentary and presi-

dential elections in the Kurdistan Re-

gion, which saw close to 80 percent

turnout from the 2.5 million eligible voters,

resulted in the emergence of a viable oppo-

sition. Although the two main ruling par-

ties retained power, 40 seats were won by

opposition parties. Still, experts lament that

there is still a long way to go before the Kur-

distan Region’s transition to a full demo-

cratic system can be deemed a success.

“Democracy cannot be created

overnight. It requires not only electoral ex-

ercises but the building of democratic insti-

tutions and, more broadly, establishing the

rule of law. The emergence of a lively op-

position is an encouraging sign, as it could

promote debate, transparency and account-

ability,” said Joost Hilterman, head of Inter-

national Crisis Group (ICG).

The lack of dialogue and interaction be-

tween the people and their government has

been a point of contention for a number of

years but the Kurdistan Regional Govern-

ment (KRG) has now acknowledged that a

great deal of work needs to be done to regain

voters’ trust.

“As the KRG undergoes its democratic

transition, the people of the Kurdistan Re-

gion and their representatives in government

will need to have an ongoing dialogue to de-

fine what the right balance between party

and government activities is for them,” said

Andrew Snow, leader of the US Regional

Reconstruction Team.

Snow went to explain that they were en-

couraged by signs of a multi-party process

developing in the KRG.

With the liberation process in 2003 the

KRG grabbed the opportunity to exert some

real influence in Baghdad but Hilterman ex-

plains that while it has exercised power ef-

fectively, it hasn't governed effectively. As a

result, he says that “there is so much dis-

content on the street and this is why an op-

position has arisen.”

The issue of corruption and transparency

were the main points of the election cam-

paign by opposition parties. But with a live-

lier parliament soon set to commence, it is

hoped these vices will soon be dealt with as

Kurdistan’s nascent institutions become

powerful decision making tools.

“The US is supportive of budgetary and

political transparency in government. For

example, federal and state budgets in the

United States are a matter of public record.

The debate of how to ensure adequate trans-

parency in Kurdistan is best conducted

among the people of the region and their

representatives in government,” said Snow.

“In the US, democracy is a process sup-

ported by sound institutions. In countries

around the world, we support the participa-

tion of citizens in this process and the

strengthening of these institutions. Democ-

racy is not a single event, like an election.

It’s a process over time.”

With new political dimensions in play,

the KRG is also dealing with continuous

mounting tensions between Erbil and Bagh-

dad. The political rumor mills insist that

Baghdad is slowly working for a strong cen-

tralized government.

“The question of how decentralized Iraq

should be remains unsettled, thanks to the

fact that the constitution is so vague in this

respect. In any case, settling such matters in

any context would take a long time (which

argues for a more deliberative and inclusive

constitution-making process, both in Iraq,

where it was dangerously rushed in 2005,

and in Kurdistan, where it threatens to be

dangerously rushed now),” said Hilterman.

“Over-decentralization of the rest of Iraq

could jeopardize the country's territorial in-

tegrity; no government in Baghdad is going

to accept that. The KRG should hold onto

what it obtained in the 2005 constitution.”

Hilterman pointed out that there is going

to be a tug of war between the KRG and

Baghdad for some time and that as long as

matters were resolved peacefully and in ac-

cordance to the law then this shouldn’t be

construed as something negative. Other ex-

perts add that the emergence of a strong cen-

tral government in Baghdad similar to those

of the past is not conceivable.

A bone of contention that has plagued the

KRG and increased hostility between the

Erbil and Baghdad administrations has been

Article 140 that has yet to see the light of

day. While President Massoud Barzani of

the Kurdistan Region has pledged to push

for its implementation, hope is slowly with-

ering.

“UNAMI is proposing to have a confir-

matory referendum in Kirkuk, a yes/no ref-

erendum following a political agreement

between the principal stakeholders. This

would prevent any dispute about demo-

graphic manipulations before or after 2003,

and thus would take an incendiary problem

off the table,” said Hilterman. “The failure to

implement Article 140 and the absence of a

viable Iraqi process to solve the conflict sug-

gest that external mediation would be useful

and necessary. UNAMI now has a process,

fully supported by the Obama administra-

tion. Let’s give it a chance.”

Recent bombings have instilled further

fear in all Iraqis that a total US withdrawal

could lead to a downward spiral of violence

and while many would argue with the fact

that foreign troops need to leave the country,

the time span in which they should do so is

very negotiable.

“Iraqi state institutions remain very weak

and may not be able to withstand a US troop

withdrawal. This would be dangerous for

everyone, including the Kurdistan Region,”

said Hilterman. “The basic conflict between

the KRG and Baghdad over power, territory

and resources (oil and gas) will need to be

settled in some way prior to a US troop

withdrawal if the country is to stay to-

gether.”

The right balanceLawen A. Sagerma

SLEMANI

Democracy cannot be createdovernight - Joost Hilterman

Qubad Talabany

Issue 60 July 31 - August 13, 2009 5

The Kurdistan Region welcomes

Ankara’s new position vis-a-vis

the longstanding Kurdish ques-

tion. Turkish Prime Minister

Recep Tayeb Erdogan, address-

ing parliament, presented his ‘roadmap’

for improving the government’s rela-

tionship with the country’s 20 million-

plus Kurdish population.

Falah Mustafa, head of the Foreign Re-

lations office of the Kurdistan Regional

Government (KRG), said that relations

between Erbil and Ankara have improved,

adding that the KRG has always had

friendly and neighborly intentions towards

Turkey.

The KRG, he explained, is viewing

these efforts as valuable progress. Ac-

cording to Mustafa, the Turkish govern-

ment is now acknowledging that the

Kurdish issue requires dialogue. He

dubbed this ‘roadmap’ as a ‘positive’ step

toward achieving a solution.

“Turkish interests are behind these pos-

itive steps forward and we as a neighbor

respect this stance. We think that it is the

right decision and an important factor in

establishing peace, security and stability

for the parties involved,” said Mustafa.

Aram Ali, a specialist in Turkish affairs,

said that relations between the Kurdistan

Region and Turkey have been normalized

for a significant period of time now, noting

that in addition to political relations, there

are strong economic and commercial re-

lations that reach hundreds of millions of

dollars.

“Most of those economic relations are

through oil production, which are strate-

gic ties, and the KRG has tried continu-

ously to stabilize the situation in the region

in order to make these relations a priority,”

said Ali.

He added that the Turkish government

would blame the KRG for the activities of

the PKK from time to time but that there

will be ‘no more blaming and accusing the

KRG.’

“The KRG will take on an important

role in solving these issues because the

Kurdish leaders have a lot of diplomatic

experience in assuming a referee role,”

said Ali.

Kurds assumed an important role in ral-

lying together the various communities of

Iraq, whether Shiite, Sunni or other.

While applauding the positive steps

taken by Turkey, Ali expressed some

doubt over what the Turkish model for

solving the Kurdish question would in-

volve.

“We see that the Iraqi solution for solv-

ing Kurdish issues in Iraq is federalism in

accordance with the Iraqi constitution

which is far from perfect as there are still

a number of points that need implementa-

tion,” he said. “But this model is an im-

portant step for solving the Kurdish issues

in other parts because federalism is much

more progressive than the autonomy sys-

tem.”

According to Ali, the model offered by

the Turkish government, as well as the so-

lution that Abdulla Ocalan is about to de-

clare in his project, is a democratic model,

which has no room for racial discrimina-

tion. This concept will no longer be per-

missible in Turkey and the solution will be

on the level of citizenship meaning total

equality between Turkish and Kurdish cit-

izens.

“Turkey has to make changes in its con-

stitution because I don’t think this solution

is a modern one. I think that if this model

is to be taken as a basic step for solving

the Kurdish issue, it will have an impact

on our federalism in addition to those is-

sues that surround the disputed territories

such as Turkey’s sensitivity towards

Kirkuk, for example,” said Ali.

“We must point out that the Kurdish

issue in Turkey won’t be solved by giving

Kurds the right of citizenship alone. They

must follow the Iraqi example,” he added.

Turkey extends olive branch to KurdsZheno Abdulla

SLEMANI

‘Turkish interests are behind thesepositive steps forward and we, as aneighbor, respect this stance.’

KURDISH PROVERB

A thousand friends are too few;

one enemy is one too many.

The Erdogan government's 'roadmap' addresses the Kurdish question in thecountry. The 20 million strong population has long been oppressed.

Kurdish citizens could soon be given the same rights and duties as Turkish citi-zens as Turkey adopts a new stand. (photo by Kamaran Najm)

6 Issue 60 July 31 - August 13, 2009

COMMUNITY| LOCAL NEWS PERSONALITIES&

The Kurdistan Region’s landmark

presidential and parliamentary elections

were preceded by a month of feverish

campaigning to win the support of over 2

million registered voters. There were

minor sporadic clashes between diehard

supporters of the competing political par-

ties, while those watching from the side-

lines prayed that the month would pass

peacefully and without bloodshed.

Adding another dimension to these

elections was the role of artists, who

mostly worked through their art to remind

the people of the sense of brotherhood

that must prevail in the region despite dif-

ferences of opinion. National unity and

brotherhood were the ideas that they

sought to push forward and deep into the

psyche of voters.

Burhan Majeed, one of Kurdistan’s

most famous singers, is well known for

his patriotism and forthright manner. Dur-

ing the month long campaign leading up

to the historic elections, he endeavored to

unify the people through promoting the

notions of brotherhood and patriotism in

his music.

Majeed’s last song, ‘Khami Khak’

(Land’s worries), paid homage to these

virtues, and was broadcasted on most tel-

evision and radio channels irrespective of

their political affiliations.

“The day I finished recording, I gave it

to all the media channels as a gift because

I felt that the television channels were

lacking any content that could serve to

unite us all, which is our sense of broth-

erhood as the Kurdish nation,” said Ma-

jeed, whose song instantly struck a chord

with all and sundry.

“I worked on that song with all my

feelings of patriotism. I gave it to the

channels and allowed them the discretion

to make a video clip however they saw fit

with the one condition that it didn’t con-

tain ideas from any particular side.”

Majeed says that he recorded the song

entirely at his own cost: “One of the par-

ties offered me a lot of money to record

the song exclusively for them but I could-

n’t because I wasn’t in it for the money.

My aim was to instill in everyone a feel-

ing that we all needed.”

The speed with which Majeed came

out with this song took even some of his

most fervent fans by surprise, but the

artist is quick to correct those who think

his sense of patriotism was re-ignited by

these elections.

“I have dedicated my whole life to my

nation and my country. I will not rest easy

until I see my people living in peace and

with a sense of brotherhood despite their

differences,” he said.

The concept of brotherhood and unity

was also flagged by a number of mer-

chants whose motives were brought into

question.

“It is the intention that is important so

if someone can make peace between two

sides while making money in the process,

then he is within his rights,” said 36-year-

old Pakhshan Ariz.

Karzan Koey is a Kurdish merchant

who owns a factory for selling olives by

the name of ‘Awa’ olive. His advertise-

ment for his olives can be seen in many

places especially in the bazaars where

large posters are posted familiarizing peo-

ple with this brand.

“I have my own style of advertising for

every different occasion especially during

a time when I felt that my people need

me. For instance in the Iraqi elections, I

participated in the propaganda campaign

by supporting the Regional Kurdish Al-

liance because it was for the good of the

Kurdish people. I also showed my happi-

ness in the execution of Saddam as well

as many other different occasions,” he

said.

