|
Letter to President Massoud Barzani
23.1.2012
By Rizgar Khoshnaw, Washington DC - ekurd.net |
|
|
|
Erbil, Kurdistan region, February 2011. Photo: Rizgar Khoshnaw/ekurd.net
Erbil, Kurdistan region, March 2011 . Photo: Rizgar Khoshnaw/ekurd.net
See Related Links
January
23, 2012
His Excellency Massoud Barzani,
President of Kurdistan Regional Government
Erbil, Iraqi Kurdistan.
Dear Mr. Barzani,
In the past few weeks, I have written a number of
negative and truthful articles about Kurdistan
Regional Government (KRG) and the corruption that
has hurt the reputation of Kurdistan and your
leadership. I know this to be a fact because I have
investigated a number of them for many years
personally. I hope that you will investigate the
corruption cases that I have written about recently.
I know for certain that it is not in your nature or
desire to accumulate wealth and you care
tremendously about your people a lot more than
wealth and riches. It is some politicians within the
KRG that are dishonest and has made your party
suffer and given it a negative reputation among not
only the Kurds, but some American businessmen and
politicians as well. I have spoken with many of them
and they agree that Kurdistan suffers from rampant
corruption that needs to be addressed and
eradicated.
Also most people around you are hurting you by not
being honest when it comes to telling you the truth
about what is going on in Kurdistan and how most of
the Kurdish citizens are so unhappy with KRG and
their lives. I am sure when you ask the
politicians/advisors around you about what the
Kurdish citizens are saying or complaining, they
tell you that everyone is happy and content about
their lives, which is not true.
With all due respect, when was the last time someone
in your party advised/said that you were wrong about
anything? With strong certainty, I would say that
you have not experienced this from any member of the
KRG. If they do not tell you the truth, how can you
solve any problems that Kurdistan is facing? Of
course, we are all humans and we are not perfect and
no one is 100% right all the time.
During my 70+ trips to Kurdistan in the past 14
years, I have spoken with literally thousands of
people and I can honestly tell you that more than
80% of them are very displeased with the KRG. Of
course, most of us know that people are afraid to
voice their honest opinions and concerns in the open
in Kurdistan out of fear of repercussions. This is a
fact and no one can hide/deny it.
As far as me being open and frank, I am not afraid
or worried. I say that because neither I nor my
family will ever visit/live in Kurdistan again and I
am free to speak my mind and tell/share my true
stories and experiences that I have accumulated in
the past 14 years.
People in Kurdistan are rightfully complaining about
the injustice and lack of real economic and
financial equality on regular basis and KRG is not
listening to them. There are no decent jobs or
future for many young Kurds. Even today, we still
see Kurds roaming Arbil streets begging for money
and young men working as shoeshine because there are
no jobs! And even the ones that are fortunate enough
to have a job, their income is no where enough to
support them.
At the same time, you have a minister at KRG( Ashti
Hawrami) that has been in Kurdistan for only five
years and yet he managed to purchase a $8.0 million
villa out side of London! Mr. Hawrami is a
"government" employee NOT a businessman and he
should not be in a position to make/profit tens of
millions of dollars!
It is amazing to me, if we make a comparison, that
the vice president, Mr. Joe Biden, of the most
powerful country in the world makes $19,166 a month
and has total assets of $200,000 to $600,000 only
and he has been in government for more than 40
years!!
There are many more like Mr. Hawrami that have
purchased multimillion dollar mansions in Europe and
USA and yet no one is questioning them! Is this
justice?
Another example: A teacher's salary in Kurdistan is
around $500 a month while they are paying $700 a
month in rent. What kind of economics and "living
index" is that? What kind of government would allow
such thing? This is unheard of any where in the
world. I have literally visited more than 40
countries in the past 30 years and I have not seen
anything like what we have in Kurdistan! How can the
KRG explained this situation?
Furthermore, so many college graduates are resorting
to driving a taxi to make a living. Once more, I am
going to provide you with a fact about this
"profession" in Kurdistan. Here are the facts:
*In Erbil alone, we have over 35,000 (thirty five
thousand) taxis for the population of 808,600
citizens;
* In Los Angels, California (the largest city in
America) with a population of 12,828,837, they only
have 2,300 (two thousand three hundred) taxis!!
Finally, some members of your honorable family knows
me extremely well since I have been around for the
past 14 years and I am sure they will tell you that
I have worked very hard to help and make a
difference in Kurdistan and I am being very sincere
with this letter. I sincerely hope you would
consider my final advice and take the time to talk
and listen to your people and not just the
politicians that are in your circle.
Sincerely yours,
Rizgar Khoshnaw
Washington,DC
Rizgar Khoshnaw, Washington, DC, he has lived in
the US for the past 35 years. He attended North
Carolina State University for a period of six years
and obtained the degrees in Economics, business
management and two years of Pre-Medical. He began to
travel to Kurdistan fourteen years ago after being
absent from Kurdistan for more than 23 years. from
the first visit in 1997 to 2001, He traveled to
Kurdistan 25 times to investigate the oil-for-food
program and wrote a book (and had over 50 articles
published) about the dishonest program. In the past
eight years, he has been representing an American
based company trying to implement certain projects.
Read more at my newly created
Facebook page
(Iraqi Kurdish issue, Rizgar Xoshnaw)
Copyright © 2012 ekurd.net. All rights reserved
Top |
The opinions
expressed in this commentary are solely those of the
author
|
®
