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Kurdish Youth fed up with politics
9.3.2010
By Mariwan Faydullah Salihi
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March 9, 2010
ERBIL-Hewlêr,
Kurdistan region 'Iraq', — As millions of
Iraqis, including Kurds, went to the ballot boxes on
Sunday, March 7, to cast their votes for the Iraqi
Parliamentary Elections, some youth in Kurdistan
Region decided to not participate in the historical
event. Rudaw followed one eligible voter, Aram,
before and after the elections.
On Saturday evening, less than twelve hours before
the nationwide elections started in Iraq, Aram
(declined to use his real name for publication),
22-year-old, was playing soccer with his friends at
the playground of his middle-class neighborhood in
the Kurdish capital, Erbil.
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Exhausted, with sweat
falling off his dark face, he sat to talk about his
decision of not participating in the national Iraqi
Parliamentary Elections, scheduled the next day.
"I wish I never voted"
"I casted my vote for the last Kurdistan Region
Parliamentary Elections [held on July 25, 2009], but
I wish I never did; what have the politicians and
political parties done for us," Aram asks, who is
also a member of one of the main political parties
in Erbil.
One of the main reasons why the young university
student does not cast his vote is corruption in his
country. Iraq is the world's third corrupt nation,
only ahead of Somalia and Myanmar.
"There's so much corruption in our country that the
word 'corruption' is used more than any other word
in our day-to-day talks…even my four-year-old sister
knows what corruption means," he says sarcastically.
"I am not going to vote for the same corrupt
politicians that are taking part in this
election…we're fed up with empty promises from
politicians," he adds.
"Youth in Kurdistan Region are facing unemployment,
lack of basic services and low salaries. Our Kurdish
government hasn't done anything for the people
except emptying the country's natural resources for
their benefit," claims a disappointed Aram.
Not voting for rich
politicians
Aram's best friend is also not planning to take part
in the voting process. "I am also not voting for
those rich politicians," says Ahmed, 20-year-old.
"In fact, even my family will boycott the elections
for the same reasons," he reveals before the match
ends at 10 p.m.
On Sunday, election centers across the country
opened at 7 a.m. Aram wakes up 8.30 a.m. and has his
breakfast two hours later. "I'll probably stay home
and watch TV," he announces. But around noon he
decides to hit the road with his car and visit one
of his friends in downtown Erbil.
"I am thinking of leaving Kurdistan Region for good;
one of my brothers lives in London and I am trying
to join him these few weeks," he tells.
According to him, youth in Kurdistan Region are
deprived of many of their rights and needs and
expects to live a better life abroad. "Look at me…I
am 22 years old but look ten years older," he jokes
while pointing to his early wrinkles and grey hair.
"This will happen to anyone living in Kurdistan
Region," he says while laughing. "I'll be younger
again, when I'll leave this country," Aram predicts.
Youth fed up with dirty
politics
Around 5 p.m. Aram gathers with his friends again,
to do what he mostly likes: playing soccer. "Young
people like me are fed up with dirty politics…at
least sport brings us some joy in this violate
region," he concludes, while scoring a goal against
the other team.
Despite better security situations throughout Iraq
and a removal of a 'vehicle-ban' on elections day in
Kurdistan Region, voters turnout in the country was
lower than the previous elections in 2005.
According to the Independent High Electoral
Commission (IHEC) there were around 19 million
eligible voters from 18 provinces for the 2010 Iraqi
Parliamentary Elections,www.ekurd.netbut
with a turnout of nearly 62%, much lower than the
previous elections in 2005 which was boycotted by
Sunni Arabs. In December's 2005 Iraqi Parliamentary
Elections, there was a high turnout; of all eligible
Iraqi voters, 79.6% took part in the elections,
despite the Sunni Arab boycott then.
Mariwan
Faydullah Salihi, journalist at
Kurdish Globe and Rudaw in Erbil/Iraqi Kurdistan and
regular eKurd.net contributing writer. You may reach the author via email at: mariwan.journalist (at) gmail.com
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