Koey’s style of advertising is very at-

tractive and unique. It is done by publish-

ing and hanging posters and slogans

specialized for different occasions in pub-

lic places, sometimes by writing a joke or

something that resonates with the feelings

or mood of the people.

For example, after the execution of

Saddam Hussein, the slogan they wrote

was: “We send our condolences to both

the channels Al Jazeera and Al Arabiya

for the loss of their son Saddam.” This

caused great controversy at the time.

“I think about two things during such

public occasions. First the feeling of pa-

triotism and the second the advertisement

of my company,” said Koey.

The slogans that ‘Awa’ olive used dur-

ing the campaign month for the elections

included such statements as: “Youngsters,

if you continue with the mindset of fight-

ing based on color [the colors associated

with the political parties] then our hands

will be stained with each other’s blood.”

This statement refers back to the civil

war which ensued after the 1992 elec-

tions. An attractive theme that ran through

their work was the use of a variety of col-

ors and styles.

“I wanted to use all the different colors

in my advertisement because I wasn’t re-

ferring to a particular list or party. On the

contrary I intended to use all the colors

even those used by the opposition because

I was doing something for public and my

olives are used by everyone,” said Koey.

Despite the efforts of many ordinary

citizens, artists and merchants to create a

sense of brotherhood, there were some

who worked in the opposite direction to

complicate the situation.

“All those whose work can have an im-

pact must remain independent. As an

artist, I curse those who support and en-

courage conflicts among the people. Art

is holy and pure and must not be used as

material to start conflicts,” said Majeed.

“An artist’s role is to encourage people

to love their country and nation, and not

work to separate them,” added Majeed.

Koey concurs.

Campaign art

Darya Ibrahim

ERBIL

‘If someone can make peace between two sides whilemaking money in the process, he is within his rights’.

The recent elections in the Kurdistan Region unleashed a torrent of campaign

advertisements by various parties and individuals aiming to win the support of the

populace. Others used the opportunity to launch their own campaign to re-ignite a

sense of patriotism and brotherhood among the peoples of the region, irrespective of

their ethnic, religious or political affiliations.

The presidential and parliamentary elections on 25 July engaged all layers of society especially the youth. (photo by Aram Eissa)

The poster reads: “Violence during the elections will create a civil war and civilwar means blood, coffins, terror, inflation, funerals...”

“Youngsters, if you continue with the mindset of fighting based on color then ourhands will be stained with each other’s blood”

‘All those

whose work

can have an

impact must

remain

independent.

As an artist, I

curse those

who encourage

conflicts.’

Issue 60 July 31 - August 13, 2009

7

Handicapped persons are

part of every community,

and due to a physical or

mental disability they nat-

urally require more help

and assistance in their daily lives. But in

the Kurdistan Region, a law has yet to be

put forth to protect their rights in society.

Omar Karim Mohammad, head of the

Disabled Union of Kurdistan from the

Slemani Center, said that a lack of statis-

tics has meant that accurate numbers of

disabled people are not easy to come by..

However he added that in Slemani there

are 50,000 people with disabilities.

“Eight percent of people in the Kur-

distan Region have a disability many by

mines in the villages followed by car acci-

dents and birth deformations,” he said.

Mohammad added that there are larger

numbers of disabled women than men.

Taha Omar Rashid, a lawyer, says that

the physically or mentally disabled person

should be entitled to the same rights as

every other citizen in the region. For those

who are mentally disabled, a lawyer is al-

located for them to ensure that when mak-

ing important decisions such as selling or

purchasing a plot of land, the final deal is

made in the best interest of the person. The

government has yet to allocate a lawyer for

those with disabilities and so the burden

falls on the persons themselves.

Such transactions also include marriage.

“One can enter a marital relationship, but

there are terms. The person who is to marry

a disabled person must be aware of their

partner’s disabilities, and the marriage is

granted as long as it would not cause trou-

ble,” explains Rashid.

It is not so much the physical disability

of a person that could potentially cause

problems in a marriage, but mental issues,

points out Rashid.

An institute in Slemani is dedicated to

educating those with physical disabilities.

Here, the visually impaired are taught to

read and write in Braille. There are also

centers where they are taught crafts, which

may become useful professions. The point

is to help them find ways to get past their

disability and earn a living.

Acknowledging their disabilities does

not mean that they should be looked at any

differently, or that they should be pitied.

“When a person behaves differently and

judges a disabled person, be it on a negative

level or otherwise, it simply shows the ig-

norance of those people, which may even

reflect the general viewpoint of society,”

Rashid states.

Rebwar Khdir, who has lost a leg, be-

lieves that the disabled must be encouraged

to live out normal, independent lives: “I

personally believe, as a person who has a

physical disability, that it is better for us to

find work and find a way to earn a living.

It’s better than just doing nothing and wait-

ing for that monthly income support.”

When addressing the special needs of a

segment of society, all aspects of their lives

must be taken into consideration and for

those with physical disabilities this includes

transport and entry and exit of public build-

ings that will allow people with disabilities

to have easier access.

Ari Rahim, an engineer, said: “In hotels,

the bazaars and other public areas, there

have been buildings designed so that peo-

ple with disabilities would find places that

would accommodate their needs.”

However, easier access in this regard has

at times been overlooked but in new de-

signs there have been orders that plans

should be made with the disabled minority

in mind and something that would benefit

the community as a whole. Rahim went on

to explain that some designs have been al-

tered so as to accommodat for the needs of

the disabled before construction is given

the go ahead.

However, Rahim lamented that once

construction has been approved there is lit-

tle that can be done to change a design that

hasn’t made access easier for disabled per-

sons.

“Unfortunately once the permission is

granted for construction, one can’t alter the

design and once it’s done there is not much

we can do about it,” he says.

The fact that there are initiatives and

groups of people in society that see it as a

duty to assist those with disabilities is a

positive sign. It indicates that with time,

more will be done for the disabled, along

with international standards of care for all

its citizens.

Kurdistan’s disabled community require themeans to lead normal lives.

The disabled community in the Kurdistan Region ask for nothing more than equal rights. (photo by Aram Eissa)

Roshna Rasool

SLEMANI

Able and willing

“Brief Recollections: Per-

sonal Flashbacks in Kurdistan”

is a new book by our Language

Editor, Anwar Qaradaghi, that

is just published by Khak Foun-

dation in Slemani. Its content

comprises his columns (and

some other articles) in the first

55 issues of this paper, SOMA

Digest, of the last three years or

so – and it is in English. Its

price per copy is 3,000 Iraqi Di-

nars and available through

Khak or Soma

The majority of the pages

speak of differing aspects of life

in the city of Slemani and its

surrounding areas in the last 60

years or so. That is how they

used to be in his recollections

and how they have become or

could have developed.

In most cases they also con-

tain suggestions for improve-

ment. Consequently, they

contain interesting details to tell

about Slemani, the Kurds and

Kurdistan and Iraq in general.

Moreover, it is believed that

these short articles may be in-

teresting and useful to visitors

of the region with the aim of

giving them some general in-

formation about the Region, its

history, culture, language, cus-

toms, and aspirations.

Anwar Qaradaghi, who

(holds MBA from Leicester

University in Educational Man-

agement), has had many years

of teaching, administration,

writing and translation experi-

ence, has other published works

that include two collections of

English short stories translated

into Kurdish and a history book

on Kirkuk translated from Ara-

bic into English.

— EDITORIAL

‘Brief Recollections:Personal Flashbacks inKurdistan’

RECOMMENDATION

Taking youINSIDEfor a tasteof life in KURDISTAN

Every Saturday night on Kurdsat23:00 Erbil 20:00 GMT

inside@kurdsat.tv

8 Issue 60 July 31 - August 13, 2009

There are many traditional

Kurdish treatments of com-

plicated ailments, for which

medical science has yet to

find a cure. It is a known fact

that everywhere in the world, most

people do not care about how any

given treatment works, so long as

they are told it will cure their afflic-

tion. Most traditional remedies work

because they provide an immediate

sense of comfort to the patient, at a

psychological level at least. They are

given a sense that they are being

cured at once, whereas medical sci-

ence involves investigative tests and

waiting for results before any treat-

ment is administered.

Medical clinics also require greater

costs as well as time. Many patients

complain that doctors give less personal

attention to their needs. While propo-

nents of modern science will argue that

traditional procedures are out-of-date

and sometimes make no sense, average

people still resort to their usage espe-

cially when science has told them all

hope is lost.

The traditional remedies used by any

nation draws heavily on the particular

climate or weather prevalent in that

area. In Kurdistan in the last two

decades, the rate of blood pressure

problems have been on the rise. Most

specialists claim that this is a direct re-

sult of the high levels of stress endured

by the people. It also reflects the

mediocre quality of imported food

products, which come through the UN

Oil-for-Food program.

According to data from the Ministry

of Health, there is also a high percent-

age of first and second-hand smokers.

This also contributes to blood pressure

problems.

‘ Natural cupping ability’ One traditional remedy widely con-

sidered effective is Kalashakh or, ‘cup-

ping’. There are different forms of

cupping practiced in the region. Some

are professionals in cupping, but there

are also some homeopathic centers

which administer the treatment.

“Humans have the natural cupping

ability in their body through the spleen

and liver but there will still be some

non-active blood cells in the system due

to their dying as they have a limited

lifespan,” explains Homayoon Abdulla

Hama Khan, a specialist in cupping and

a certified nurse. “Daily I treat 10 per-

sons for cupping, but I can’t treat more

than 10, because it needs half an hour

for each person.”

The treatment originates from the

Arab tradition. In Islam, the practice is

‘sunna’, advised by the Prophet. As

such, most people took it religiously,

regularly using these cups to purge the

blood of toxins. Afterward, the Kurds

adopted the practice, using a deer’s

horn and did the cupping by sucking the

blood through the horns. Cupping also

existed in China and other cultures

some 1,200 years before Islam, em-

ploying cups per se. They would suc-

tion the air out of the cups and stick the

cup upside down over the area of the

body where blood was to be drawn.

Healthcare standardsGenerally cupping has two methods,

traditional and medical. Most of those

who practice the traditional method do

not abide by healthcare standards. They

often use their equipment for more than

one person and as such, cause the

spread of viral infections. For this rea-

son, most informed people will seek out

the treatment from certified medical

professionals.

Prior to receiving the treatment, the

patient must not have eaten or smoked

a cigarette for two hours. Sexual inter-

course is also prohibited until 24 hours

after treatment.

This treatment is used for those who

suffer from body pains, headaches,

blood problems, diabetes, high choles-

terol and those who want to give up

smoking. But there are special precau-

tions for those who suffer from coro-

nary complications.

A bloody affairHomeopathic practicioners as wellas medical professionals administertraditional ‘cupping’ treatment.

There is a well-known Taoist para-

ble which goes something like

this: Once upon a time, there was

an old farmer who had used his one

and only horse to work his crops for

many years. One day, his horse runs

away. His friends and neighbors come

over to visit to offer their sympathies.

The farmer shrugs and says: “We’ll

see.”

A couple of days later, the horse re-

turns. With it it has brought a whole

band of wild horses. Again, the friends

and neighbors come by, this time con-

gratulating the farmer on his good luck

and once more, the farmer shrugs and

says: “We’ll see.”

