Why Are Killings Increasing in the Kurdistan Region?

Gmo Karim – Activist 

We might be constantly exposed to media from the Kurdistan Region and notice that every week various tragic incidents occur where people are killed for different reasons with terrifying ease.

There are many factors behind the persistence of killings, especially over social disputes. Based on my own experience and engagement with Kurdish society, I believe there are five main reasons why people so easily resort to eliminating one another:

1. Widespread Unlicensed Weapons:
   One of the most serious and immediate reasons is the vast number of unlicensed weapons. According to data, millions of unregistered weapons exist across Iraq and the Kurdistan Region. High-ranking officials even distribute weapons as gifts to their supporters, officials, or party members. This has led to people using guns to resolve even minor disputes. Although Law No. 6 of 2009 regulates weapons in the Kurdistan Region, it is not enforced. Members of various forces often take their weapons home after completing their duties.
2. Lack of Trust in the Judiciary:
   There is little trust in the courts of both the Kurdistan Region and Iraq. Because judges are openly appointed based on political affiliation, and they participate in partisan events, citizens have lost faith in the system. Judges are pressured to protect the interests of political parties and influential individuals to remain in their positions. Any judge who does not follow party lines risks being sidelined. As a result, most murder cases remain unresolved, and courts fail to administer justice.
3. Tribal Conflict Resolution:
   To this day, the influence of tribal leaders often outweighs that of two judges. Disputes are often resolved through financial compensation and social agreements rather than legal means. This might silence the conflict for a while, but eventually it resurfaces and leads to further violence. Such practices diminish the authority of the legal system and become a driver for more killings.
4. Impunity of Offenders:
   In most of the world, when someone commits a crime, the state takes immediate action to arrest them. But in the Kurdistan Region, every suspect can easily find protection from someone powerful. The authorities have no real power over high-ranking individuals, so offenders often avoid punishment and may go on to commit further crimes.
5. Easy Access to Weapons:
   Just like someone can buy fruit in the market, people in the Kurdistan Region can easily purchase weapons. Thousands of illegal weapons are traded in the open. This makes it easy for those with criminal intent to kill others.

In Conclusion:
I believe no real work is being done on these five points, because the ruling families of Barzani and Talabani do not want a peaceful and socially stable Kurdistan. They prefer to keep tribal leaders and armed groups powerful, so that during elections they can use them to manipulate results and force people to sell their will. At the same time, they want people to always feel dependent on these two failed power centres.