From the Heart of Kurdistan Region The only English paper in Iraq - No: 484 Mon. April 06, 2015 GLOBE PHOTO Kurdistan a nest for coexistence and brotherhood P3 National P3 President Barzani inaugurates 10th International Book Fair in Erbil National P4 Kurdistan received a $455 million budget payment from Baghdad for March National P6 Peshmerga minister asks France for military help National P6 Ministerial Council congratulates Akito and New Year celebrations No. 484, Monday, April 06, 2015 The Kurdish Globe 2 President Barzani Congratulates Iraqi PM Al-Abadi on Liberation of Tikrit What will happen in the post-ISIS and Houthi era? US Vice President Joe Biden spoke with Kurdistan Region President Masoud Barzani on March 22 to wish the President and the people of Kurdistan a happy Kurdish New Year or Newroz. The US Vice President expressed his condolences to the President for the fallen Peshmerga in recent battles against the ISIS terrorists. He also praised the recent succm cesses and reiterated US governmm ment support for Kurdistan. President Barzani thanked the government and people of the United States for their support and stressed the need for continued cooperation to defeat the terrorists completely. PRESS PHOTO President Barzani Meets with Czech Republic Delegation By Gazi Hassan Many events that are unfolding in Iraq, Syria and Yemen are contradictory. The contradictions are quite opposite too. ISIS has devastated Iraq. Iran and the Shias are fighting against the IS and simm multaneously exploiting them for presm serving their gained political position. Saudi even if has no interest in having ISIS around though, but as a Sunni, it shares part of the disagreements, especm cially in Syria. In Yemen, Houthis are intending to control the country with the support of Iran, Iraq, and Hizbullah in Lebanon, On the other hand, Saudi, Turkey, Gulf countries, Egypt, Sudan, Morocco, Pakim istan, the US and Europe are all against the Houthis. Suppose that group (1) is against ISIS, while group (2) is not concerned with ISIS being around, but we see that group (2) are against Houthis and has started fighting them in Yemen with group (1) supporting them. It means that, the balam ance and the international and regional coalition have divided into factions in each country. We may ask: How did that happen? This is the main question; the US policy is essentially against both groups, and at the same time, supports both coalitions. The US is not against Iran’s intervention in Iraq and Syria, at least for the sake of Iran’s commitment to abandon its nuclear programs. Russia criticized the campaign against the Houthis because it maintains that it was not sanctioned by the Security Council resolutions. Exam amining the developments more closely we could clearly see that the US is the final player and decision maker of the events. And in each of them, it has its Weekly paper printed in Erbil First published in 2005 www.kurdishGlobe.net Address: Erbil, Massif road common enemy and not ordinary ally. What’s happening in Yemen seems to force Iran militarily not to think of steppm ping into wider circles. The sharp fall of oil prices also has direct impact on the country. What hasn’t been accomplished in Iraq, the delimitation of Iran's influem ence, will be accomplished in Yemen by Saudi and its allies. What Saudi was not able to do in Iraq, it has succeeded to accomplish in Yemen. It has managed to reduce the political and military pressm sure against the Kingdom as a result of the rapid events in the Middle East. The balance of the coalition is about to be tipped. As it has special characteristm tics in each event, it’s not far that such coalition could end Iran’s power and intm tervention in the Arab countries. Simultm taneously, the process will convince Iran that the area may move into a new phase which will not abide by the contents of Sykes-Picot agreements. The US, with help of Saudi Arabia can play a decisive role. Kurds as the only character in the Middle East keep their neutrality, away from the sectarian conflicts. The Kurds have always struggled against any kind of terrorism and violence, which makes the ground to strengthen common interem ests between America and Kurdistan. And If Saudi wanted so it could maintm tain the position of Sunnis in Iraq in the future. So in the Post-ISIS and Houthis war, whose outcome will generate new regional balances, the area will move towards deeper political problems, dispm putes and divisions of interests. But the Saudis will emerge as a new military force worth reckoning with. President Masoud Barzani held a meeting with a delegation from the Czech Republic today. The delegatm tion was attended by members of the diplomatic mission of the Czech Republic in the Kurdistan Region and was headed by Mr. Jan Fulik, the Special Representative of the President