A few weeks after that, the farmer’s

only son tries to ride one of the un-

tamed horses, and is thrown to the

ground and breaks his leg. The friends

and neighbors run over with flowers

and say how sorry they are. Again, the

farmer - who truth be told is acting

rather more like a Zen master or some-

one with a severe case of autism at this

point than a worried father - says:

“We’ll see.”

Finally, the imperial guards come

by, taking all the young boys of every

family (think the introductory scene in

Mulan) to fight in a bloody and point-

less battle somewhere on the other

side of the kingdom. Since the

farmer’s son had a broken leg, they do

not take him. Everyone runs over to

the farmer, congratulating him on how

well things had turned out.

And of course, the farmer merely

said: “We’ll see.”

In a related anecdote, I recently

went to see Wagner’s opera “The Ring

Cycle”. For those not in the know this

is the longest opera ever written, last-

ing four nights and a total of over nine-

teen hours. It was a trial of endurance

I would probably never do again, al-

though I am pleased that I did. There is

something about works on such epic

scale: be it watching Fassbinder’s 15-

hour Berlin Alexanderplatz, reading

David Foster Wallace’s Infinite Jest or

listening to the Magnetic Fields’ 69

Love Songs or partaking in Apted’s

Up-series of films… something

touching, something that impresses us

in the way that human nature can as-

pire to such scale. As I was sitting

there, watching the drama unfold over

the course of many, many hours I was

struck by how tragedy was striking

these characters although they had

nothing but the best intentions at heart.

Everyone else in the audience seemed

to know the plot already (maybe be-

cause it was written right there in the

programme) but I was happy not

knowing because I truly wanted to

know how it would turn out. We’re so

jaded by Hollywood’s insistence on

happy endings we’ve forgotten how

liberating art can be when the ending

is hidden from us. And so, when

tragedy befell them at the end, when

the handful of main characters had

genuinely tried their best, it was all the

more moving. We are formatted to be-

lieve that there is a positive causality

to things: namely, if something good

happens to us now, the consequences

will be good and vice versa. We need

this form of thinking to stay sane, oth-

erwise we’d never stop worrying

about whatever impending doom

might befall us, but it is also a logical

fallacy. The truth is simple: we have

no idea what the future will bring.

So, when I’m asked about the elec-

tion results, what this will mean for the

Kurdistan Region, whether the power

of the regional government will be

eroded or not all I can say, in the echo

of the Taoist farmer, is: “We’ll see”.

AGRI ISMAIL

A little bit of Taoism in volatile times

THE BORNEIDENTITY

The treatment originatesfrom the Arabs. In Islam,it was recommended bythe Prophet. As such,most people regularlyused these cups to purgethe blood of toxins. TheKurds later adopted thepractice as well.

Aram Eissa & Rashid Kh. Rashid

SLEMANI

Issue 60 July 31 - August 13, 2009 9

Aram Eissa asks average Kurds what they make of

the price hike in the bazaars during Ramadan and

how they rate the KRG’s efforts to build entertainment

venues.

Word on the street

Jamal Mahmud, 35 (shopkeeper)What do you make of the increase in prices?“The increase has mainly been in food priceswhich has meant that some shopkeepers haveseen a decrease in their customers. This hashampered the way people celebrate Ramadanbut the increase hasn’t affected other goods likeclothes.”Has the KRG built enough entertainment ven-ues?“We need to have big parks and gardens in everyarea because people won’t leave their cars if theyhave to park it far from a park. Erbil has a smallerpopulation than Slemani but it has more parks.”

Rebaz Anwar, 20 (barber) What do you make of the increase in prices?“One of the factors is the tax imposed by the KRGon exports. Sometimes the government banssome goods so the local ones are sold which alsoleads to increases in price.”Has the KRG built sufficient entertainment ven-ues?“We don’t have a place that makes me feel thatI’m in nature. We need more green spaces. Thepeople have the education to have new treesand green spaces in the city but the govern-ment doesn’t know how to keep them green.”

Hussen Mustafa, 42 (greengrocer)What do you make of the increase in prices?“The main problem is that the whole bazaarhas increased their prices but this is some-thing normal during Ramadan because the in-crease in demand causes the increase inprice.”Has the KRG built sufficient entertainmentvenues?“I don’t think we need places for comfort or tohave fun, we need the situation to be betterand for people to feel they are living in com-fort which means they will feel it everywhere.”

Ibrahem Nasrulla, 54(shopkeeper)What do you make ofthe increase in prices?“There are two fac-tors: one, the majorityof retailers have losttheir conscience andtwo, the governmentdo not supervise themarket and so cannotset prices.”Has the KRG built suf-ficient entertainmentvenues?“We lost our old parksby neglecting themand by building manyhouses and big build-ing which have madeeverything crowded and uncomfortable. Wedon’t have new parks and places, they are allfor special groups of people, not the generalpublic.”

Jamal Qadir, 29 (shopkeeper)What do you make of the increase in prices?“There is no monitoring or supervision by the KRG and soeveryone sells as they please. I would like to have morecustomers but stabilizing the prices is on the KRG’s shoul-der.”Has the KRG built sufficient entertainment venues?“There are not enough places even for children. Thereare private places but they are full of smokers and loudgames and most people need some rest so they can’tstand those places.”

Rahem Azez, 64 (retired) What do you make of the increase in prices?“If I talk about myself, I can’t afford those highprices, there must be a limitation on prices be-cause most people especially those who areretired have a limited salary.”Has the KRG built sufficient entertainment ven-ues?“Most places are full of youths in crowds withsome coming to study but need places that aresuitable for us. We would love to have someplace peaceful in the city where we would goand relax.”

Raza Muhammad, 39 (butcher) What do you make of the increase inprices?“Our economic system doesn’t havea strong infrastructure. One of theimportant elements is the villagesand animal resources but they areunderdeveloped and so the government can’t maintain market prices.”Has the KRG built sufficient entertainment venues?“What venues? We had a beautiful resort inside the Sarchinar neighbor-hood which the government was busy with for more than three years and itwill be worse year after year. And Azadi Park is not for us except when for-eigners come, we welcome them there.”

Hardi Jalal, 29 (carpenter)What do you make of the increasein prices?“This unstable market is a misun-derstanding of the free market,which people believe to mean thateveryone is free in setting prices.Ramadan is a holy month and wemust have respect for every peo-ple.”Has the KRG built sufficient enter-tainment venues?“Our country is a place that hasgreat potential in being a big placefor rest and leisure. I hope thatKurdistan becomes a land ofgreenery from east to west like italways has been.”

10 Issue 60 July 31 - August 13, 2009

VIEWS|EDITORIALS COMMENTARY&

What is now eagerly an-

ticipated is how influ-

ential the success of the

Kurdistan Region’s

elections will be in dis-

sipating problems with Baghdad. One

problem that has seen sporadic face offs

has been the role of the Peshmarga forces

alongside the Iraqi army. Iraqi Defense

Minister Abdulqadir Ubaedi has denied

such tension, stating that a conflict in-

volving the two forces is a ludicrous no-

tion and something that the central

government will never allow.

From the onset of the US-led war, Kurds

were aware of the danger in Iraq being able

to stand on its own two feet in the future and

resume the cat and mouse game with its

Kurdish minority. Recent bouts of friction

between the two administrations on a num-

ber of key issues, oil and gas, Article 140

and the armed forces to name a few, has

meant that the Kurds have had reasonable

cause for concern.

In an interview with Asharq Al Awsatnewspaper in late July of this year, Ubaedi

played down the tension between the two

forces when he was asked if there was a

possibility that the Iraqi army and the Pesh-

marga forces be involved in a battle.

“We have tried all our methods to avoid

this ridiculous situation because the Pesh-

marga are a part of the national Iraqi forces

and there is no way that something like this

would be allowed to occur,” he said.

Ubaedi said that there is continual con-

nection and understanding between Arabs

and Kurds ‘so that we don’t allow our ene-

mies to be happy’.

The statement of

the minister of de-

fense comes after a

statement by the

Kurdistan Regional

G o v e r n m e n t ’s

(KRG) prime min-

ister, Nechirvan

Barzani, who

pointed to the dan-

ger of an armed

conflict between the

Iraqi army and the

Peshmarga forces.

In a statement by

the KRG’s prime

minister to the

Washington Post in

June, Barzani said:

“We were barely

able to avoid a

bloody war with the

Iraqi army in late

June in the town of

Makhmoor be-

tween Kirkuk and Mosul when the Iraqi

army wanted to access Makhmoor but the

Peshmarga forces there didn’t allow them.”

In the same statement, he added: “Dis-

cussions among the American, Iraqi gov-

ernment representative and Kurdish

representative continued for 24 hours until

the Iraqi army were pulled back.”

Both Massoud Barzani, President of the

Kurdistan Region, and Nechirvan Barzani,

in two different statements to the Washing-

ton Post, pointed out that if the Americans

hadn’t interfered in that situation, a war

would have probably started. The former

speaker of the Iraqi army referred to the sit-

uation as a misunderstanding and nothing

more. The Iraqi

troops that went to

Makhmoor, he ex-

plained, did so only

to replace another set

of troops but the

people of the town

who saw their arrival

misjudged it and

they were the ones

who allegedly cre-

ated the problem in

mistaking the inten-

tion of the Iraqi

army.

The issue of

Kirkuk is one of the

most important is-

sues occupying Iraqi

and Kurdish politics

and has been a point

of conflict between

the KRG and the

federal government.

Last April, Stefan de

Mistura, then UN special representative, of-

fered a suggestion for the Iraqis to solve the

Kirkuk problem, but it wasn’t the solution.

The Turkmen and Arab communities of

Kirkuk have asked for the administrative

positions to be equally divided among the

different ethnic groups in Kirkuk. The

Kurds have rejected this suggestion, argu-

ing that if this equation were practiced in

Kirkuk then it is also the right of Kurds to

have it implemented in Mosul and Sala-

haddin provinces, which hold large Kurdish

majorities. But this has been rejected by

Sunni Arabs.

In addition, Kurds are adamant that Ar-

ticle 140 must be executed, which would,

they believe, restore the demographic situ-

ation to that prior to the rule of Saddam Hus-

sein, who Arabized the city. Kurds have

called for the population census to be com-

pleted and then a referendum held to allow

Kirkukis to determine their own fate but

Arabs believe that Article 140 (six years

after it was constitutionally agreed on) has

expired and cannot rule on any matter. An

official of the UN told Reuters in July a

bloody war was viable in Kirkuk if a refer-

endum was held in the city to determine

whether or not Kirkuk must be put under the

jurisdiction of the KRG.

The Iraqi Prime Minister in a statement

to an American newspaper accused the

Kurds of crossing over their permitted lines

many times but the recent success of the

parliamentary and presidential elections in

the Kurdistan Region has instilled hope for

attempts to resolve pending issues between

the central and regional government. The

primordial question, however, remains:

when will this hope materialize into positive

actions?

It also remains to be seen whether on the

back of highly publicized and successful

elections, the KRG will change its attitude

towards Baghdad or continue with more of

the same.

KURDAWAN MUHAMMAD

BAGHDAD BLUES

July 25, 2009 will long be remem-

bered in contemporary Iraqi affairs for

a variety of reasons but, perhaps, the

most interesting may well be as a model to

emulate for peaceful changes. Throughout

a long campaign, many hoped that these

elections would “shake up the entrenched

regional government, and help reduce long-

standing tension with Baghdad over oil and

land disputes that threaten the country’s sta-

bility.” They were not disappointed as pre-

liminary results indicated that Gorran, the

new challenger party apparently won a sig-

nificant portion of the 111 seats in the re-

gional parliament. A concurrent race for the

region’s president, the first time Kurdistan

elects its head of state directly by popular

vote, reinvested the incumbent, Massoud

Barzani, who now has to maneuver around

three dominant parties.

