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Kurdistan is not Tunisia
31.1.2011
By Qubad Talabani |
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January 31, 2011
Regrettably, attempts by civil society organizations
to demonstrate and ask for improved services from
their government are being hijacked by the
opposition block in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq’s
parliament Gorran.
No one is doubting the need to improve governance
and the delivery of services in Kurdistan. But it is
unfortunate, that rather than use the political
process, Gorran’s leadership and a few of their
supporters from outside of Sulaimaniyah want to take
advantage of peoples genuine complaints, and use
this opportunity to sow trouble and attempt to
destabilize the city of Sulaimaniyah. Gorran have
urged their supporters to join the demonstrations
and instigate violence. They have also issued a
statement calling on the government and parliament
(of which they have 25 seats) of Kurdistan to stand
down.
I am currently in Sulaimaniyah, and have been
speaking to many of Sulaimaniyah’s real residents;
people who are non political, and are trying to go
about their daily lives. Many do say that they hope
Kurdistan improves,www.ekurd.netdemocratizes
and significantly improves its governance and
delivery of services. But they all agree that
violence is not the way forward.
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Qubad Talabani is the Kurdistan Regional Government
(KRG) representative in the United States. He is the
second son of Iraqi President Jalal Talabani. |
People are genuinely concerned
that because Gorran has failed to utilize its
position in Kurdistan’s politics, and is losing
credibility with its supporters, that their only
hope now is to try to foment instability and try to
benefit from it. It is a shame that they are making
a mockery of the many people who voted for them in
the elections, and have failed to use their
important standing as opposition to bring about
change in a lawful way.
I genuinely hope that the demonstrations do go ahead
on Monday, I am confident that people who are
genuinely frustrated will exercise their given right
to express their disappointment. But I am also
confident, that these well intentioned people love
their city, and their homeland, and will respect the
law and demonstrate peacefully.
I am however growing increasingly less confident
about Gorran’s intention to be genuine participants
in Kurdistan’s political process.
Kurdistan for its faults has a political process
that is maturing. It has a growing civil society,
and a free and very opinionated press. We have a
plural government, and parliament (not like Egypt’s
ruling party’s 97% in parliament) with a viable
elected opposition. While we are not yet
Switzerland, we are certainly not Egypt or Tunisia –
and most sensible Kurds understand that.
Qubad J. Talabani. The Representative of the
Kurdistan Regional Government to the United States.
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