of the Czech Republic. During the meeting Mr. Fulik and President Barzani discussed the current political and security develom opments in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq and the greater Middle East regm gion. President Barzani expressed optimism for a brighter future for the Kurdistan Region, adding that Ban Ki-Moon hails Peshmerga successes United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon on Monday spoke with the Kurdistan Region Presidm dent Massoud Barzani over the phone. In the call, he praised the recent successes of the Peshmerga against the Islamic State. The UN Chief told President Barzani that he wished to visit the Kurdistan Region, but time constraints prevented him from making the trip during this visit to Iraq. As well as acknowledging the Peshmerga’s successes, Ban expm pressed his condolences to all families who have lost loved ones in the fight against the IS. He thanked the Kurdistan Regm gional Government and Kurdish EXECUTIVE EDITOR Gazi Hassan +964 750 7747784 Senior U.K. Editor Bashdar Pusho Ismaeel [email protected] [email protected] ARTS EDITOR Diyaco Qayoumy +964 750 4036252 [email protected] the fight against the terrorists of the Islamic State are being defeated by the Peshmega forces in a number of fronts. On his part Mr. Fulik expressed his support on behalf of the governmm ment of the Czech Republic to the Peshmerga forces. Mr. Fulik also delivered an invitation for President Barzani to visit the Czech Republic and explore further avenues of coom operation between the two sides. President Barzani expressed his gratitude for the support of the Czech Republic and accepted the invitation to visit the country at mutually convenient time. Reviser Honar Osman [email protected] people for helping the hundreds of thousands of refugees by provm viding them with a safe heaven, and promised that the UN will continue to support the KRG in its humanitarian efforts. Furthermore, Ban expressed his happiness regarding recent develom opments and progress in negotm tiations between the Iraqi central government and the Kurdistan government. The UN Secretary General arrm rived in Baghdad last week. He met with senior Iraqi officials incm cluding the Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi, the Iraqi President Fuad Maasum, the Parliament Speaker Salim al-Juburi and the Foreign Minister Ibrahim al-Jaafari. STAFF WRITERS Zakaria Muhammed [email protected] +964 750 475 3897 Salih Waladbagi [email protected] +964 750 4912996 ADVERTISEMENT [email protected] Cell: +964 750 4055888 No. 484, Monday, April 06, 2015 The Kurdish Globe 3 backgrounds and that ream ality will remain a part of the values and principles of the Kurdistan Region. Cardinal Filoni said that embracing such a huge number of refugees withom out taking difference relm ligious and ethnic backgm ground into consideration, stressing that it means that Kurdistan believes in the valuable principles of coem existence and humanitarim ian values. He said that he witnessed how the Christians thanked the KRG kindness in the camps for serving them. In addition, Cardinal Filoni hailed the role of Peshmarga forces and asked President Barzani to convoy Pope and his gratitude to them who are fighting bravely against Islamic State militants. He said that Peshmarga forces are those who are sacrificing their lives to allow other people to live in peace. Cardinal Filoni added that Peshmarga has now become symbol of resm sistance and struggle to provide freedom because Peshmarga is nog fighting to occupy somewhere but it is rather to defend civil people. He added that the situam ation has changed since he first visited Kurdistan GLOBE PHOTO/Safin Hamid President Massoud Barzm zani received a papal delegm gation headed by Cardinal Fernando Filoni, the Specm cial Envoy to His Holiness Pope Francis. During the meeting, Cardinal Filoni extended the greetings of His Holiness Pope Francis to President Barzani and expressed his repeated gratitude to the Kurdistan Region for their efforts at assisting the Christian refugees. President Barzani warmlm ly welcomed the delem egation and conveyed his personal greetings to His Holiness Pope Francis, adding that the Kurdistan Region takes pride in the fact that it has historically been a region of coexistm tence between people of all ethnic and religious GLOBE PHOTO President Barzani stresses Kurdistan will remain ‘safe haven’ for minorities when ISIS was attacked Kurdistan back to August last year. He stressed that Peshmarga did not have enough and advanced weapons, but they still defended the region very bravely and heroically. The Christian delegation thanked President Barzani as he always issues statemm ment in solidarity with the Christian in special Christm tian ceremonies. During the meeting, President Barzani stressed that Kurdistan