Because this vote was the first to offer

meaningful choices beyond the two estab-

lished parties, the Kurdistan Democratic

Party (KDP) and the Patriotic Union of

Kurdistan (PUK), there was a rush to judg-

ment that the future was bleak and that Kur-

dish politics would now become messy.

Comically, any change in an Arab country,

especially when it is achieved through

peaceful elections, produces such stale con-

clusions. It is, as if electors last Saturday

could not possibly know how best to look

after their own interests. Sadly, when rapid

reactions conclude that the end result would

be chaotic, one wonders what else but lu-

nacy motivates such commentators.

Useful democratization lessonIn the event, and while the entrenched

leadership appeared disappointed in early

returns, there were and are no reasons to be-

lieve that the process itself, as well as the

results, would not be accepted to everyone.

On the contrary, it seems clear that Kurds

in Iraq have just put on a useful democrati-

zation lesson to their fellow citizens, even if

some individuals were shaken given that no

politicians anticipates or appreciates a loss.

Of far greater importance was the lesson

that these regional elections provided,

which ushered in a new coalition running

on a change platform, and which managed

to convey its message more effectively.

Needless to say that this will put the onus on

the majority to deliver on repeated prom-

ises.

Defensive positionAccording to Aram Sheik-Mohammed,

a Kurdish civil society activist quoted by

the New York Times, the election results

were “historic because there was opposi-

tion and the authorities were in a defensive

position.” Whether serious internal rifts will

now be exploited by the central government

in Baghdad, as envisaged by Sheik-Mo-

hammed, is difficult to ascertain, although

Baghdad may actually be far more im-

pressed by the way these elections were

conducted. Putative challengers in Bagh-

dad will surely and very carefully study the

nascent party that catapulted itself into the

Kurdish scene and see whether they may

learn how to live with similar phenomena

elsewhere in Iraq.

To its credit, and because of internal con-

cerns—ranging the gamut from financial

corruption to nepotism and cronyism—that

preoccupied citizens for two decades, all

three parties will now assume their full re-

sponsibilities. Nevertheless, no one should

doubt Gorran’s bona fide as far as purely

Kurdish questions are concerned, as it will

jockey with both the KDP and PUK but

never on existential matters. There will be

unanimity on the fate of the oil-rich city of

Kirkuk, as well as sharing budget revenues

for oil and gas resources exported from the

Kurdish semiautonomous region, with

Baghdad. To expect otherwise is infantile

even if such contemplations cannot be dis-

missed. Naturally, Prime Minister Nouri

Kamal Al Maliki is aware that these unan-

imous views are held by the entire Kurdish

spectrum, which will place him and his

government at odds with Kurdish officials

unless a modus vivendi is found soon.

Setting precedentFar more serious is the precedent that has

just been set, with several non-Kurdish fac-

tions facing serious challenges elsewhere,

which will probably empower reformists

throughout Iraq to launch similar efforts.

Whether Al Maliki will favor opposition

from within his own ranks will be tested be-

fore long after the media points out to the

Kurdish model where real issues were dis-

cussed and significant competition upset the

proverbial political applecart. Al Maliki will

draw a sharp lesson from these changes,

noticing that Noshirwan Mustafa led Goran

with gusto, even if the former stalwart sep-

arated from his former patron—President

Talabani. The Iraqi Prime Minister will now

look closely at his lieutenants, hoping that

most would remain loyal, and refrain from

denouncing him for corruption, nepotism

and cronyism.

With the exception of Lebanon, the Arab

political arena is predictable with dominant

groups stifling opposition voices. Kurds in

Iraq have now joined the Lebanese in put-

ting on a rare display that should make

Baghdad, as well as most Arab capitals,

blush with envy. Many Iraqis are persuaded

that their government is far worse than they

are led to believe, with significant oil re-

sources lining the pockets of a new oli-

garchy that emerged after the collapse of the

Baath regime. It behooves Prime Minister

Al Maliki to accelerate reforms unless he

wishes to confront angry citizens who, like

in neighboring Iran, may take to the ballot

boxed to usher in change. A failure to re-

spond will send the masses into Iraqi streets

to voice their discontent. Kurds in Iraq just

showed the way how to avoid such an out-

come.

Dr Joseph Kechichian is an expertin Arab and Gulf affairs, and author of several books.

DR JOSEPH KECHICHIAN

Kurdish contribution to Iraqi democratization

DEMOCRACY INIRAQ

Issue 60 July 31 - August 13, 2009 11

As my SOMA readers

might recall, I had already

surmised the outcome of

both the presidential and

parliamentary elections in

my previous article almost a week before

Iraqi Kurds went to the polls. And it seems

I was not far off at all.

Indeed, with the regional elections in

Kurdistan now done and dusted, the re-

cently-formed coalition of the Patriotic

Union of Kurdistan (PUK) and the Kurdis-

tan Democratic Party (KDP) won again a

majority of the popular votes. In fact, such

has been the case since Kurdistan acquired

a sort of de facto independence in 1991,

with those two parties being regularly voted

into power - first separately, and now col-

lectively - that they have almost established

a sense of predictable complacency.

However, the major change that took

place last month is that a real opposition

emerged at long last and garnered overall 24

percent of the votes for the parliamentary

seats - in fact reaching almost 51 percent in

the important powerbase of Slemani. The

party that managed this breakthrough is

Gorran, or Change, that was formed only

three months ago. It ran on a platform

pledging to abolish backroom dealing and

autocracy that together had become a trade-

mark of regional politics. Moreover, it stood

for transparency and accountability. Mind

you, Gorran, headed by Nawshirwan

Mustafa, sprang out of the PUK and is ru-

mored to enjoy the backing of Baghdad.

Regardless, it could still become the fresh

impetus - the political spark as it were - that

would open up the region towards more

democracy and establish it as a model for

the whole of Iraq.

However, what is the model the country

ought to seek now that the regional elections

are past? After all, as evidenced by the re-

cent visits of Prime Minister Nouri Al Ma-

liki to the USA and then to Iraqi Kurdistan,

it seems to me that the US Administration is

already turning impatient with its different

Iraqi allies and is nudging them testily to-

ward compromise. It is also clear to me that

this model can only be political, not mili-

tary, whereby Iraqi Arabs and Kurds un-

freeze the five leadership committees in

Baghdad and learn to compromise on a so-

lution that includes a division or sharing of

power, resources and territory.

Such a series of deals should focus on a

federal hydrocarbons law, a settlement over

Kirkuk and other disputed territories, and

agreement over the division of powers that

would pave the way toward consensus on

amending the constitution. But this should

occur now, not after the Iraqi legislative

elections in January 2010, and the biggest

conflict remains Kirkuk, with Arabs, Kurds

and Turkomans, where everyone is fighting

everyone else over untold reserves of oil and

gas.

All political actors have a role in tailor-

ing solutions to outstanding issues, or at least

in facilitating those solutions. Perhaps one

key catalyst would be the United Nations

Assistance Mission in Iraq (UNAMI)

whose report on disputed internal bound-

aries of April 2009 offers an important draft

for negotiations. An overarching strategy

would then focus on power versus re-

sources, and UNAMI is quite well-placed

to facilitate a deal since it is the least partial

international body in Iraq.

For me, though, the real problem is not

necessarily one of impossible solutions but

rather of impossible problems. After all,

many global conflicts could be resolved rel-

atively expeditiously if only genuine good-

will were present in those negotiating

rooms! Instead, conflicts simmer endlessly

and usually lapse into gory violence. In the

Iraqi case, all parties, both Kurdish and

Arab, should stop believing that they could

win outright against their opponents and

then impose willy-nilly their own political

and military will. As I read the geo-political

map of the whole region, let alone the loose

federation of alliances supporting different

Iraqi factions, I know that there is no possi-

ble knockout or checkmate available here.

The sole answer - and in that sense, the sole

litmus test - is whether there will be suffi-

cient determination, persistence and follow-

through.

If we look at the history of Iraq, at least its

contemporary chapter spanning the past few

decades, one can surely realize that com-

mon sense and joint action might take this

rich country to impressive heights of pros-

perity whereas bellicose actions - whether

coming from Baghdad or Erbil - would

plunge it into further mayhem and instabil-

ity. This is the most difficult part of the equa-

tion, a realization by all and sundry that

since there are no friends in politics, only in-

terests, it is not useful for any Iraqi party to

allow one group overrunning the other. If

this were taken as a truism, even a paradigm

to build upon, then any political shift-shap-

ing becomes redundant and counter-pro-

ductive to the interest of all Iraqis.

After all, is it not this sense of placid

cronyism and political corruptibility that

hinder progress and oppress people? And is

it not this short-sightedness marketed as po-

litical interest which pushes extremists and

radicals into prominence? Treat your peo-

ple with equality, and deal with your people

democratically, and the dividends become

manifold. Do it with contempt, or apply

other powers’ agendas, and you, your peo-

ple and your country, would be the ultimate

losers. This rule applies almost to the whole

world, and I pray that Iraq in the months

ahead would prove an exception to this re-

grettable two-way traffic.

© hbv-H @ 4 August 2009

DR HARRY HAGOPIAN

THE WAY FORWARD IN IRAQThe sole litmus test is whether there will be sufficient

determination, persistence and follow-through.

12 Issue 60 July 31 - August 13, 2009

L E T T E R S

Compilation of

columnsIt is a brilliant idea to publish a

compilation of ‘Flashbacks’, the

regular column penned by Mr

Anwar M. Qaradaghi. I began read-

ing SOMA Digest a year ago, but I

understand he has been writing

since the very first issue three years

ago. It will be interesting to read

what I’ve missed.

However, I would suggest that you

publish similar compilations of the

works of your other columnists as

well, some of whom share excellent

insights on the political and/or so-

cial realities in Iraq and the Kurdis-

tan Region. This would benefit your

readers, I am sure. There is so very

little out there about Kurdistan that

those who are interested are keen to

get their hands on any source of ma-

terial.

Ron SaberDOHUK

Kindness to animalsI commend your effort to promote a

love for animals in Kurdish society.

(‘How much is that doggie in thewindow?’ page 17 no.60). I think

more should be written about the

benefits of keeping pets, whether

for security, companionship or

other. Sadly, the Middle East is gen-

erally unkind to animals. I have

seen the most brutal treatment of

cats and dogs by people in this re-

gion, and I think this boils down to

the lack of education. Animals are

also God’s creatures and deserve to

be treated humanely. There should

also be a municipal program to keep

stray animals healthy so as to avoid

the spread of diseases. This means,

routine vaccination of stray animals.

The media has an important role to

play in promoting a better under-

standing of this issue and I was

happy to see SOMA Digest taking

the lead.

May I also take the opportunity to

congratulate you on your new web-

site! It looks great.

Pinar KurdiAMMAN

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Want to be published in SOMA? We’dreally like to know what you’re thinking.If you’ve got a comment on one of ourstories, or about an important issue, sim-ply email it to:

editor@soma-digest.com

Letters may be edited for purposes ofspace, clarity and decency.

