By Araz Zaxoiy.

Zakho 09.01.2012

The recent changes in the Arab World demonstrate that the ultimate power belongs to the people, who with a strong will can change the course of history. These recent changes have affected the whole of the international relations in one or another way. Since two decades Iraqi Kurdistan has known a rapid socio-economic transformation. Kurds have their share in government in Baghdad and occupy certain key ministerial posts. In parallel these transformations are accompanied by wide scale of corruption, abuses, anarchy and repression under the dual family rule in Erbil and Sulaimani. However, it seems that the Iraqi politicians are trying to ignore the domino effect of the Arab uprisings.
Nearly ten years after the fall of Saddams regime, the current Iraqi government is unsuccessful in providing basic services to the Iraqi society, due to perennial interest conflicts of the political parties to which the political elites belong. The quality and the ability of people occupying state posts are ignored, as it is the party who decides the nomination of ministers down to simple functionaries on favoritism base.
This sectarian system has deepened division between communities, paving the way to foreign intervention, particularly from Iran, Saudi Arabia. Turkey and Saudi Arabia support Sunni groups, while Iran and Syria support Shiite coalition. No foreign government in the region supports Kurds. The heterogeneity of the actors, the elites narrow mindedness and the culture of distrust and hatred has rendered establishing a stable and democratic system difficult if not impossible.
There were demonstrations in Sulaimani; limited to the south of Iraqi Kurdistan. These demonstrations were supported by the opposition forces, composed of Gorran, and the two Islamic parties: Yekgirto and Komela. The absence of demonstration in Badinan did not mean that the people in this area were happy or support the KDP authority. Later we have seen, just before the end of 2011demonstrations condemning the corruption in Badinan.
The demonstrations in Sulaimani reminded both: Mr. Massoud Barzani and and Mr. Jalal Talabani that their rule is undesirable by the people of Kurdistan. Both of them know that they have much less power than Mubarak and Bin Ali, who fled the anger of their people. In fact the popular demonstration in Sulaimani could have changed the whole course of history, if it had joined by people in Hewler and Badinan. But still the specter of new demonstration is hanging over their heads and may resume with more determination, but highly important to avoid unprincipled leadership.
I have just finished reading a book written by Mr. Ayoub Barzani which shows the background of the current Kurdish authority, through this book the recent Kurdish history was laid bare. It is an exceptional and a historical book. To understand and trace the origin of the present elites, corruption, nepotism, fratricidal wars and wide thefts, it is imperative that every Kurd should read the book and form his own conclusion. My self, after having read the book, I understand much better why we are here today in this stage.
However inside Kurdistan, there was some publicity through the free media regarding Ayoub Barzanis book. But none of the free" kurdish newspapers inside Kurdistan wrote a inclusive article on the book, certainly out of fear. The first time I have heard about the book, it was through an article on Kurdistanpost.com . Recently there were few articles on the latter . I hope all these facts are the beginning of an awakening of the collective conscience in Kurdistan.

1-The Kurdish liberation movement and the rivalry of regional and international powers,1958 1975. By Ayoub Barzani.
http://www.kurdistanpost.com/view.asp?id=9f119fd2
http://www.kurdistanpost.com/view.asp?id=6252eaa3
http://www.kurdistanpost.com/view.asp?id=5e5f076e
http://www.kurdistanpost.com/view.asp?id=d20ea36b
http://www.kurdistanpost.com/view.asp?id=3b39d225