will always remain as a safe haven for the Christian and othem er minorities and ethnic groups. The President stated that the Kurdish Peshmarga forces have been successfm ful in defeating the myth of Islamic State. President Barzani inaugurates 10th International Book Fair in Erbil President Barzani inam augurated the 10th Intm ternational Book Fair in Erbil in which 200 print houses joined it and exhibited more than 700,000 titles of books. Mada Foundation orgm ganized the exhibition and the books were in different languages, including Kurdish, Arabic, English and Persian. Kurdistan Region Prime Minister, Nechirvan Barzm zani, yesterday received members of the Turkish Parliament, Leyla Zana and Sırrı Süreyya Onder. Mrs Zana and Mr Onder briefed the Prime Ministm ter about their recent visim it to Imrali Island where they met the imprisoned leader of the Kurdistan Workers Party, PKK, Abdullah Ocalan. They said, Mr Ocalan is well aware of the attm tempts undertaken by Prime Minister Barzani in supporting the peace process in Turkey and finding a settlement for the Kurdish issue in this GLOBE PHOTO Ocalan praises PM Barzani’s role in the peace process in Turkey country, for which, they said, he expressed his gratitude. The two sides discussed the latest developments in the peace process, highlighting the importm tance of preventing the process to be hampered by minor problems. Prime Minister Barzani expressed his readiness to continue supporting the peace process and settlement of the Kurdish issue and carrying out any task that is required in order to help achieve it. They also discussed the latest developments in the war against terrorism and the efforts exerted to convene a pan-Kurdish conference, highlighting the importance of unity among the Kurdistan partm ties in facing terrorism. In this regard the Prime Minister expressed his thanks and appreciation for of the various Kurdim ish groups which fight terrorism. No. 484, Monday, April 06, 2015 The Kurdish Globe Kurdistan received a $455 million budget payment from Baghdad for March to a monthly payment of $1 billion. So far, neither side has been able to reach its immm mediate targets. The Centm tral Government has suffm fered cash flow problems, burdened by low oil prices and the war against the Islm lamic State. The Kurds have struggled to reach the export target of 550,000 barrels per day PRESS PHOTO ports at a time when revem enues are strained by low global prices and the cost of fighting the Islamic State terrorists who seized contm trol of large areas in the north and west of Iraq. “Both sides are committm ted to implementing the agreement in good faith,” Finance Minister Hoshyar Zebari told Reuters. Zebari, a Kurd, added that Fuad Hussein: Article 140 remains a sticking point PRESS PHOTO Kurdistan received a $455 million budget payment from Baghdad for March, a proof that the Central Govem ernment honours the deal over the Kurds’ oil policies, the country’s Finance Minim ister said on Thursday. Baghdad cut the budget payments in January 2014 over the semi-autonomous Kurdistan region’s plans to export its oil through Turkm key but reinstated them in December after the Kurds agreed to export an averam age of 550,000 barrels per day through Turkish Ceyhm han port via Iraq’s State Oil Marketing Organisation (SOMO) in 2015. The agreement aimed to help Iraq increase oil expm the payments had come in for the past five months. Iraq made its last payment to the Kurds for February on March 19. The semi-autonomous Kurdish Region was promim ised 17 percent from this year’s $105 billion national budget, which averages out from their fields and from national fields in Kirkuk they are now responsible for exporting from. Total Kurdish oil exports have now reached an averam age of 450,000 barrels per day, according to Zebari. Both sides have displayed “a steady, insistent commitmm 4 The Kurdistan Regional Government is attemptim ing to solve economic and political issues while continuing to repel attm tacks by the Islamic State and manage the crisis that began last year. Chief of Staff to the Kurdistan Region Presidm dency Fuad Hussein told London-based PanArab Newspaper, Asharq Al- Awsat, “The KRG has been successful in managing the economic and security crises since the beginning of the last year. The Iraqi Federal Government has sent part of Kurdistan’s share of the budget as relations between Erbil and Baghdm dad improve and we are coordinating in the fight against IS." Some issues between Erbil and Baghdad remm main however, “Issues regarding Peshmerga forces have been solved in the budget bill, but cases, like article 140, remain sticking points as they are related to the Iraqi constitution”. “When IS took control of Mosul, it upgraded from a terrorist organizatm tion to a terrorist ‘state'; our current strategy is to degrade this ‘state’ and defeat them,” added Hussm sein. “IS has lost most of its experienced militants, it is facing financial issues and they treat their injm jured militants in houses. Increasing casualties among IS from fighting the Peshmerga and other groups is the reason that Mosul hospitals cannot cope." “The KRG’s strategy is to resist IS at any stage and to cooperate with those who fight IS militm tants.” Hussein continued, “Coam alition air strikes and the provision of heavy weapom ons by the international coalition have been very effective, but we have lost over 1,150 Peshmergm ga and more than 5,000 have been injured." “If we had received heavy weapons earlier, fatalities would be fewer. Now we need more heavy weapons to retake the occm cupied areas.” No. 484, Monday, April 06, 2015 The Kurdish Globe Following a meeting and discussing several internal issues, Head of Change Movement (Gorran) Noshirwan Mustafa and Secretary of Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) politburo Fadhil Mirani stressed on the unity of Kurdish political parties. A KDP delegation led by Mirani visited Gorran HQ in the province of Sulaimam ani, aiming to discuss the significant internal issues. Speaking in a press confm ference, Mirani said that the major aim of the visit was to talk about “stratm tegic issues”. He added that Iraq is now plunging into a bloody war that will have impact on Kurdistan too. Mirani announced that: “We have to strengthen our relations and unity and intensify the leadersm ship meetings and visit each other frequently and make the opinions more close.” By visiting each other and maintaining unity, Mirani said, the problems of the government and the PRESS PHOTO Senior KDP officials and Gorran leader reaffirm unity of political parties crises will definitely get solved. “If we get closer and work together, then we will have better governm nance.” In addition, Mirani stated that it was the first visit, but it would be continued in the future. “Nothing gets solved overnight.” Mirani added that they do not want to crunch time because the happenim ings are very fast and that they do not want to get into trouble. On his part, Gorran leader Mustafa said: “They discussed the currm rent situation in Iraq and the Kurdistan Region and Middle East in order to have a common evaluam ation of them. We also talked about Yemen war as well.” Mustafa also repeated Mirani’s statement that the only condition for success is “unity” of the Kurdish political parties in this sensitive moment. Regarding the recent negotiation about the dispm putes emerged about the presidential term in Kurdim istan, Mustafa said: “We discussed the issue of finim ishing the presidential term of the Kurdistan President. We think that there should be a political comprehensm sive consensus on it and common understanding would be made amongst the parties.”Mustafa also added that the leadership of the political parties will make a decision on the issm sue and then the Kurdistm tan Parliament will work on it. 5 Eminki praises Poland for supporting Kurdistan Vice President of Kurdim istan Parliament Dr. Jaafem er Ebrahim Eminki, on Tuesday, April 1, 2015, received a high ranking Polish delegation headed by Ms. Retana Tcheneskm ka the Polish Consul to Kurdistan and accompanm nied by a polish state TV Chanel. Eminki praised the Polim ish government for their continuous support for the Kurdistan Region in the fight against the Islamic State (ISIS) terrm rorists by helping out the refugees and displaced families in the same way as other European countm tries have done. He also appreciated the role of the Consulate of Poland in Erbil. Eminki said that Polm land has had a significant positive impact on the European Union’s opinim ion about Kurdish issues and also has helped the region’s education sectm tor by admitting a large number of Kurdish studm dents in their universitm ties and educational insm stitutions. Consul Tcheneska reim iterated her country’s commitment to support Kurdistan and improve its bilateral ties with the region as well as participm pating in the rebuilding of the region using its country’s capabilities and experience. The delegation from the Polish TV Channel expressed their amazemm ment about the stability and security the Region has among this chaotic situation in Iraq and the region. They praised the Kurdim istan Region for their tolerance to the ethnic and religious minorities and accommodating this huge number of refugees and internally displaced persons (IDPs) who have been forced out of their places of origin because of their ethnicities or relm ligious beliefs. No. 484, Monday, April 06, 2015 The Kurdish Globe NEWS BAR An Expat’s View on Kurdistan: Complainers By J. Watt This is the second article in a series designed to give an American expatriate’s opinion on discovering, understandim