C O N TA C T U S

Iraqi Kurdistan went through parlia-

mentary and presidential elections

amid many claims and counter

claims. Security, corruption and

service provisions topped the

agenda in this election.

The final result of the Kurdistan elections

announced by the Independent High Com-

mission of Elections in Iraq showed that the

Kurdistani List (a coalition of Kurdistan

Democratic Party and Patriotic Union of

Kurdistan) has won 59 seats, the Change list

25 seats, and the Reform and Service list 13

seats. Adding other lists, the opposition lists

won 42 seats. This is by any measure a huge

swing against the KDP and PUK which

have dominated Kurdish politics for

decades. This is despite the fact that the Kur-

distani List had huge media and publicity

outlets, including government resources, at

its disposal to run a concerted campaign

against their less prepared and less re-

sourced opposition.

There were various re-

ports of electoral violations

and irregularities that oc-

curred during the election.

The Unrepresented Nations

and Peoples Organization

(UNPO) election monitors

visited a total of 12 polling

centers within the Erbil Gov-

ernorate and observed voting

in 36 polling stations. They

reported some irregularities

but in general assessed the

election as fair.

Of course, no one should

claim or can claim that the

Kurdistan election was on

par with democratic elections

in a Western country. Above

all, Kurdistan is a part of the

Middle East and the region

has no experience of modern

democracy. However, the

election as a whole could be considered as

a success.

The Kurdistan election on 25 July show-

cased some interesting issues. It highlighted

some lessons to be learned by the popula-

tion of the region, the ruling political parties

and the opposition groups.

It was interesting to see that the Change

List, though it was in the making for a long

period, as a political entity which emerged

just a few months earlier gained 25 seats.

This showed the depth of dissatisfaction

with the ruling powers. If the Change List

did not run in this election, the protest votes

would probably have gone to the Islamic

parties and they would emerge in this elec-

tion as the big winners.

Another interesting issue in this election

was the PUK’s support for Masoud

Barzani’s presidential candidacy.

If the PUK was not a part of the Kurdis-

tani List it would have face a resounding de-

feat and might have become the third major

party in Iraqi Kurdistan. The PUK was de-

feated by its main rival the Change List in its

own traditional territory. This has weakened

their position in Kurdistan and as a coalition

partner.

More interesting was the alliance of an-

other opposition group comprised of the

coalition of four smaller Kurdish parties, the

Kurdistan Islamic Union, Kurdistan Islamic

Group, the Kurdistan Socialist Democratic

Party and the Independent Kurdistan Toil-

ers' Party. Who would have thought that Is-

lamists and socialists who historically have

been considered as sworn enemies, would

come together to form one list?

The presidential election showed another

interesting dimension in Kurdish politics. In

some parts of Kurdistan, which traditionally

used to be a stronghold of the PUK, Dr

Kamal Mirawdali, another presidential can-

didate, was ahead of President Barzani. Dr.

Mirawdali, though considered an intellec-

tual, is a lesser known figure in Kurdistan.

This means that PUK constituents still have

issues with Barzani’s leadership.

The KDP and PUK won the election and

they have a majority to form the govern-

ment but there are many lessons to be

learned. They should know by now that the

support of the people of Kurdistan cannot

be taken for granted and the old slogans are

no longer effective. The population expect

decent services, a transparent government,

and an end to nepotism and corruption.

The KDP and PUK should know that the

business of running the government and a

political party must be separate. The parties

with majority votes form the government

but the government and political parties are

not the same. In no democracy is the gov-

ernment funded by political parties and run

by members of political parties who do not

hold offices in the government. When a

government has no power it cannot be

transparent and accountable. This encour-

ages corruption and nepotism.

Just imagine if the opposition groups

won the election; how could the power be

transferred to them? Even if the KDP and

PUK allowed the opposition to take over the

government, what would the opposition do

with a government with no power and no

funding? The KDP and PUK, of course,

would not finance a government run by

their rivals. This could cause a major

dilemma. Maybe, it was a blessing for the

people of Kurdistan that the Kurdistani List

won the election. Otherwise, a huge prob-

lem would have arisen.

The opposition also has a lot to learn

from this election. They need to unite in

order to put effective pressure on the ruling

parties. They should criticize when the gov-

ernment does not carry out its duties as it

should. Opposition is not about political as-

sassination of their oppo-

nents; it is about criticizing

their policies and proposing

alternative policies. Opposi-

tion does not mean opposing

anything the ruling parties

say. There are issues of na-

tional interest that all par-

ties, both the ruling parties

and the opposition parties,

need to unite for. An inef-

fective opposition leads to

an ineffective government

and vice versa.

To conclude, this elec-

tion, despite some irregu-

larities, was a step towards

democracy in Kurdistan.

The people of Kurdistan

showed that they would not

blindly follow any political

party; they expect good

governance. If the KDP and

PUK do not fulfil their ex-

pectations the people would not hesitate to

vote them out of office. The same applies

to the opposition. They need to fulfil their

duties as the opposition to earn the trust of

the people. They must be extra effective if

they are to be voted into office and form a

government.

This election made many things possi-

ble that would normally be considered im-

possible. It reconciled contradictions and

broke many taboos. It created opportuni-

ties. The real winners in this election were

the people of Kurdistan.

Dr. Hussein Tahiri is the author of thestructure of Kurdish society and thestruggle for a Kurdish state. He is acommentator on Middle Eastern affairs. He is currently an AdjunctResearch Associate with the Schoolof Political and Social Inquiry,Monash University, Australia.

AND THE WINNER IS

DR HUSSEIN TAHIRI

The recent elections broke taboos and created opportunities. The real winners were the people.

Issue 60 July 31 - August 13, 2009 13

BUSINESS|INVESTMENTS MARKET NEWS&

There has been much contro-

versy surrounding Iraq’s oil

and gas wealth from the very

beginning of ‘Operation Iraqi

Freedom’ in 2003 when the

American army took control of the

country’s oil wells. Many argued that

the Americans did so in a bid to pre-

vent Iraq’s infrastructure from falling

apart, while others maintained that the

US administration’s policy intended to

divide Iraq’s oil wealth among the

country’s three main political groups.

Oil is undoubtedly a source of power

in the country, and all political groups

have sought to exert control over this

vital resource. After the formation of the

first elected Iraqi government in 2005,

it is important to look at who took con-

trol of the oil ministry.

During the transitional phase, the po-

sition went to Dr Ibrahim Bahr Al Ulum,

a Shiite candidate. In the Nouri Al Ma-

liki governing cabinet, Dr Hussein

Shahristani, who was very close to the

prime minister, got this post.

Why has this position been given to

the Shiites for such a long period of time

with some monitors thinking that it will

not be handed over to anyone else in the

future? Is this because the Shiites who

form the majority in Iraq feel they have

the right to this position, or is there an-

other reason? And what is America’s

role in all this?

Dr Jaza Talib, a university professor

and national security specialist, believes

that this is a natural consequence of the

authorization of a governing cabinet; the

majority will take the positions of

power. However, political monitors see

a different trend. They view the Shiites’

continued control over Iraq’s oil min-

istry as involving other factors. Oil

makes up a significant part of the Iraqi

budget and constitutes a great economic

source. It also aids in forging local rela-

tionships as well as international ones,

notably with America, and those parties

with vested interests in Iraqi economic

affairs.

Absence of lawThe absence of a law regulating oil

and gas in Iraq after the fall of Saddam

Hussein’s regime was one of the main

points of conflict between the Kurdistan

Regional Government (KRG) in Erbil

and Baghdad. The federal government

has always criticized the KRG over oil

contracts they have signed with foreign

firms, considering them void. As such,

the issue of oil and gas has always been

a bone of contention between the two

administrations despite other pending is-

sues that require attention.

How much of an impact will these

conflicts between Erbil and Baghdad

have on the political equation in Iraq

and how will it affect the upcoming par-

liamentary elections in January 2010?

Dr Talib believes that if the two gov-

ernments do not resolve the issue by 16

January 2010, then the elections for the

next parliament may be delayed which

will put great strain on the already frag-

ile relationship between Erbil and Bagh-

dad.

Other critics disagree with Dr Talib in

the belief that Al Maliki’s visit to the

Kurdistan Region and his meeting with

Iraqi President Jalal Talabani and the

Kurdistan Region’s President Massoud

Barzani in the resort town of Dukan

went some way to appease the political

malaise that surrounded a number of is-

sues.

In a press conference, Al Maliki ex-

plained that his visit was aimed at fur-

thering mutual understanding and

finding a solution for pending issues.

But cynics have said that the Iraqi

PM’s visit was nothing more than a po-

litical stunt to gain popular support

among the Kurdish population.

Pressure points. Why the Shiite majority are likely to continue exertingcontrol over Iraq’s vital oil ministry.Zheno Abdulla

SLEMANI

Talking business with Qubad Tala-

bany, KRG Representative to the

United States.

Could you give us an update on the

latest American private investment

in Kurdistan?

US investment by and large outside

the oil sector has been slow. We have

tried to attract US private sector in-

vestment, but the US business com-

munity has been somewhat more

conservative when you compare it to

the private sectors of other countries.

We have been disappointed at the rel-

atively slow pace of US investment in

Kurdistan. I am a little more opti-

mistic in the coming years that there

will be greater US investment. We al-

ready have a significant US oil pres-

ence in Kurdistan, but we want to

diversify our economy. We want to

reach out to other sectors, in particular

agriculture, industries, banking and fi-

nance, and with the recent change to

the US travel advisory for Iraq that

has made a distinction between Kur-

distan and the rest of the country I

think this will be an important incen-

tive for greater US investment in Kur-

distan.

How many US companies are cur-

rently operating in the region?

There are currently 49 US companies

operative in various sectors. But

rather than looking at the number of

companies, what we try to assess is

the kind of different projects that they

are engaged in. We want to get them

more involved strategically.

How has Kurdistan’s political de-

velopment been affected by foreign

investors over the years?

By opening Kurdistan to the interna-

tional community politically, socially

and economically it intensifies our

own efforts to develop. We know that

to attract the right kind of investment,

we need to have the right kind of po-

litical and economic climate for the

region. We need to have the right kind

of checks and balances to ensure that

there is the rule of law. I think that the

passage of the relevant laws in parlia-

ment are a direct result of the need for

Kurdistan to change politically and

our government’s ability to adapt to

the requirements of today, which is to

be more transparent and put in place

mechanisms and processes that limit

corruption.

— BY RAZ JABARY IN WASHINGTON, DC

‘We want todiversify oureconomy’ - Talabany

14 Issue 60 July 31 - August 13, 2009

The sluggish pace of develop-

ment and reconstruction in

Slemani has often been

panned and compared to the

relatively speedier progress

witnessed in the Kurdish region’s

capital, Erbil. The reality boils

down to the failure of those individ-

uals in decision-making positions to

prioritize projects on the basis of the

city’s actual needs, says one expert.

Hama Ghareb Tagarani, a member

of the Executive Committee of the

Contractors’ Union in Slemani,

laments the lack of such a ‘priority

list’, which he says results in a hap-

hazard building of projects across the

city and hampers the development of

the region. He refers to unnecessary

projects carried out in inappropriate

locations for what he calls ‘political

reasons’.

Priority list“The government does not appear

to have a list of priority projects,

which it must carry out at a particular

time for a particular area, especially

in Slemani province,” he says.

