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Iraqi
Kurdistan richer, more relaxed in wake of war, U of A student
finds
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| Source
: The Edmonton Journal |
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Kurd Net
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Iraqi Kurdistan richer, more relaxed in
wake of war, U of A student finds
10.7.2006
By Lindsey Norris |
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EDMONTON - Pascal Ryffel wants people to know
there's more to Iraq than suicide bombings,
political turmoil and beheadings.
While sectarian violence continues to rage in much
of the country, the people in Iraqi Kurdistan in the
northern part of the country are slowly recovering
from tragedy by building a richer, more open
society.
"Women play an active role in Kurdish political
life," said Ryffel, who visited Kurdistan in May at
the invitation of a non-governmental organization.
"Women run for election, and you'll see women
driving and wearing jeans. They still have a ways to
go before complete equality, but I would say they're
making big strides."
The economy is booming and there hasn't been a
suicide bombing in a year, he said. People are
allowed to drink alcohol, and occasionally he saw
couples holding hands in public.
"I became interested in the situation in Iraq during
the buildup to the war, and the more I looked into
it the more I found there was a lack of
information," said Ryffel, 25, a sociology student
at the University of Alberta. "I think the coverage
of Iraq is always from the same perspective -- you
rarely hear stories about Kurdistan."
Now back in Edmonton, Ryffel is raising money for
Seeking to Empower People, the German child advocacy
group that hosted his two-week stay in Iraq.
Canada com
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