Covid-19 in Iraqi Kurdistan: health emergency or political manipulation?

Audio 02:31

By: Oriane Verdier Follow

While Iran seems to be facing a second wave of coronaviruses, the small border region of Iraqi Kurdistan is also worried. The Minister of Health announced Tuesday that 75% of cases in the region had been reported in the past month. A health emergency for some, political manipulation for others in order to control an angry population.

Publicity

Last March, the authorities of Iraqi Kurdistan quickly imposed strict military confinement. But faced with the need to feed their families, the inhabitants of the autonomous region quickly returned to work. A reaction that this policeman who prefers to remain anonymous fully understands.

“  Today there is no longer any trust between the authorities and the people. So at the beginning we wanted to install a containment, we all received instructions from the police to enforce this containment. But people refused to follow these orders. Quickly the government was forced to back down.  "

This policeman, like many of his colleagues, refused to fight against a people whose difficulties he shares. For years, violently repressed demonstrations have accused the government of Iraqi Kurdistan of corruption. Our interlocutor, once his service ended, himself joined the ranks of the demonstrators. “  The protests that have taken place in recent days have been caused by the injustice that reigns in Kurdistan. An example : we are in June, and we civil servants, have still not received our salary for February. It is a disaster. People live in misery. If you are not given a salary or enough to meet basic needs. You are obliged to act, to speak.  "

Despite the fear of the Covid-19 in a region with a failing hospital system, the anger of the population has only worsened in the face of the management of the health and then economic crisis by the authorities. The different political parties accuse each other of worsening the situation to take advantage of it.

In the streets, the demonstrators refuse to give up their movement. Delshad Babani has been one of the protagonists for years. "  Today, if the government continues to use the coronavirus as an excuse to control us, we will have two choices : The first is to demonstrate while respecting safe distances. In this case, we will have to stay on the street for a long time. The other solution requires a lot of discussion. We are currently in contact with other protest committees. We want to unite and walk together to the capital Erbil. If we are prevented from entering it we want the consulates, the Iraqi parliament, the whole world to know. Let everyone know that the lives of our citizens are in danger.  "

In recent days, protests have reached generally more controlled towns of Dohuk and Erbil. They were quickly suffocated by dozens of arrests and disappearances.

Our selection on the coronavirus

• Listen to our Coronavirus Info column 

• Our  explanations  :
→  What we know about the mode of contagion
→  Disparities and inequalities in the face of the coronavirus
→  Triple therapy, Discovery… update on research
→  Remdesivir, antibodies and immunity
→  The race for the vaccine is in full swing
→  How to make a mask and use it well

• Our series  :
→ “  The response, country by country  ”
→ “  Nurses  ' words ”

• After Covid-19, towards a new world?

• See also the files of RFI Savoirs on the Covid-19:
→  Birth of a pandemic
→  Everyday life put to the test
→  The history of epidemics
→  Science facing the Covid-19
→  The geopolitical consequences

Newsletter Receive all international news directly in your mailbox

Follow all international news by downloading the RFI application

• Iraq
• Coronavirus

On the same subject

Iraqi Kurdistan: Delayed Pay for Doctors Who Fighted Coronavirus

Severe containment in Iraqi Kurdistan to stem the spread of the coronavirus