“Sometimes the decision of starting

and completing a particular project is

based on political motives. For in-

stance, there is a library that was built

in a far district some four years ago,

but up to now, no one has benefited

from it. This is because they don’t

need a library. The only benefit of

having this building is so that they

can pretend that they have a library!”

The tragedy of this scenario is that

the truly necessary projects often take

the backburner, he says.

According to Tagarani, the process

itself is also wrought with problems.

As all contracts for the region pass

through the Prime Ministers’ office in

Erbil for permission and funds, this

has posed obstacles for projects in-

tended for Slemani. The two adminis-

trations only united in 2006, and then

the Ministry of Planning was not effi-

ciently coordinating the projects of

the various ministries.

“The Ministry of Planning must

study all projects and set a suitable

time-period and budget, because it is

not a practical procedure if all proj-

ects automatically go to execution

mode after receiving approval from

the prime ministers’ office,” Tagarani

points out.

Quality and quantityMoreover, there is controversy over

the quantity and quality of projects

carried out in Slemani as compared to

those in Erbil. Many Slemani resi-

dents are both wow-ed and disspirited

when they visit the capital, wondering

when such development will take

place on their own home turf.

Some critics claim this is a result of

Slemani getting a smaller portion of

the region’s budget, while others

claim the problems stem from the

central government. Wherever the

blame is to be pinned, the troubles do

not stop there.

‘Wasta’ (connections) is another

factor that affects the pace and

progress of projects. More often than

not, personal relationships dictate

whether a project gets approved and

executed, versus the actual require-

ment of such a project in that particu-

lar area, says Tagarani.

However, a general lack of plan-

ning is the principal criticism levelled

at the government by most experts.

“Most projects do not finish on

time because, as contractors claim, of

the ponderous procedures they must

undergo. On the other hand, the gov-

ernment has special committees for

evaluating time and budget for all

projects. Then the government gives

the contracts of these projects to

someone who will finish them at a

cost far less than the evaluated

budget, which leads to cheating,” ex-

plains Tagarani.

Devil in the detailsAccording to Wasta Rauf, the su-

pervisor of a building project, the

problem stems from the very begin-

ning when the government appoints

an engineer as a supervisor of all proj-

ects.

“This engineer may not be aware of

every detail in every project because

of his limited knowledge so when

projects are finalized, there are many

deficiencies that may have been pre-

vented either at the beginning or even

mid-way in the project,”he says.

Meeting the needs. Criticspan the lack of planning inbuilding projects across region.Brwa Ab. Mahmud

SLEMANI

‘Crude oil prices are stillgoing up, worth nearly 70dollars per barrel. [IraqIraq is now] exportingclose to 2.38 million barrels. The ministry hasan urgent plan to add300,000 to 500,000 barrels daily in one year ormore,whichshould sustain thebudget.’

ASIM JIHAD, Iraqi Oil MinistrySpokesman, stating that thedaily rate of crude oil barrel forthe state budget of 2010 iswithin ‘reasonable limits’.

‘The agricultural sector inBasra will be wiped outbefore winter.’

AAMER SALMAN, Director ofAgriculture Department inBasra, on damage incurred byimports, shortage of funds andlow levels of water supplies.

‘The province is suppliedwith 175 megawatts ofelectricity, whereas itneeds 500 megawatts.’

ABDULNASSER AL MAHDAWI, Governor of Diala, describingdeteriorating situation of services and economy in theprovince, and calling on thegovn’t to provide further sup-port for Diala’s residents.

‘The Iraqi government isdetermined to develop relations with Britain inall levels and in variousdomains. Challenges willnot affect us and will notweaken our determinationto rebuildIraq.’

NOURI Al MALIKI, Iraq’s Prime Minister, in ameeting with a British Petroleum (BP) delegation inBaghdad last month, called onBP to develop its work in Iraq.

‘I have put forward a five-year plan, which will putthe Iraqi economy on theright track.’

ALI BABAN, Iraqi Minister ofPlanning, proposing a five-year plan to revive domesticeconomy.

‘Until August 4, wheatproduction was 1.232 million tons. Barley production was 289.2thousand tons.’

IRAQI TRADE MINISTRY, in a release, said that wheat andbarley production in 2009 hadexceeded all expectations, andwould cover one third of totallocal demand.

‘Kirkuk’s share of fuel ismore than one millionliters a day, but theprovince currently receives680,000 liters a day.’ABDULRAHMAN MUSTAFA,Governor of Kirkuk, asking for alarger share of fuel for theprovince.

‘The ministry has abandoned the patching-up methods and embarked on an integrated strategy tooverhaul power in Iraq.’KAREEM WAHEED, Iraqi Minister of Electricity, announcing an integratedstrategy for power in Iraq.

‘The planning ministry must set a suitable

time-period and budget [for each project].

It is not practical for projects to be

executed on approval by the PM’s office.’Hama Ghareb Tagarani

Issue 60 July 31 - August 13, 2009 15

Modern electronic

gadgets and games

have meant that

many traditional

Kurdish games have

been forsaken, or forgotten, and as a

result, there are many differences be-

tween the youth of yesteryear and

those of today. New inventions and

electronic game stations have offered

today’s children a more sophisticated

way to play, but critics say they have

robbed them of the social interaction

and intellectual stimulation that the

olden games provided.

“When we were children we used to

play a number of games, it was some-

thing that stayed in our memories till

this day,” recalls Zana Ahmed.

Haluken and TultulenThere are two old games that are

known in Kurdish tradition, ‘Haluken’

and ‘Tultulen’. These two games con-

sist of rhymes that may be chanted or

sung by the children. The rhymes were

improvised by the children and they

were repeated and memorized.

‘Tultulen’ is a game that requires two

stones, one of which is flat and is called

‘bardi sar yaprakh’. This name origi-

nated from the stone women used to use

over the yaprakh (stuffed vine leaves)

dish once it was cooking. The other

stone needs to be round and smaller

than a tennis ball and is often shaped

using a hammer.

“The flat stone is thrown like a fris-

bee and aimed at the smaller round ball

causing the ball to move from its sta-

tionary position. The distance in which

it travels is measured by steps, and the

first to get to an agreed number of steps

after successive rounds, is the winner,”

said Nahro Shawqi, an artist who went

on to explain that this game in fact is

similar to a French game that is played

using metal balls and frisbees.

HalmaqohThe game of ‘Halmaqoh’ or ‘Hal-

maten’ is a popular game often played

by girls, using five small round stones,

with six rounds to determine the winner

of the game. Each round consists of dif-

ferent placements of the stones. One

stone is thrown gently in the air and

while in the air, the stones in their

placements are to be picked up and then

the stone in the air to be caught with the

hand of which the other stones were

grabbed. Depending on the level of suc-

cess of each round, points are awarded,

collected and then counted to conclude

who the winner is at the end of the

game.

Buzhanawa‘Buzhanawa’ is another game that is

the Kurdish equivalent of ‘hide and

seek’, with the Kurdish headquarters

known as the ‘qala’ (the castle), which

could be as simple as a plain wall or

barrel, where the other participants of

the game will aim to reach in order to

strike the seeker out of the game which

is how the game comes to an end. The

participants take turns to be the seeker

and they continue the game until they

choose to stop playing.

Chil bardA very unusual game that was played

in those days was one that was often

played by youngsters who were no

longer considered children. The game

of ‘chil bard’ translated to ‘40 stones'

was played by those who did not wish

to leave their homes but wanted to re-

main active to a certain degree. The

game consisted of 40 stones which

were placed in a corner of a room. A

stone was taken from the pile and had to

be taken to another corner.

One would return to that corner and

take another stone and would go back

and forth, until all 40 stones were situ-

ated in another corner of the room and

this was repeated a number of times.

This game however did not have a win-

ner or loser and was played by one per-

son alone as a form of exercise rather

than a recreational game.

Culture

Modern electronic gadgets and gameshave eclipsed traditional Kurdish pastimes.

Child’s play

Roshna Rasool

SLEMANI

FILMS MUSIC LITERATURE HERITAGE

INSIDEAn old testament to

harmonious co-existenceJEN A. SAGERMA IN SLEMANI

The holy month of Ramadan is a

special time of the year for the

Muslim community of the Kur-

distan Region and weeks before

the first day, it is the topic of

conversation everywhere. But there are

a number of traditions associated with

this occasion that have slowly dimin-

ished over the last few years. Among

these is the sound of drummers going

through the streets during the early hours

of the morning when people are having

their ‘parshew’ or their last meal before

the morning or ‘fajr’ prayer. This was a

very audible part of Ramadan.

The drummer has the task

of hitting hard on his

drum through the

neighborhoods to

awaken the

Muslims for

t h e i r

‘parshew’

meal and

for many

this was a

de l igh t

d u r i n g

t h e

month.

P i s h k o

Abdulrah-

man, 36, be-

lieves Ramadan

was more joyful

years ago than it is now.

“When we heard the drum-

ming, we knew that we didn’t have much

time left before it was time for morning

prayer so we had to eat fast and get ready

to begin the day’s fasting,” he recalls. “I be-

lieve it was not only joyful for us but also

our mothers because they were very eager

to wake up before us and prepare the meal.

But now there is no drumming and Ra-

madan has lost that joy.”

Hamadameen Qadir, a 65-year-old reli-

gious teacher, said that the drums were

very useful in making people aware of the

time: “There was not another way to

awaken people as there wasn’t communi-

cation and technology like there is now

with phones and alarm clocks so people

would wait to hear the drums to know what

time to stop eating.”

Although Qadir conceded that his mem-

ory fails him often, he does remember that

the drummers didn’t only wake people up

for their very early breakfast but also to

stop them eating just before the morning

prayer, which was the sign that the fast for

that day had begun.

“Most of the drummers were gypsies

who didn’t believe in the holy month but

were doing it for money and gradually

asked for more as the month went on,” said

Abdulrahman. “To earn more, they would

continue the drumming in particular neigh-

borhoods for a few days and then at the end

of the month would ask for more money

from the people.”

Although the drumming was very use-

ful for Muslims to wake them up so they

would engage in their religious duty, the

noise did become a nuisance for those who

were not of the Muslim faith or were not

fasting. There were also some fasting Mus-

lims who felt that the loud drumming was-

n’t necessary, especially in the early hours

of the morning. Sometimes there were

scuffles between the drummer and the peo-

ple which often ended up with the drum-

mer having to run away.

According to Abdulrahman, there are

many factors that contributed to people

getting annoyed by the drumming: “In the

past, communication was a difficult mat-

ter and people were more

emotionally connected

so they were con-

cerned about one

another and al-

ways made

sure to

make one

another

aware of

particu-

lar mat-

ters.”

H e

a d d e d :

“Now it is

different and

people wake

when they want

without causing an-

noyance to anyone. This

is one reason why the drum-

ming has vanished.”

Latif Mustafa, 42, says he enjoyed the

drumming during the month of Ramadan:

“It is a fact that they are more visible in Ra-

madan mainly because they make money

from it but I myself enjoy hearing them,

especially during this month.”

“When they come to ask for money at

the end of the month, I have a condition be-

fore I hand anything over. They must play

music and beat the drum for a few minutes

until everyone in the neighborhood is

dancing,” added Mustafa.

With the onset of the holy month, some

of the drummers still go about their Ra-

madan duty and can be heard now and

then.

“Although this phenomenon has been

drastically reduced, there are still some

drummers who visit a number of neigh-

borhoods in the city and earn money,” said

Abdulrahman.

