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The Tangled Web that Keeps Massoud Barzani
in Power
27.2.2011
By Mufid Abdulla |
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February 27, 2011
Most of the common observations at present, as the
Kurdistan Democratic Party KDP and Barzani family
violently approach their nemesis, imply that
Kurdistan has descended into chaos. A factor to take
into account when trying to understand the current
convulsions is that violence is a fact of life for
these leaders and in fact is the essence of Massoud
Barzani and the KDP’s corrupt and brutal regime.
These past 20 years of civil rule in the towns and
cities of the south of Kurdistan [Iraqi Kurdistan]
has created a thicket of rival institutions, which
have played off against each other to prevent any
unification for hope and prosperity in our region of
Kurdistan. Under Barzani’s rule, the power of tribal
rule has survived at a rate of 100% and we have yet
to see any abolishment of it. According to the
philosophy of Massoud Barzani this family has to be
in power forever in the rule of this nation.
Theoretically, the KRG has been controlled and has
functioned more by the rule and influence of the KDP
than any other. Massoud Barzani’s son-in-law is
Nechirvan Barzani, deputy of the KDP, who is still
acting like a man of high ranking in Hawler. Massoud
Barzani’s brothers, Nihad, Dishad, Wajih etc all
have, in one way or another, a post in the KRG and a
share in this most lucrative business. Masrour
Barzani, Massoud’s son, is head of the KRG’s
intelligence services and his other sons have
similar posts and prestige in the KRG.
Before this current crisis, the Barzani family had
created a society in which in-fighting had
intensified to a debilitating extent. From the
outside, this has sometimes been characterised as a
struggle between reformers (lead by Nechirvan) and
conservatives (lead by Masrour Barzani),www.ekurd.netbut
it is better seen as a struggle for control of
lucrative positions in a corrupt system. Over the
last 12 months opposition parties, including the
Gorran party, have asked for transparency in all oil
contracts with foreign companies but this family are
not prepared to share it. Sources close to the
family have confirmed to me that the oil contracts
ensure that they are well positioned to extract
bribes from foreign companies; this has allowed the
Barzani family to accumulate vast fortunes, and hide
them in foreign accounts.
These shocking events in Sulaimaniyah are damaging
enough for Barzani and the KDP but the pattern of
divide and rule does not end there. Massoud Barzani
has created a huge number of intelligence positions
(called Parastin) and a state of security bodies to
terrorise people. According to sources close to the
PUK leadership in Sulaimaniyah, the KDP’s special
force are equal in power to the UK’s SAS and have
been preparing to attack the headquarters of the
Gorran Party, but the PUK forces have stopped them.
Barzani is the same as Saddam and Gaddafi, he has
told us in so many ceremonies of the bloody struggle
his family have come through to gain their position
and they will leave only by shedding blood. To
complicate the matter even further he has been
preparing his grandson to be in the power circle in
a few years time, as he mentioned in the 13th KDP
conference. Over the last 20 years I cannot remember
if he has made even 20 humble visits to the people
in the towns and cities of Kurdistan.
Finally, we must realise that it is possible that
the KDP and their leadership be toppled without a
long and bitter conflict. We need an independent
judicial system; transparency and a general election
(without fraud). The rule of law and the strength of
these parameters will mean the erosion of the
Barzani family because they are only surviving on
deficiencies of the current system. This Barzani
leader is buying loyalty through the lucrative money
he has; therefore if these resources become limited
to him it will obviously become impossible for him
to survive for long.
You may reach the author at
mufid@btconnect.com
Copyright © 2011 ekurd.net
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