This is called business!

Dana Mohammed – Activist 

In countries around the world, especially those with rich natural resources like oil and gas, their authorities have used these resources as a primary factor for developing the country and for the comfort and welfare of their people. From Kuwait to Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Qatar, Bahrain, and many other countries.

In Kurdistan, wherever you step on every rock or piece of land, there’s a large amount of wealth, from surface to underground resources like oil, gas, and similar. But since the beginning of this region’s rule, let’s not be ungrateful, no one with a conscience has ever held power. That’s why, despite all this oil and gas, the burden on people’s shoulders has never been even slightly lightened.

Let’s not even talk about independent oil and economy. For nearly ten years, they sold the region’s oil independently. Not only did we not benefit, they even left us with $30 billion in debt. All of that happened while the oil money was managed in secret, and it was only the officials of the KDP (Barzani) and PUK (Talabani) who had control over it.

Now let’s talk about the current time. After March 25, 2023, when the region’s oil exports through the pipeline were halted and blocked, the smuggling oil market became hot. The PUK smuggled from their side, and the KDP from theirs. They took oil out of this land and smuggled it abroad. And of course, who got the money? Do they claim it was for the people? No way. It was only for the Barzani and Talabani families’ pockets.

Before the Kurdistan parliamentary election, what drew a lot of attention was Bafel Talabani, the leader of the PUK. Why? Because not a single day passed without him appearing on screen and giving exaggerated promises to his party’s voters. What did he say? “I will never surrender the gas! Never! That gas belongs to the Kurdish people! That gas belongs to no person or family!” But then he did hand it over, and just like the oil money, the gas revenue also went to the pockets of the families, and not a single coin went to the people.

Of course, as usual, it’s clear all that shouting during the campaign was only to get a share of the gas business and break off a thick piece of profit. So now, every month, they put $35 million into their pockets. In Kurdish, that was “the porridge share!” The noise of elections was for the profit of oil. Have these people ever fought for the rights and livelihood of the people? Have they ever cared about how people live? Do they have money? Do they have jobs or not? Never! He even said it himself: Never! They never even dreamed about it!

I won’t even talk about how they have occupied or claimed every piece of land, either by taking it or by registering it under companies close to them. No need to go deep into that. Anyone with a sliver of conscience and a slightly raised head can see all the oppression and injustice by the Barzani and Talabani families. Day after day, life in this nation falls further into darkness. And in that darkness, the guy (Masrour Barzani’s) project was revived, the 24-hour electricity project which ironically they call “light – Ronaki.” But in reality, every home and street has turned into darkness.

Yet, every month they collect money from people for this electricity.

I testify this is called business!”