One goal, one voice: unpaid Peshmerga bemoan protests
As violent protests raged in the streets of Sulaimani this week, a Peshmerga fighter at the scene made a simple but powerful gesture: he placed a flower in the barrel of his machine gun as a symbolic appeal for peace.
“It is a shame that I am here in Sulaimani protecting headquarters and not on the frontlines fighting ISIS anymore,” said the Peshmerga, who spoke to Rudaw on condition of anonymity.
It’s a complaint heard often from the Peshmerga who have been pulled from the disputed borders to protect the region from the internal violence that has so far claimed the lives of five people and left hundreds more wounded.
“We have been standing guard in front of our own people for the past week. But let’s just ask ourselves, ‘What can you do against your own people?’” said Muhammad Najm, a Peshmerga who called on the protesters and political parties to stay calm and avoid violence.
The protests started last week when public school teachers took to the streets in Sulaimani province to demand four months of unpaid salaries. The demonstrators were soon joined by thousands of Kurdish citizens who are angry about the lack of pay and frustrated with the current government.
The situation turned violent as the protests grew. At least three offices of the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) were torched in the Sulaimani province towns of Qaladze, Kalar, Sangasar, and Zharawa.
It has been estimated that some 1 million civil servants have not received their pay from the Kurdistan Regional Government since July. Salaries have been withheld from teachers, doctors and other public servants, but they have also been withheld, in some cases for even longer periods, from the Peshmerga forces fighting on the frontlines.
Consider Farhad Nezar Kakai, a commander on the Daquq frontline in Kirkuk province, who told Rudaw his troops have not been paid for three months. He said he understands the demands of the protesters, but he cannot support their methods.
“Using violence has created a situation when several people have lost their lives. The protesters need to ask for their rights in a peaceful way,” said Kakai.
“We as Peshmerga feel saddened by the situation, but the Peshmerga have great morale and don’t belong to any political parties. We will continue fighting a common enemy, which is ISIS,” he added.
The plight of the Peshmerga – unpaid for months and mostly outgunned by ISIS – has underscored the different realities at play in the Kurdistan region as protests continue in Sulaimani province.
Rasoul Omar, commander of the 4th frontline in Kirkuk province, said the ongoing political and economic crises have done little to dim the morale of the Kurdish forces.
“We are only the soldiers of motherland and we will protect Kurdistan,” he said.
“It is a shame that I am here in Sulaimani protecting headquarters and not on the frontlines fighting ISIS anymore,” said the Peshmerga, who spoke to Rudaw on condition of anonymity.
It’s a complaint heard often from the Peshmerga who have been pulled from the disputed borders to protect the region from the internal violence that has so far claimed the lives of five people and left hundreds more wounded.
“We have been standing guard in front of our own people for the past week. But let’s just ask ourselves, ‘What can you do against your own people?’” said Muhammad Najm, a Peshmerga who called on the protesters and political parties to stay calm and avoid violence.
The protests started last week when public school teachers took to the streets in Sulaimani province to demand four months of unpaid salaries. The demonstrators were soon joined by thousands of Kurdish citizens who are angry about the lack of pay and frustrated with the current government.
The situation turned violent as the protests grew. At least three offices of the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) were torched in the Sulaimani province towns of Qaladze, Kalar, Sangasar, and Zharawa.
It has been estimated that some 1 million civil servants have not received their pay from the Kurdistan Regional Government since July. Salaries have been withheld from teachers, doctors and other public servants, but they have also been withheld, in some cases for even longer periods, from the Peshmerga forces fighting on the frontlines.
Consider Farhad Nezar Kakai, a commander on the Daquq frontline in Kirkuk province, who told Rudaw his troops have not been paid for three months. He said he understands the demands of the protesters, but he cannot support their methods.
“Using violence has created a situation when several people have lost their lives. The protesters need to ask for their rights in a peaceful way,” said Kakai.
“We as Peshmerga feel saddened by the situation, but the Peshmerga have great morale and don’t belong to any political parties. We will continue fighting a common enemy, which is ISIS,” he added.
The plight of the Peshmerga – unpaid for months and mostly outgunned by ISIS – has underscored the different realities at play in the Kurdistan region as protests continue in Sulaimani province.
Rasoul Omar, commander of the 4th frontline in Kirkuk province, said the ongoing political and economic crises have done little to dim the morale of the Kurdish forces.
“We are only the soldiers of motherland and we will protect Kurdistan,” he said.