"The city is administered through martial laws and measures", said the alliance in a joint press conference on Tuesday.
The group, calling itself the Social Alliance of Kirkuk's People, was formed after Baghdad established customs points between Kirkuk province and Erbil and Sulaimani provinces. They argue the customs points have and will continue to lead to increase prices.
They called on all the people of Kirkuk to close their shops for an hour at 9 am on October 16 in a show of solidarity.
"Abolish military rule over Kirkuk," the group said, claiming there has been a “broad military attack" by Iraq's armed forces and a retreat of Kurdish forces.
Humvees and armed individuals on the streets have become "a daily phenomenon.”
On October 16, 2017, Iraqi federal forces supported by Iran-backed Hashd al-Shaabi paramilitary forces took the oil-rich province from Kurdistan’s security forces and Peshmerga. The government in Baghdad then ousted Governor Najmaldin Karim, a Kurd, and appointed an Arab to fill his role.
According to the Iraqi constitution that holds a special status for Kirkuk as a disputed area, only the provincial council can choose the governor until Article 140 is implemented, a referendum to determine to province’s status.
"Despite all the hurdles, we have promised the people of Kirkuk to be have control over their own destiny, to think of their own fate," said a member of the organization.
Acting Kirkuk Governor Rakan al-Jabouri represents the "wing of Arab chauvinism,” according to the alliance that claimed he is sowing the "seeds of sedition and rivalries" by ousting people from posts and creating trouble for Kurdish and Turkmen farmers.
"Besides that, burglary and corruption have cast their wing on this city," added the activists.
They called the establishment of customs points between provinces of one country banditry.
"This has put a further heavy burden on people's shoulders. It is more difficult for them to obtain their livelihoods, or not at all,” said the alliance.
Baghdad has set up two customs points, one on the Erbil-Kirkuk road, and the other on Sulaimani-Kirkuk road. Goods, once taxed upon entry into the Kurdistan Region, are taxed again on those checkpoints, drastically increasing price of goods.
The alliance demanded for those responsible for establishing the customs points to be held accountable and punished.
It stems from lack of an agreement between Baghdad and Erbil. While both have agreed on unifying customs fees, the two sides haven’t been able to agree on who should receive the revenue.
Baghdad argues because it pays the employees at customs points which are under federal jurisdiction, revenues should return to its treasury. KRG argues otherwise.