ing, and enjoying authentic Kurdish culture. “Which country is better, Kurdistan or America?” This question greets nearly every American expatriate in the Kurdistan region. I usually resm spond by explaining that both places have beautiful people, culture, and traditions— though they are very different. To which I usually get mixed responses. There are, no doubt, people who are proud of their homeland, yet I find myself continually frustrated by a contingent who feels the need to complain about Kurdistan Iraq drops MMS case and only talk about wanting to leave for another country in the west, without offering any solutions to said complaints. Kurdistan is indeed experiem encing a tough time: slowed economy, war with a ruthless enemy, a short list of regional allies, and a huge refugee crism sis. Yet, instead of jumping ship as many of the dreamers suggest, now is the time to dig in, commit to the long-term prosperity of Kurdistan and actually work towards the futm ture. Germany, for instance, was a country economically, polm litically, and socially ravaged by World War 2. Yet from the ashes, mostly through a stalwart German work ethic, Germany has now arisen as Europe’s largest economy and, again, as a major power in the world. Imagine if those who complained about Germany’s woes left in the late 40’s or early 50’s and never stuck around to see Germany’s retm turn to world prominence decm cades later. While some of the complainem ers dream of an easier life in the West with endless money, government payouts, and bettm ter services, this is far from reality—even if it is reality, which it isn’t, it misses the point that the benefits these countries offer were worked hard for. To the complainers, now is the time to press deeper into making Kurdistan the land you really want it to be and to work towards positive action rather than negative critiques. If you’re unhappy with your economic situation, then innovm vate and work hard. If you’re displeased with social norms or limitations, then strive for change. If you’re tired of livim ing in tough and unstable times, then grab those around you who can encourage you and push harder to make it through—or at least wake up to the reality that the grass isn’t always greener on the other side. Kurdistan is a great place to live, for those who are willing to work for it. In a brief statement, the Iraqi Minim istry of Oil said a settlement has been reached between the two partm ties. They agreed that when current contracts between MMS and the KRG expire, the company will not load or transport Kurdish oil, unlm less it is sold through the country’s State Oil Marketing Organization (SOMO). Casualty Figures for March 2015 in Iraq PRESS PHOTO Peshmerga minister asks France for military help French President Francois Hollm lande met with a Kurdish Peshmm merga delegation on Wednesdm day at the Elysee Palace to discuss the possibility of armim ing Kurdish forces to help them defeat Islamic State. Known for his proactive role in France's intervention in Libym ya in 2011, French philosopher Bernard-Henri Levy was also present at the meeting. He accompanied the delegatm tion on a visit to the Paris kosher supermarket and a memorial outside the former headquarters of weekly satirical newspaper Charlie Hebdo, where sixteen people were killed by Islamist gunmen in January. Levy has been advocating the arming of Peshmerga fighters, particularly since the attack on Charlie Hebdo and the Hyper Cacher. "When we were in front of Mosul, I spoke to Commander Barzani about Charlie Hebdo and I told him that these were the same killers, the same enem emies and the same fight," he said, speaking to Minister of Peshmerga Affairs Mustafa Sayid Qadir. France's Defence Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian greeted Qadir, who was accompanied by Peshmerga Commander Sirwan Barzani and the represm sentative of the Kurdistan Regm gional Government in France, Khaman Zrar. While brave and well-led, the Kurds have found themselves outgunned in battles with Islm lamic State. Qadir appealed to the French government to aid Kurdish Peshmerga fighters by providim ing them with weapons. "Another reason for our meetim ing and our visit is to ask the president of the republic (of France) to help us a little bit more in terms of armament so we can defeat Islamic State as fast as possible," he said. More than 1,000 Peshmerga have been killed in combat with Islamic State militants since they overran a third of Iraq last summer, but several hundred Kurds have joined the other side and are fighting against their ethnic kin. France will send a key delem egation to Kurdistan Region in Iraq to double its support to Kurds and to arm Peshmerga forces in their fight against the terrorist Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant organization. Earlier, the French