Besides Oil, Water Needs Equal Protection for Kurdistan’s Future

In recent years the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) has signed dozens of contracts and built numerous oil pipelines and infrastructures to secure the future of the Kurdish people. However, Kurdistan is also rich in other natural resources, which must not be overlooked because they are equally important.

In addition to vast oceanic quantities of oil, some of the other natural resources include vast and fertile agricultural plains, large deposits of minerals and swarms of fresh water reserves, thanks to Kurdistan’s mountainous terrains, valleys and slopes.

While the global community is hungry for Kurdish oil as an “emerging” commodity, the development, securing and protection of Kurdistan’s other natural resources should not be ignored -- especially the need to protect Kurdistan’s water supplies. This includes the protection of water dams, reservoirs, lakes and rivers against terrorist acts and deliberate sabotage.

Given the current security situation in Iraq, the KRG has rightfully deployed Peshmerga Forces and focused on securing its borders to ensure the protection of civilians and critical infrastructure against terrorist acts by groups such as the Islamic State (ISIS). However, in doing so, an abundant supply of fresh drinking water to sustain life in Kurdistan (and the rest of Iraq for that matter) has been left largely vulnerable against legitimate security concerns and vulnerable to terrorists looking to gain an upper hand in this conflict.

As security in the rest of Iraq has spiraled out of control -- and given the elevated terrorist tactics to outdo their own ruthlessness to further their cause -- they will stop at nothing to advance this cause. Terrorist organizations such as ISIS have no boundaries in pursuit of their “jihad.”

With this in mind, the safety and security of Kurdistan’s water supplies must not be jeopardized against sabotage, illicit contamination, poisoning and other acts of terrorism, meant to “thirst out” the civilian populations and exploit the anger that such a disaster could provoke against the government.

Such an act of terrorism could have a dramatic cause and effect on the population of the Kurdistan Region, causing thousands of deaths and perhaps irreversible damage to the environment and the agriculture sector, just to name a few. This could also have negative consequences for the economic stability and regional security that the Kurds desire.

Like oil, water is an important factor. Therefore, the importance of water security resources cannot be overstressed. The KRG should take not only preventive measures against a possible attack on water resources, it should also focus on preparing an “emergency response plan” should one take place.

A “proactive approach” is much more beneficial to the security and stability of the region than a “reactive” solution, after the fact.

Ala Jaff is a practicing police and security professional in Canada. He holds a Police Foundations diploma and a BA in Law. He is currently working towards his Masters degree in Criminal Justice, Governance and Police Science.