— BY SAKAR ABDULLA IN SLEMANI

Drumroll please

Traditional Kurdish games are still played by the children in the streets of their neighborhoods. (photo by Aram Eissa)

16 Issue 60 July 31 - August 13, 2009

Anarrow street in the neigh-

borhood of Sabunkaran in

Slemani is home to one of

the oldest churches in the

city. Its simple door takes

you into a rather unorthodox dwelling

used by the Christian minority. Dating

back many decades, this plot of land was

used not only for prayers and religious

gatherings but also served as a graveyard

for the local Christian community.

The Virgin Mary Church in Slemani was

built in 1862 and its current garden area

used to be a cemetery.

“This used to be the church graveyard

that has now been laid with grass. We did-

n’t have a graveyard as such back then so

they were buried here,” said Abdul Meseh

Yusuf, a Christian resident in the

Sabunkaran neighborhood.

Six French Christians who died working

on the tunnel in Darbandikhan are also

buried under the green grass of the garden

that was once a cemetery.

“This church consists of a number of

parts. There is the prayer hall, this used to be

a small graveyard consisting of 49 graves

that were put into the walls. The lower part

is a hall for guests. The upper hall is much

bigger and up until last year it was used for

funerals. This house used to belong to Bah-

jat Eissa who bequeathed his house to the

church after his death,” added Yusuf.

Up until last year a large cave took up a

great portion of the garden but it was torn

down to make way for something much

simpler, which also serves a symbolic pur-

pose. The cave that was built by Goriyal

Mati Allah Wardi in 1988 and contained

three relics from the Virgin Mary but be-

cause the cave took up a lot of the space it

was torn down this year and a smaller statue

was built in its place.

This cave is just one of many that are cre-

ated in churches all over. It is an example

of a cave in France where Virgin Mary was

first seen. The statue of the Virgin Mary

with baby Jesus in her arms has its symbolic

place in the church garden. Christians as

well as some Muslims come every day, al-

though larger crowds tend to come on Sun-

days to light a candle and wish for a certain

something that they want to come true.

Many of those who come are students

wishing to do well in their exams.

A small room within the church grounds

serves as the cemetery for 49 tombs of or-

dinary Christians of Slemani.

“This graveyard has 49 graves that are

on the wall. This goes back to the time of

priest Pari who created this graveyard him-

self. All the 49 graves are of ordinary citi-

zens of Slemani. I think the last burial that

took place here was 15 years ago,” said

Yusuf.

As people enter the prayer hall, there are

two bowls of water that they dip their fin-

gers into and then use for saying in the

name of the Father, the Son and the Holy

Spirit.

The hall apart from being used for morn-

ing and evening prayers is also used for

Christenings, weddings and funerals.

“The prayer hall of the church has been

renovated a number of times. Ten years ago

it was destroyed in a fire and Iraqi President

Jalal Talabani paid for its reconstruction.

Last year a large part of the church was ren-

ovated with funds from the fourth branch

of the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP)

in Slemani.”

The prayer hall walls are adorned with

14 photos depicting the different stages in

the life of Jesus Christ, from when he was

captured to the Crucifixion. This simple yet

beautiful church has been part of the Chris-

tian community for generations and is a tes-

tament to the peaceful coexistence among

the various communities of the Kurdistan

Region.

The church at Sabunkaran stands as a testament toharmonious co-existence in the Kurdistan Region.

An old testamentThe old church in the Sabunkaran neighborhood in Slemani has stood the test of time. (photo by Aram Eissa)

The prayer hall ofthe church has been renovated a numberof times. Ten yearsago it was destroyedin a fire and IraqiPresident Jalal Talabani paid for itsreconstruction.

Jen A. Sagerma

SLEMANI

Issue 60 July 31 - August 13, 2009 17

The Facebook phenomenon has sweptacross the world like wildfire and it has notspared Iraqi Kurdistan. As if it weren’t hardenough to safeguard one’s private life inKurdish society, Facebook has added another dimension, yet another portalthrough which friends, acquaintances andeven strangers can learn of your daily activities, meetings or state of mind. Albeit,privacy settings can be adjusted to controlthe level of public access. The Kurdishpresence is steadily increasing on this popular social-networking site as countlesssign up daily. The youth are great ethusi-asts, but even those with little grasp of theEnglish language are joining and learningas they go along.

The advent of modern technology and global trends in Iraqi Kurdistan have not dissipated the beloved customs of old. The onset ofthe holy month of Ramadan never fails to rekindle the warm sense of community prevalent among all the peoples of Kurdistan, irrespective of religion or ethnicity. Lifestyle, a vista to an emerging society, takes you inside.

As modernity seeps into everyday life in Kurdistan, affluent young Kurdsfind ways to reconcile global trends with tradition.

Nawsaji can be seen made on the streets in the bazaar and sold to be taken home readyand warm, often eaten with natural yogurt and tea early in the morning or as a snack inthe evening. Not quite the healthy option but nobody counts calories this month!

DINING FASHION INTERIORS LEISURE

COMPILED BYJEN A. SAGERMA IN SLEMANI

SAKAR ABDULLA IN ERBIL

Face to Facebook

The global Facebook phenomenon has notspared Iraqi Kurdistan.

Lifestyle

The people of Slemani have always beenknown for ‘keeping up with the Joneses’. Despite financial constraints, they never deprive themselves of the latest gadget onthe market. The latest craze is none otherthan the glorious iPhone. Costing overUS$700, the touch screen marvel was initially restricted to the elites of the region orthose who had saved for months on end.Slowly the iPhone episode became a gadgetthat everyone seemed to own. Depending onthe model and functions, the iPhone’s pricetag can exceed US$1,000. The iPhone offersnetworking facilities, games and access tothe Internet. With fads such as Facebookand Twitter, the iPhone is primordial to thedaily life of the modern Kurd.

I spy with my little iphone

Most Kurds save up for months to buy the latest craze on the market, the iPhone.

The holy month of Ra-

madan is primarily a pe-

riod during which

Muslims are meant to en-

gage in self reflection

and soul cleansing. But for those

who observe the month-long fast

from sunrise to sunset, the holi-

day also brings sumptuous feasts

and delectable desserts specially

prepared for the occasion.

The bazaars during the holy

month are no less busy than any

other time but there is a strict

change in the lifestyle of many

who are faithful servants of one of

the five pillars of Islam.

What people tend to do during

the holy month is to sleep more

and work less. Admittedly, it slows

down the pace of work in the of-

fice but no food and drink from

sunrise to sunset does mean it is

best not to get on the wrong side of

those fasting for they are often

cranky.

However, these negative side ef-

fects of abstaining from food and

drink are overshadowed by the

warm sense of community during

Ramadan as people become more

social and generous, giving food or

money to those in need.

Plates of sweets or dates can be

seen on every corner of the market

to hand out to those in the bazaars

to break their fast with.

But the most tasteful treat

around during Ramadan is

‘nawsaji’. If every holiday has its

staple food, then ‘nawsaji’ may be

the symbol of the holy month in

Kurdistan. The fried puffy bread is

often made at home and some-

times given in charity by families

to the less fortunate in the neigh-

borhood.

Nawsaji can also be seen made

on the streets in the bazaar and

sold to be taken home ready and

warm, often eaten with natural yo-

gurt and tea early in the morning

or as a snack in the evening. Not

quite the healthy option but no-

body counts calories this month!

Its sweet flavor with a slight

salty aftertaste is eagerly eaten by

Kurds of all faiths especially when

it has just been fried. The smell

and hot steam coming off it is sim-

ply too hard to resist.

There are a number of houses in

the Kurdish community that make

them and send it to their neighbors

during the month but there are also

shops and individuals in the bazaar

who make them as well. There are

more than 50 places that sell

‘nawsaji’ in the bazaars of Slemani

but if you are looking for the tasti-

est of them all, your best bet is the

Khanaqa area. In Slemani alone it

is estimated that 15,000 nawsajis

are sold daily.

The fried puffy bread also

makes a cameo in contemporary

Kurdish history when back in the

late 1980s every male was obli-

gated to join the army as there was

conscription. During that period,

there were a lot of economic hard-

ships and not much could be af-

forded. Nawsaji was easy to make,

cost less money than a full meal,

didn’t require a lot of luggage

space and always got the taste

buds going!

— BY BRWA AB. MAHMUDIN SLEMANI

Delicious puffy treatsduring Ramadan

IN FOCUS

18 Issue 60 July 31 - August 13, 2009

HISTORY

Today is Monday, 27 July and the

subject of the elections is the

third consecutive one for this

column. To this moment, the number

of seats obtained by each of the dif-

ferent factions has not been clarified

with complete certainty. However, the

approximate totals were announced

and the final pronouncements are not

believed to cause much alteration. It

is expected that the new Kurdistan

Parliament formation would be rep-

resentative of the true wishes of the

inhabitants.

If this is interpreted into a clearer

statement, it would mean the com-

mencement of a clear system of op-

position together with an assured

mandate for formation of a govern-

ment of a reliable majority.

During the canvassing and elec-

tioneering period, all the main related

sides made numerous pledges for bet-

tering the current state of affairs.

Therefore, one hopes that as they all

claim to desire and want to serve the

region's multiple needs, they would or

should soon develop a working rela-

tionship based on counseling, con-

structive dialogue and civil discussion

as authority and opposition towards

reaching their announced objectives.

This is relevant as the modern world

has become so unpredictable that it

has cut many bonds among people

and their common ambitions.

The election results provide a suit-

able hub of information for all parties

and others who wish and want to fur-

ther promote democracy in the region.

Here the role of an objective media is

very desirable.

All might also wish to look and see

what lessons could be learned from

the recent elections as such observa-

tions could play an important part in

fulfilling promises made during the

election campaign and assist in prepa-

rations for the next Iraq parliamentary

elections, not to speak of the next

Kurdistan parliamentary elections.

In view of some of the difficulties

experienced by those who were not

able to locate where they could vote

or why their names had not been reg-

istered, it is essential to realize that the

right of the individual to register to

vote is of fundamental importance in

any system of democracy and indi-

viduals should take responsibility for

their own registration.

It is pertinent to record here that the

forms introduced by the Independent

High Electoral Commission were

simple and easy to complete. More-

over, it is proper that in future elec-

tions, all efforts are exerted to ensure

that all those who are eligible will be

able to vote, together with offering the

best possible service for voters.

It is pleasing to observe a high voter

turnout, which goes to reveal the de-

termination of voters to exercise their

political will in a democratic manner

and in an organized environment that

involved no violence.

Countries with a long history of

successful elections, plan opportuni-

ties, after each election, through their

Electoral Commissions so as repre-

sentatives of their political parties par-

ticipate on seminars and discussion

meetings to review various practical

aspects of the elections they have just

had in order to learn of any criticisms

with the aim of identifying perform-

ance standards leading to improving

things for all in the next time round. It

is useful to closely analyze a few re-

ports made of alleged irregularities

during the election process and take

note of them, if found justified.

It goes without saying that a large

number of essential functions await

the total commitment and persever-

ance of all members of the new Kur-

distan Parliament and regional

government. The tasks are enormous

and pressing for improving the lot of

the people. Some useful work has al-

ready been accomplished and these

may require further enhancement,

others may have to be tackled afresh.