President Francios Hollande promised that his country “would supply weapons and ammunitions to the Kurdish forces fighting the ISIL in a meeting with Kurdish Minister of Peshmerga at the Elysee palace in Paris on last Wednesday.” “We have been promised weapons and ammunitions and when they are delivered, you will know what types of weapom ons they are,” said Kurdistan Regional Government Kurdistm tan Region Peshmerga Minister Mustafa Sayid Qadir at a press conference. PRESS PHOTO communities in Kurdistan and Iraq are spent under the umbm brella of peace, stability and victory, and that the terrorism, terrorists and their dark minds come to an end. We wish our Assyrian, Chaldm dean and Syriac sisters and brothers a peaceful and happy feast and hope they celebrate their next feast with joy and happiness in their own homes. According to casualty figures relm leased last week by UNAMI, a total of 997 Iraqis were killed and another 2,172 were injured in acts of terrorim ism and violence in March. The number of civilians killed was 729 (including 42 civilian police), and the number of civilians injured was 1,785 (including 98 civilian polm lice). A further 268 members of the Iraqi Security Forces (including Peshmm merga, SWAT and militias fighting alongside the Iraqi Army / Not incm cluding casualties from Anbar Opem erations) were killed and 387 were injured. Erbil Security: no IS fighters arrested in Erbil After several local websites in Kurdistan Region announced the arrm resting of ten terrorists affiliated to Islamic State (IS) in Erbil, the Kurdim ish capital citizens became worried. Regarding this news, "The Kurdim ish Globe" contacted Head of Erbil Security Directorate, Tariq Noori, who rejected the news and said no IS terrorists have been arrested in the city. KRG reveals the number of martyrs Ministerial Council congratulates Akito and New Year celebrations We sincerely congratulate our Assyrian, Chaldean, and Syriac sisters and brothers in Kurdistm tan, Iraq and all over the world, thousands of whose families have been forced leave their places of origin and live in refum ugee camps, on the occasion of the Assyrian and Babylonian New Year and the Akito feasts. We hope that the future feasts of the Christians and all the 6 The Kurdistan Regional Governmm ment’s Minister of Martyrs and Anfm fal Affairs has announced that 1,500 members of Kurdish forces have been killed since the beginning of the conflict with IS. Minister Mahmood Salih told the Voice of America, “About 1,500 Kurdish Peshmerga, police and secm curity forces have been killed up to now, and a larger number injured – some of them are receiving medicm cal treatment abroad.” No. 484, Monday, April 06, 2015 The Kurdish Globe Sports News PM Barzani: Peshmarga’s fight against terrorism is to protect human rights principles population represents on the Kurdistan Regm gional Government at a time when the Kurdim istan Region is going through a financial crism sis, lack of budget and a war which has been imposed on it by ISIS. According to a recent joint report by the Unitem ed Nations and KRG Ministry of Planning, the IDPs and refugees in Kurdistan Region represent 28 per cent of the local population. Despite the difficulties, the Kurdistan Region has accommodated and provided them all the assistance and services that it can. The visiting delegatm tion stressed that it will plead the plight of the IDPs and refugees befm fore the international community, in particulm lar the European countm tries, for them to provm vide further aid to the IDPs in the Kurdistan Region. The delegation also stressed that it will raise this issue at the conference of donor countries, which is scheduled to be held in Kuwait next week and will inform the audiem the frontline against terrorism. The delegatm tion expressed its govem ernment’s readiness to provide the necessary assistance for medical treatment to injured Peshmarga. Prime Minister Barzm zani said that the Peshmarga forces are fighting against ISIS terrorists in order to defend and protect the principles of human rights, which are valum ues that the Kurdistan Region shares with all supporters of freedom across the world. PRESS PHOTO Kurdistan Region Prime Minister, Nechirvan Barzani and his accompanying delem egation on Tuesday attended the mourning ceremony, held in Ankawa, for the late Patriam arch of the Assyrian Church of the East, His Holiness Mar Dinkha IV. The Prime Minister expm pressed his grief and sorrow to the Assyrian Church of the East and it followers, praisim ing highly the role that the late Patriarch Mar Dinkha IV played in promoting the spirit of brotherhood and coexistence among various ethnm nic and religious group in the Kurdistan Region and Iraq. and all the communities in Kurdistan and Iraq are spent under the umbrella of peace, stability and victory, and that