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Finnish report about Iraqi Kurdistan
region
30.6.2008
By Dr Kristiina Koivunen
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June
30, 2008
Finnish Immigration Service has made a report about
North Iraq and put it to internet. The 42 pages long
report is made by a fact finding team of three
people. They collected information from various
sources, like UNAMI and other international
organisations. They also made a six days long
journey to Iraqi Kurdistan Region last October.
Finnish Immigration Service is making decisions to
asylum applications and information has been
collected mainly for this purpose. As there is
common information about Kurdistan Regional
Government (KRG) Region in the report, it can be
used also by people who are interested in North Iraq
for other reasons.
The report gives mainly a positive picture about
life in KRG Region, especially it pays attention to
the good security situation.
During the spring there has been in Europe quite lot
criticism about the situation of Assyrians and other
Christian minorities in Iraq. For example in the
International Compact with Iraq Conference in
Stockholm at the end of May some Assyrians raised
their voices.
The Finnish team found the situation of Christian
minorities to be normal in KRG Region. The report
says:
"Due to the stable situation the three northern
governorates have become a safe haven for internally
displaced persons, for instance Christians, who told
the fact finding team that the situation of
Christians resembles something like a normal life in
the KRG region. Christians have been welcomed by the
local population in the three northern governorates.
They have had a good relationship and are respected
by their moderate Muslim neighbours, but consider
radical Islamists a threat."
The team noticed last October that the Christians
were worried about the PKK conflict, which touches
areas near the border where Christian people are
settled, and where shelling has occurred.
“Some informants pointed out, that the Turkish army
has already for years had several outposts inside
the KRG region, at least in Bamarne and Zakho
districts of Duhok governorate“, says the report.
The Finnish team did not visit Kirkuk last October
as they found it too dangerous. They write that the
security situation in Kirkuk was bad and say:
“Some informants thought that the resolving of the
Kirkuk issue would take a long time. Ownership
issues remain a large problem, as lost property such
as houses have been sold several times over, and may
have many claims of ownership by different people.”
The report draws a potential link between the
increase of Islamic terrorism and the situation of
Kurdish youth:
“During the fact-finding journey, no terror attacks
were reported in KRG Region. Some informants
mentioned that the youth in Kurdistan is at a
critical stage,www.ekurd.net
due to economic
hardships, unemployment and the lack of meaningful
activities. Due to these circumstances, some join
mosques and become extremists. Youth care is needed,
and informants suggested that the West help to set
up activities such as youth centres.”
In the human rights situation the report does not
find too many causes for criticism. Any way, the
long waiting times for some detained persons before
trial is not acceptable according to international
standards. The report says:
"Pretrial detaining periods are long. There are some
detainees who are from Mosul or Kirkuk. KRG courts
claim that they have no jurisdiction to try them.
These people are therefore in a legal limbo. They
have been detained, but have not been charged of any
crime, and there is no apparent solution to their
cases."
The team found problems also with the trial process:
“Most of the detainees are not satisfied with the
trial process, often they have no information on the
appeals’ process, and many have had no access to a
lawyer”, says the report.
It also states that according to UNAMI, prison
conditions do not meet international standards.
One area of criticism is the situation of women. The
report mentions that it is bad in many rural areas.
The situation of honour related violence is very
alarming. The amount of women’s suicides has doubled
between 2002 and 2007.
“An important factor in the increase of honour
related violence is the increasing use of mobile
phones, as SMS-messages and the saved phone numbers
of men reveal unacceptable relationships”, says the
report. But it continues:
“At the same time, awareness of the situation has
increased. Women today seek help against domestic
violence more readily than before. However,
available shelters are full, and women cannot often
return from the shelters to their families. Some
women have been killed after they have returned to
their families.”
The report pays mainly attention to problems where
improvement is necessary. But it says about mass
media that there exists some degree of freedom of
expression. Journals have been able to criticise the
administration and to write articles on corruption,
without having been charged.
It also says that the civil society in KRG Region is
active.
The report gives detailed information about the
health care and problems in it. When thinking about
them it should be kept in mind that the problems are
caused by the international sanctions which hindered
development of health care system.
It is noteworthy that there exists no public
psychological treatment in KRG Region. There are no
government programmes for the treatment of PTSD
(Post Traumatic Stress Disorder). This is a big
problem when keeping in mind in how much Kurds have
suffered for decades because of wars, Anfal and
other Saddam’s atrocities. NGOs (non-governmental
organisations) are too busy with helping internally
displaced persons with basic necessities such as
water and sanitation to concentrate on mental care
issues.
The report tells about the housing problems in KRG
Region. The number of internally displaced families
is about 100 000 – 150 000. The future of
displacement depends on the outcome of the Iraqi
war. The report pays attention that Kurdish families
flee violence to KRG Region from Mosul but not from
Kirkuk.
The report is available in English language in
internet
here in PDF
from migri.fi
Dr Kristiina Koivunen, is a writer, social worker
and Turkey coordinator of the Finnish PEN. * * *
Matkaopas monikulttuurisesta Tukholmasta ilmestyy
LIKEn Sankarimatkailijoiden sarjassa 2008.
Copyright, respective author or news agency Dr
Kristiina Koivunen | sahmaran blogspot.com
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