By |  Dr. Nazaket Hussen

Economic punishment is the harshest form of punishment, as it leads to misery, crises, disease, and societal collapse.

Since 2014, the Kurdistan Region has faced economic sanctions and crises under various pretexts imposed by the Baghdad authorities. These measures range from cutting the region’s budget to halting its oil exports. Additionally, the citizens of this region have endured years of psychological warfare, including inconsistent treatment regarding their salaries. Beyond this, other financial entitlements owed to the Kurdistan Region have been completely withheld.

This approach is neither a technical issue nor a misunderstanding. There is no legitimate or principled excuse for such actions other than to create a crisis aimed at hindering the region’s economic, agricultural, tourism, and diplomatic development while diverting attention to these ongoing problems.

In such circumstances, the international community, particularly the countries closely observing Iraq and the Kurdistan Region, should not remain silent. They must support the people of the Kurdistan Region and oppose this injustice. Failure to act will lead to a humanitarian crisis, exacerbating hunger and poverty in the region and destabilizing it further.

The people of the Kurdistan Region have already endured 30 years of oppression under the former Iraqi regime. They played a pivotal role in ending that regime and later contributed significantly to the fight against ISIS and terrorism in the region.

Today, the people of the Kurdistan Region, deprived of their rightful share of Iraq’s income, continue to suffer. Baghdad’s actions are undoubtedly agenda-driven, and the international community and human rights organizations must not remain silent as innocent citizens become victims of political maneuvers designed to punish and starve the Kurdistan Region.