the terrorism, terrm rorists and their dark minds come to an end. We wish our Assyrian, Chaldean and Syriac sisters and brothers a peaceful and happy feast and hope they celebrate their next feast with joy and happiness in their own homes By Swara Kadir economic development. What is the main source that is feeding this huge nanny state? Baghdad. It was grudgim ingly sending Kurdistan’s share of the budget. Kurdistm tan has been entirely dependm dent on Baghdad’s handouts with no alternative mean of income. Then it stopped all together, which brought the whole Kurdish economy to a standstill. Now we are getting what is equivalent to bread crumbs from Baghdad in excm change for giving them crude oil. Over the long term this creates a highly dependent, non-productive economy. Again the question is how could this have been avoided? This may seem simplistic, but there could have been another Ferguson: Neymar can reach Messi and Ronaldo Alex Ferguson believes Neymar is the player best placed to reach the standard set by Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronam aldo. Ferguson said: "The boy Neymar gets a lot of publicity about the potential he's got, but I think that's still to be seen, still to be fulfilled. Certainly, most people I speak to speak highly of the boy. When I had Anderson at United, he spoke volum umes about the boy's ability. So hopefully he'll be the next one who'll produce the type of talent we see in Messi and Ronam aldo." Rodgers: Liverpool will not sell Sterling How it could have been all avoided! The lack of capital injection from Baghdad into the Kurdim istan Region has slowly dried up the economy. The question is; how could it have been all avoided in the first place? I met with a senior official at the Ministry of Finance a few days ago. He said that we have around 1,400,000 people in Kurdistan on the governmm ment pay roll. Only around 640,000 of these are actually working in a government job, the rest are just getting paid. This huge number of employem ees is consuming more than 70% of the Kurdistan Regionam al Government budget, which is around $700,000,000, leavim ing only $300,000,000 for everything else, including reconstruction, growth and Lionel Messi has been the best performing forward in Europe's elite leagues in 2015, according to a CIES Football Observatory study, while it ranked Cristiano Ronaldo only 29th among forwards. Barcelona star Messi, who has scored 17 goals in La Liga since Jan. 1, rated as the most effective forward, with teammates Luis Suarez and Neymar also placing highlm ly at fourth and 12th respectively. PM Barzani attends the mourning ceremony of His Holiness Mar Dinkha IV Oil minister talks about Maliki’s corruptions We sincerely congratulate our Assyrian, Chaldean, and Syriac sisters and brothers in Kurdistan, Iraq and all over the world, thousands of whose families have been forced leave their places of origin and live in refugee camps, on the occm casion of the Assyrian and Babylonian New Year and the Akito feasts. We hope that the future feasts of the Christians ence about the extent of humanitarian duties that the Kurdistan Regm gional Government has implemented towards the displaced and refugm gees. Prime Minister Barzm zani emphasised that the Kurdistan Region has embraced all the displaced persons regm gardless of ethnicity, religion or sect. Both sides also discm cussed the current political situation in Iraq, the fight against ISIS and the progress made by the Kurdistan Peshmarga Forces on Lionel Messi ranks top in 2015 PRESS PHOTO Kurdistan Region Prime Minister, Nechirvm van Barzani, on Mondm day received Mr. Jean Asselborn, Minister of Foreign and European Affairs of Luxembourg and his accompanying delegation. The two sides discm cussed the situation of the internally displaced Iraqis and Syrian refugm gees that fled the violm lent repression of the Islamic State terrorim ist organisation, ISIS, and took refuge in the Kurdistan Region. They highlighted the heavy burden that this 7 way of using the twelve billm lion dollars that Kurdistan was getting, instead of just paying it as government wages to people. What I think would have been a better way of spending that money is for the K.R.G to have supported the private sector. How? By first creating the right envirm ronment, and body of laws. Second, by providing loans and subsidies for good projem ects. Third, by avoiding corrm rupt practices such as senior politicians having a stake in private businesses. Fourth, not allowing foreign workers to work in Kurdistan except for senior managerial and training positions. The K.R.G could in return start a private –sector- hiring- program that would shift peopm ple from the government payrm roll to working in the private sector. As a result it would not have ended up with the cumbm bersome nanny state that