By Sherko Habib
After the liberation of Iraq in 2003, the Kurds participated in establishing a pluralistic federal state based on democratic principles, where all communities had rights and all parties abided by the constitution and the principles of coexistence. Unfortunately, what was unexpected happened—after some groups gained power, they sought to restore dictatorship in Iraq. That is why President Barzani sounded the alarm in Newroz 2012. However, some parties in Kurdistan ignored it, while certain factions in Baghdad turned against Kurdistan and President Barzani.
In Baghdad, some parties still practice chauvinism and religious extremism against others. They seek to revive the Arabization and forced relocation of Kurds, just as in the past. Now, amid salary and budget issues, their efforts are focused on controlling Kurdistan and its wealth. Today, they want to pressure the people of Kurdistan through a regime that not only lacks authority over other parts of Iraq but even over the Green Zone. Through their chauvinist mindset, they have deliberately entangled salaries with political issues, disregarding the constitution.
Iraq’s problems go far beyond salaries and budgets. Many unresolved issues have persisted since the state’s establishment over a century ago. Despite this, some parties and inexperienced politicians in Kurdistan blame the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) for the salary crisis. However, the KRG has remained committed to the constitution and its agreements, while the Iraqi authorities actively support those who oppose the KRG, particularly the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP), in an effort to weaken it.
Baghdad wants Kurdistan to regress into darkness, stripping it of progress, peace, and prosperity—unlike other parts of Iraq, which, despite massive budgets, remain underdeveloped. For example, Basra, one of the wealthiest cities in the world, still suffers under Baghdad’s rule. The authorities in Baghdad continue to operate under the same outdated and oppressive policies of previous regimes. Their actions prove that Iraq cannot achieve peace until the Kurdish issue is resolved.
Baghdad seeks to treat Kurdistan as merely another Iraqi province rather than a constitutionally recognised region. They want Kurds to be second-class citizens under their rule. But that dream is impossible. It is crucial for Baghdad to learn from history—what Baghdad envisions is nothing more than a fantasy.