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Kurdistan Region-Iraq News in brief
3.10.2006 - update 1 |
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Sulaimaniyah,
Erbil, Duhok, Kirkuk, Kurdistan Region (Iraq), October
3,
2006
Suicide cases in Sulaimaniyah increase by 36
percent
Even with improvements in the economy and positive
political changes in Kurdistan, the number of those
who choose to end their lives by suicide is
increasing.
According to legal authorities in Sulaimaniyah, the
number of people committing suicide in the last
seven months compared to last year increased by 36
percent. Globe's Fazil Najib has this report. The
Globe will publish more statistics about some
familiar crimes like stealing and murder that happen
in Kurdistan.
Social specialists see this situation as a
by-product of change. Sulaimaniyah legal authorities
reported that in the first seven months of 2005, 26
suicide cases were recorded, and in the first seven
months of 2006, there were 35 cases.
These statistics, however, may not include the
complete number of suicides. The Kurdish Globe
obtained documents on death by burning during the
first seven months of this year, and that number
consisted of 103 females and 28 males. The documents
show that women who died by burning, according to
social observers and doctors, did so on purpose.
Smuggling continuing at the Penjwen frontier
The road is long and dangerous. Not only one could
be shot by Iranian border guards, the smugglers also
run a high risk sometimes walking in a mine field.
While all people are sleeping at 3am in the morning,
a group of 35 men were leading nearly 50 mules and
donkeys. Some were weighed down cargoes while others
were fastening the goods to the back of the mules. A
very long and difficult way was expected ahead. That
could easily be seen by the way they were fastening
the goods on their mules. Many others, who seemed to
be late for their appointments, were confused and
worried about the time and so were leaving earlier
than others.
12 of those, who had gathered from different
villages, both near and far, were teenagers.
The smugglers trade in cooper and car spare parts in
a very narrow and difficult road which is also
covered with mines left behind from decades of
regional wars. The mines had caused many deaths and
injuries among the smugglers. On that road and on
that day, one of the mules died due to a mine
explosion after it wondered into the mine filed.
"Our work is very difficult and hard. When we leave
at nights, we are not sure that we will come back
safe," says Ahmed Aziz. Aziz, a 34 year old
smuggler, who owns 2 mules and 3 donkeys, has been
working on that road for eleven years.
Oil: Catalysis of Iraq's future
Despite the fact that the Iraqi permanent
constitution was approved through a public
referendum last year, some critical issues, such as
natural resources, federalism and etc. still cause
friction amongst the Iraqi policy makers.
Kurdistan Regional Government, KRG, signed
successful contracts with small oil producing
companies and in search of getting deal with oil
giants, such as Shell and others.
KRG's initiative with regard to oil has been a
source of conflict between the Iraqi central state
and regional Kurdish government. As the Economist
reported 'Iraq is thought to have plenty of
undiscovered oil but the insurgency and legal
uncertainty have made companies wary of looking for
it. Now, proudly waving a new petroleum law that is
set to pass through the Kurdish regional parliament
in Erbil in October, Ashti Hawrami, the Kurds' new
minister for natural resources, told the gathering
that the Kurdish Regional Government (KRG) had the
authority to exploit any new oil and gas reserves
discovered in the self-rule zone.'
Ashti Hawrami, the new minister for natural
resources of the KRG, who informed that Kurdistan
had "good potential" oil reserves, estimating at
around 45 billion barrels of oil and 100 trillion
cubic feet of natural gas, told that the Kurdish
Regional Government (KRG) had the authority to
exploit any new oil and gas reserves discovered in
the self-rule zone.
He further stated that revenues from oil and other
natural resources in Kurdistan would be shared
according to the constitution. Iraqi central
government opposes the initiatives taken by the KRG.
Kurdish Globe.net | Peyamner com
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