Thousands Protest in Dohuk Against ‘Baghdad’s Policy Toward Kurdistan
(AWP) - Thousands of Kurds gathered at Nawroz Square in Dohuk city centre in Iraqi Kurdistan to denounce the policies of Baghdad's federal government towards the autonomous region.
The protesters urged the federal government to “abide by the constitution and the law on the state budget and Baghdad’s implementation of the agreements concluded with the Kurdistan region.”
Kurdish media said the protesters sent a memorandum to the international organizations operating in Kurdistan and Iraq to notify them of their demands for compliance with the state budget law guaranteeing the salaries of the employees and all financial dues of the region.
Anas Mohamed Sharif, a professor at Dohuk University, delivered a speech on behalf of the unions and civil society organizations, in which he urged the Iraqi government to apply the constitution.
He said, “Abidance by the constitution must be respected by the Iraqi government and all parties in the political process.
We demand an end to these wrong and failed policies towards the Iraqi Kurdistan Region, the application of all items of the constitution, including Article 140, commitment to implementing the agreements signed between the region and the federal government and abidance by the law on the state budget in a manner that guarantees employees’ salaries and all financial dues of the region.”
Mohamed Waadallah, a protester, said the demonstrators had gathered at Nawroz Square to claim their rights from the Iraqi government and call for the implementation of all decisions regarding the Iraqi Kurdistan Region.
“They act upon the principle that the Kurds and Arabs are brothers. If we’re really brothers, then why shouldn’t they apply their own laws? We demand our rights and the disbursement of the Iraqi Kurdistan Region government’s budget and the payment of salaries to the region’s employees.”