One can enumerate possible re-

quirements for fulfillment. These may

include support for enhancing the role

of the private sector, appreciation and

encouragement for internal products

of whatever kind and quantity, con-

sidering possible ways and means for

reducing rampant unemployment,

particularly among the young and the

graduates, and doing whatever is hu-

manly possible to eliminate corrup-

tions of all sorts, sizes and levels. For

a long time the people have had to tol-

erate the role, status and unjustified

privileges given to ineligible children

and close relatives of those in author-

ity – this needs to be changed. It is not

very easy, but members of the public

wish to see that the authority and the

system are seen to work towards end-

ingthat unfortunate and obvious part

and parcel of our current society. All

these tally with the maintenance of

good governance and the sincere ap-

plication of the rule of law.

anwarqaradaghi2003@yahoo.co.uk

ANWAR M. QARADAGHI

Post-election expectations:revision and improvement

FLASHBACKS

Kermit Roosevelt (1889 –1943) was theson of U.S. President Theodore Roosevelt.Kermit was an explorer, a graduate of Har-vard University, a soldier serving in twoworld wars, a businessman, and writer.Kermit joined the British Army to fight inMesopotamia during World War I. Thisbook covers his experiences inMesopotamia, and includes details of theTigris Front, patrolling the ruins of Baby-lon, skirmishes and reconnaissance alongthe Kurdish Front, and the attack on thePersian Front. It was first published byCharles Scribner's Sons, New York, 1919but has been reprinted many times since.There are still many original hardbackcopies available from around £25.00 andpaperbacks published in 2007 and 2008from around £5.00

“Once we had

reached the far

side we set out

to pick our

way round

Kirkuk to get astride the road leading

thence to Altun Kupri. This is the main

route from Baghdad to Mosul, the chief

city on the upper Tigris, across the river

from the ruins of Nineveh. It was a diffi-

cult task finding a way practicable for the

cars, as the ground was still soft from the

recent rains. It was impossible to keep de-

filaded from Turkish observation, but we

did not supply them with much in the way

of a target. At length we got round to the

road and started to advance down it to

Kirkuk. The town, in common with so

many others in that part of the country, is

built on a hill. The Hamawand Kurds are

inveterate raiders, and good fortifications

are needed to withstand them. As we

came out upon the road we caught sight of

our cavalry preparing to attack. The Turks

were putting up a stout resistance, with

darkness fast coming to their aid. After ap-

proaching close to the town, we were or-

dered to return to a deserted village for the

night, prepared to go through in the early

morning.

The co-ordinates of the village were

given, and we easily found it on the map;

but it was quite another proposition to lo-

cate it physically. To add to our difficulties,

the sky clouded over and pitchy blackness

settled down. It soon started to rain, so we

felt that the best we could do was select as

likely a spot as came to hand and wait for

morning. I made up my mind that the front

seat of a van, uncomfortable and cramped

as it was, would prove the best bed for the

night. My estimate was correct, for at mid-

night the light drizzle, which was scarcely

more than a Scotch mist, turned into a wild,

torrential downpour that all but washed

away my companions. The waterproof flap

that I had rigged withstood the onslaughts

of wind and rain in a fashion that was as

gratifying as it was unexpected. The vivid

flashes of lightning showed the little dry

ravine beside us converted into a roaring,

swirling torrent. The water was rushing past

beneath the cars, half-way up to their hubs.

A large field hospital had been set up close

to the banks of the stream at Taza. We after-

ward heard that the river had risen so rapidly

that many of the tents and a few ambulances

were washed away.

By morning it had settled down into a

steady, businesslike downpour. We found

that we were inextricably caught in among

some low hills. There was not the slightest

chance of moving the fighting cars; they

were bogged down to the axle. There was

no alternative other than to wait until the rain

stopped and the mud dried. Fortunately our

emergency rations were still untouched.

Our infantry went over at dawn, and won

through into the town. If it had not been for

the rain we would have made some impor-

tant captures. As it was, the Turks destroyed

the bridge across the Khasa Su and retreated

to Altun Kupri by the road on the farther

bank. From a hill near by we watched

everything, powerless to help in any way.

At noon the sky unexpectedly cleared

and the sun came out. We unloaded a Ford

van, and with much pushing and no little

spade work managed to get it down to a

road running in the direction of Kirkuk. We

found the surface equal to the light car, and

slowly made our way to the outskirts of the

town, with occasional halts where digging

and shoving were required. We satisfied

ourselves that, given a little sun, we could

bring the armoured cars out of their bog and

through to the town.

Next morning, in spite of the fact that

more rain had fallen during the night, I set to

work on my tenders, and at length suc-

ceeded in putting them all in Kirkuk. We

were billeted in the citadel, a finely built,

substantial affair, with a courtyard that we

could turn into a good garage. The Turks

had left in great haste, and, although they

had attempted a wholesale destruction of

everything that they could not take, they had

been only partially successful. In my room

I found a quantity of pamphlets describing

the American army—with diagrams of in-

signia, and pictures of fully equipped sol-

diers of the different branches of the service.

There was also a map of the United States

showing the population by States. The text

was, of course, in Turkish and the printing

excellently done. What the purpose might

be I could not make out.

The wherefore of another booklet was

more obvious. It was an illustrated account

of alleged British atrocities. Most of the pic-

tures purported to have been taken in the

Sudan, and showed decapitated Negroes.

Some I am convinced were pictures of the

Armenian massacres that the Turks had

themselves taken and in a thrifty moment

put to this useful purpose. This pamphlet

was printed at the press in Kirkuk.

There were a number of excellent build-

ings—mainly workshops and armouries,

but the best was the hospital. The long cor-

ridors and deep windows of the wards

looked very cool. An up-to-date impression

was given by the individual patient charts,

with the headings for the different diagnoses

printed in Turkish and French. The doctors

were mainly Armenians. The occupants

were all suffering from malnutrition, and

there was a great deal of starvation in the

town.

I did not wish to return to Baghdad until

I could be certain that we were not going to

advance upon Altun Kupri. The engineers

patched up the bridge, and we took the cars

over to the other side and went off on a re-

connaissance to ascertain how strongly the

town was being held. The long bridge from

which it gets its name could easily be de-

stroyed, and crossing over the river would

be no light matter. The surrounding moun-

tains limited the avenue of attack. Altogether

it would not be an easy nut to crack, and the

Turks had evidently determined on a stand.

What decided the army commander to

make any further attempt to advance was

most probably the great length of the line of

communications, and the recent floods had

made worse conditions which were bad

enough at the best. The ration supply had

fallen very low, and it seemed impossible to

hold even Kirkuk unless the rail-head could

be advanced materially.

I put in all my odd moments wandering

about the bazaars. The day after the fall the

merchants opened their booths and trans-

acted business as usual. The population was

composed of many races, chiefly Kurd, Tur-

coman and Arab. There were also Armeni-

ans, Chaldeans, Syrians, and Jews. The

latter were exceedingly prosperous. Arabic

and Kurdish and Turkish were all three spo-

ken. Kirkuk is of very ancient origin—but

of its early history little is known. The na-

tives point out a mound which they claim to

be Daniel's tomb. Two others are shown as

belonging to Shadrach and Meshech; that

of the third of the famous trio has been lost.

There are many artificial hills in the neigh-

bourhood, and doubtless in course of time it

will prove a fruitful hunting-ground for ar-

chaeologists. As far as I could learn no seri-

ous excavating has hitherto been undertaken

in the vicinity.

The bazaars were well filled with goods

of every sort. I picked up one or two excel-

lent rugs for very little, and a few odds and

ends, dating from Seleucid times, that had

been unearthed by Arab labourers in their

gardens or brick-kilns. There were some

truck-gardens in the outskirts, and we traded

fresh vegetables for some of our issue ra-

tions. There are few greater luxuries when

one has been living on canned foods for a

long time. I saw several ibex heads nailed

up over the doors of houses. The owners

told me that they were to be found in the

near-by Mountains, but were not plentiful.

There is little large game left in

Mesopotamia, and that mainly in the moun-

tains. I once saw a striped hyena. It is a noc-

turnal animal, and they may be common,

although I never came across but the one,

which I caught sight of slinking among the

ruins of Istabulat, south of Samarra, one

evening when I was riding back to camp.

War in the Garden of EdenMaureen McLuckie

LONDON

Issue 60 July 31 - August 13, 2009 19

SOCIETY| LIFE TIMES&

Sardam Music Group perform their firstconcert at Tawar Hall.(photos by Aram Eissa)

An exhibition by Kurdish artists in Zamwa Gallery. (photo by Aram Eissa)

The annual ballet festival at the Culture Hall. (photo by Aram Eissa)

Sardam Institute for learning a foreign language put on a festival at Tawar Hall. (photo by Aram Eissa)An exhibition by Razawa Motasam and Amanj Jabar. (photo by Aram Eissa)

The Kurdish youthare encouraged toembrace globalcultural trends,without forsakingtheir own heritage.The summermonths featuredmany opportunitiesfor both.

20 Issue 60 July 31 - August 13, 2009

BAYIZ

Oh my God, Jwamer, are you OK?

JWAMER

Yeah, why do you ask?

BAYIZ

You were talking to yourself.

JWAMER

I was just repeating some great advice I hadheard.

BAYIZ

What great advice?

JWAMER

It says that if you want a happy life, you must

pretend to be stupid.

BAYIZ

What nonsense. Don’t believe such drivel.

JWAMER

How so? It’s the most meaningful proverb I’veever heard.

BAYIZ

Please go see a doctor, you’re a sick man.

JWAMER

I told you that I am quite well.

BAYIZ

If so, you shouldn’t believe in such silly sayings. Tell me one thing my friend, are youhappy?

JWAMER

Of course not.

BAYIZ

And are you a wise man?

JWAMER

Frankly speaking? No.

BAYIZ

So delete it from your mind.

JWAMER

I’m afraid it’s not that easy. Give me a few

days.BAYIZ

A few days just to forget a useless saying! Is it

more important than Kirkuk?

JWAMER

Who told you that I’ve forgotten about Kirkuk?

BAYIZ

I feel it.

JWAMER

Don’t trust your feelings.

BAYIZ

My feelings never lie.

JWAMER

And you are proud of it? If I were you, I wouldbe weeping not laughing.

BAYIZ

I should cry because I have honest feelings?What is wrong with you? You’re not yourself.

JWAMER

It is just because I am worried about your feelings.

BAYIZ

That’s enough. I don’t allow people to speakagainst my feelings.

JWAMER

Why? Are your feelings sacred?

BAYIZ

At least they don’t lie.

JWAMER

That is the problem. This is not the era of honesty and truth. Our world runs on lies!

BAYIZ

But we should not be a part of that world.

JWAMER

It’s impossible. Globalization is everywhere.

BAYIZ

Even still, we can manage not to be liars.

JWAMER

But you know, lying is very good for yourhealth.

BAYIZ

Here’s to your health then!

Dr Sherko Abdullah is editor of Sekhurma Cartoonmagazine.

The teahouse is a popular Kurdish institution, where wisemen (or, wiseguys) gather every evening to discuss life, politics andthe future. Dr Sherko Abdullah lends an ear to the talk, and reports what Bayiz and Jwamer had to say...

At the chaikhanaAnd you’re proud? This is

not the era of truth.I trust my feelings. They

never lie.

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- Computer literacy in MS Office

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- Must possess problem-solving skills, be a team player and a self-starter

- Cross-cultural sensitivity and customer service orientation

Work Location: Erbil-Ainkawa

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