we now have. Inevitably, because of competition and the profit motive, those people working in the private sector would have to be productive or else get the sack. Fat chance of that happening in the governmm ment sector! In the end, the K.R.G needs to encourage private enterpm prise and bolster the private sector. That, in my opinion, is the best way to create a strong independent economy with a productive labour force. [email protected] With Sterling's future in doubt, the likes of Arsenal and Manchester City have been linked with a move for his services, but Liverpool boss Rodgers has no intentm tion of letting his prized asset go. "Raheem is not going anywhere this summer," he said. "As a club we've shown that [money does not come in to it]. If the club doesn't want to sell, it won't sell. "I'm quite relaxed on it. It's part of the modern game. Raheem still has a lot of improvements. This a great place for him." Simeone: The battle for third is tough - but I like it Diego Simeone believes the fight for third place in La Liga has become extm tremely difficult for Atletico Madrid - but he is happy to see more competition in the league. "It's complicated because Valencia and Sevilla have grown a lot since last seasm son," he told reporters. "Villarreal have continued their upward trend and that is good for competition in La Liga. Hopefm fully over the course of the next few games, at the end of the season, we will be closer." ERBIL WEATHER FORECAST MON TUE WED THU FRI SAT SUN 25 28 28 30 26 20 20 9 13 14 17 10 7 8 Rostam Zada is an artist from Eastern Kurdistm tan-Iran. He is an experm rienced and an innovatm tive painter. Muhamad Salih Rostam Zada is his full name, but he is known as Namo. He is teaching art at the College of Fine Arts in Hawler. Namo was born in 1964 in the city of Bokan. He got his BA in the department of painting, College of Fine Arts in Tahran in 1993. He got his MA degree in painting with excellent degree. He’s gained artistic membm bership in Southern Kurdistan, and he’s the honorary member in the Council of Artists and Sculptors in Tahran. Kurdish artists in Eastem ern Kurdistan, like other artists in the world, want and have been able to shift the level of art and handworks to a high level. Consequently, they have gained populm larity in their country. For this purpose, they have worked very hard. The art of Rostam Zada, in addition of being profm fessional, appears to be contemporary. He has used many techniques and methods to express his ideas and themes in his works. GLOBE PHOTO The Kurdish Painter Rostam Zada He’s employed the Kurdish motifs and cultm ture in his paintings. He himself is deeply commm mitted to what is Kurdim ish. That’s why he has been influenced and insm spired by his surroundim ings. His choice of colom or is a good example of this fact. Innovation and renewal have special importance for Rostam Zada, especially in the used technique and the execution of his paintim ings. In every exhibition, he introduces a group of new forms and styles. Rostam Zada has had One of the modern works of Rostamzada exhibitions in the citim ies of Sina, Bokan, Saqz and other places. The exhibitions create dialogues between his works and the Kurdim ish audience. He too has shown his works in Suleimani and Hawler. Now he teaches art at the College of Fine Arts in Hawler. He is an expm perienced leader that can inspire his students and introduce them to the magic world of cream ativity. By Ashti Garmiyani "Where is the Land", a 81-minute drama film dirm rected and co-written by Hushyar Nerwayi, is an amazing movie that expm plores the extent of humm man compliance and the lengths in which callous ignorance will sustain it. At first, it appears to be centered on Bewar but, later on, the film starts to revolve and focus on the decisions and viewpoint of his wife, Behar. Bewar and his wife live in a small village in Kurdim istan near the Turkish bordm der. Behar is pregnant with their third child which happens to be a girl. With two other daughters as proof Bewar is convinced that his wife can only give birth to females and in his desperation to get a son he decides to marry a second wife. The father of Bewars second wife reluctantly agrees to give his blessing but only if Behar is fine with it. Persuading Behar to give her consent, he somehow manages to convince her to accompany him on a perilous journey across the border. Along the way, Behm har finds her own compliam ant and tolerant behaviour waning as she's forced to face her own doubts and thoughts- something that her husband does not expm pect. "Where is the Land?" is a breathtaking cinematic expm perience that follows the realization of an oppressed female and the dissolution of her own unconsciously submissive behaviour. H.G. Hassan PRESS PHOTO The Kurdish film “Where is the Land?”
© Copyright 2024