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PUK struggles to reinvent itself
11.5.2011
By Shwan Zulal - ekurd.net |
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May
11, 2011
SULAIMANIYAH,
Kurdistan region 'Iraq', — Kurdistan Region Prime
Minister, Barham Salih, has submitted details of his
assets and properties to his party's integrity
committee. The PM has been struggling in recent
years to convince his colleges to sign up to reforms
and end corruption in Kurdistan Region. This move by
Salih would undoubtedly upset many PUK (Patriotic
Union of Kurdistan) KDP (Kurdistan Democratic Party)
officials that are in the centre of allegation and
claims of rampant corruption. Moreover, it appears
this initiative by the PM is once again another jibe
at KDP to give it a nudge into agreeing on reform
proposals.
Since mid February, many Kurds have taken to the
streets, protesting and demanding an end to
corruption in government and afterwards the fall of
the government. The Kurdish government have been
very slow to react to protesters demands. The only
respond protesters got, was by shooting and killing
at least 10 protesters and injuring many others.
Meanwhile, Kurdish President, Massoud Barzani have
made numerous promises about leaving office,
reforms, dialogue and an end to corruption, but
never kept any of them.
The latest enterprise by the PM can be a good start
if implemented properly by having accurate audits in
place. Nevertheless, the initiative has had very
little publicity and only media loyal to the PM have
covered his latest attempt to revive himself and his
party.
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Kurdistan Region Prime Minister, Barham Salih, has
submitted details of his assets and properties to
his party's integrity committee.
Massoud Barzani, president of Kurdistan region of
Iraq and KDP chief. |
It remains to be seen if
anyone else apart from the PM would fill the form
sent out and how many senior officials will do so.
To have a guess, one person, which would
automatically be immune from this audit, is the head
of the party, Jalal Talabani (Iraqi President). If
he fails to let the committee scrutinise his wealth,
the whole scheme will lose credibility straight
away.
The quickest way to get rich in Kurdistan is to
become a politician. Many of PUK and KDP senior
politicians have never ran successful businesses in
the past as they were mostly in the resistance or
abroad. Nevertheless, the richest people in
Kurdistan Region right now, are those politicians.
It is not a secret that many of them are involved in
different businesses now have been accused of using
their political influence to gain advantage. On top
of that,www.ekurd.netthere
are hundreds of claims and allegations against
politicians from all creeds of corruption,
misappropriation government property, embezzlement,
accepting kickbacks, misusing their position and
market manipulation.
Salih's attempt to empower others to follow his lead
falls short of asking the political parties to
declare their interests too. It is public knowledge
that companies controlled by the two incumbent
parties are the main source of their income. These
companies stand accused of manipulating markets for
almost every commodity imported to and exported from
Kurdistan.
PUK unlike KDP has an immense problem politically
because the party divided within on the future
direction. Although Gorran Movement lead by
Nawshirwan Mustafa, took a large chunk of PUK's
support, division within the party remains. On top
of that, senior officials are positioning themselves
to take over the leadership of the party after
Talabani, and are all pulling in different
directions
Once again, PM's attempt to show his reforming
credentials runs the risk of being another flop just
like his proposal answering protesters. His
initiative lacks authority and fervour, because the
declaration forms are requests and none of the party
officials obliged to fill it and give accurate
information. Yet another political gimmick as the
committee will only be looking into PUK officials in
government and not KDP's. This can only confirm the
existence of a two-tier government (Slemani area
controlled by PUK and Erbil and Duhok by KDP), which
protesters have demanded to abolish.
The Kurdish PM may be very eloquent and politically
savvy, but one thing he lacks, is authority and
conviction. If he wants to make an impression, he
needs to tackle the issues head-on, rather than
tinker on the edges by having wish lists and
aspirations. After all he is the prime minister,
corruption and embezzling government funds is a
criminal offence, therefore suspects should not be
asked to volunteer information about their financial
dealings but compelled.
Shwan Zulal
is a Kurdish Blogger, a regular contributing writer
for ekurd.net, interested in political and legal
Reform in Kurdistan, KRG, Iraq and current Kurdish
affairs, including oil exploration companies and
relevant legislations. You may visit Zulal's website
at http://kurdishviews.blogspot.com/
Copyright © 2011 ekurd.net
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