How come that poor kurds cannot share with the wealth of their leaders? Why would a kurdish leader treat non-kurds good when he oppresses his own kurds that much?

A sad report of the truth in Norhtern Iraq:

Arbil -- Iraqi Kurds complain of nepotism and power abuse. Just a small group of powerful officials benefits from the economic boom in the Kurdish region of Iraq. The regular citizens complain of nepotism and corruption. But the two parties have lost a lot of support among their population.

Two design kitchens are shining in the showroom of the new villa district Dream-city. A Kurdish couple, he in the double-breasted suite, she in a yellow coat with a fitting headscarf, let their hands slide on the cupboard and the sink, over a year their villa will be completed at the edge of the city Arbil.

A smiley salesman is showing and demonstrating all the equipments, wardrobes and the design faucets to the couple. From the 1.200 villas that will be built in the southern part of Arbil, the half is already sold. Prices ranging between 150.000 and 650.000 euro, makes the villas of Dream-city only available for VIPs, says the real estate agent Jabbar Mazem.

Important people in Arbil are the high officials of the Kurdistan Democratic Party, who dominate this part of the Kurdish region. They will not lack anything in Dream-city. There will be schools, western supermarkets, and Internet connections. High walls and guards will surround the whole complex. " Nobody will be able to enter easily", Mazem ensures us . "Who lives here, will be safe from the outside world". Danger is not the reason, in this region which is been split since 1991 between the KDP and its rival patriotic union of Kurdistan(PUK). Now the central rule of Saddam Hussein has been ended by the American allies, the confidence of the Kurdish parties is rising with no limit. Huge projects, one after the other, is being started. Recently an international airport has been opened in Arbil, arranging direct flights to Frankfurt and Beirut.

In Suleimani, where PUK dominates, they are working on large hotels. The American president George Bush often labels Kurdistan as democratic and economically an example for the rest of Iraq. But in reality, slogans about prosperity and democracy are angering the Kurdish population increasingly these days. The economy is growing, but only a small group of powerful officials are benefiting from it. With an average salary of 200 euro a month, most of the Kurds have little interest in these mega-projects, or they can take a job as a guard.

While the bulldozers preparing the construction site of Dream-city, there is only a few hours a day of electricity. And since last week there is no petrol available for regular Kurds. Black traders where you can find them everywhere, sell petrol for fierce prices. Who knows the right people or have money can drive these days. Selling large pieces of land, and construction contracts goes exclusively to those who are near the power. Everyone here has a story about corruption, nepotism and power abuse by the members of the two large political parties.

"A teacher was allowed to buy a piece of land near the new airport, but a couple of months later, he was forced to sell it back to the government for the same price", tells Najad Ahmad (26), editor of the independent Hawlati newspaper. That land was necessary for Dream-city. Last week there was a fight in a high school in Arbil. One of the boys, son of a KDP member, brought 4 militia members to beat up his rival. "Nepotism is part of daily life", explain Ahmad.

The political life in Iraqi Kurdistan is totally dominated by PUK and KDP. "The problem is, that the two parties and the government here are identical". Says Nabas Goran (26). " In Kurdistan, there is no citizen rights, you are a party member or not". Goran is co-founder of the movement Tarmaie(Shadow). The non-party students and intellectuals, who are members of Tarmaie, want to address and exterminate corruption, demand more rights and voice for regular citizens.

The Kurds are allowed to vote, so there is democracy, the two party arguments. At the same time, both parties refuse to merge the two parts of Iraqi Kurdistan and establish a single administration: a step, which can lead to a true electoral competition. For regular Kurds, democracy ends at the ballot boxes. There is no freedom of expression, law enforcement and separation of power. That is what Tarmaie concludes a couple of weeks ago. In reaction to the anti-government demonstration in the Kurdish city Kalar, 30 members of the group wanted to demonstrate as well in Arbil. In the demonstration of Kalar, police bullets wounded 8 people. The goal of the demonstration was achieved, more hours electricity and fuel.

" It is clear that parties only listen to public disobedience", says Goran. But demonstrating in Arbil without permission is forbidden, and behind every tree stands security agents. The demonstration had to stop.

Tarmaie is not alone. Since the Iraqi parliament elections of January,there is a swing under the population. The parties, which were sacred before the fall of Saddam, have lost their credibility in this form; and they are not considered serious options for the future. This is the reason why many Kurds did not go for the vote on constitution in 15 October (although it was announced by the government that 84% voted in Arbil). The political mood is changed, remarks Najad Ahmad the editor of Hawlati.

"The Kurdish citizens are taking advantage of the focus of the world on Iraq, to dare express more ". The KDP is clearly shocked according to hem. That's why; a youth parliament has been founded. But critical youth took immediately distance from this initiative. Through a signature campaign, many young Kurds denounced the Youth parliament and labeled it as not representative.

The chairman of the KDP in the parliament, Nasih Ghafoor Ramadan, is aware of the people's complain, but he doesn't want to discuss it deeper. He thinks" People have the right to complain, but some exaggerate".

"We know that we have problems supplying electricity and fuel, and that will stay like that for awhile" explains another party spokesman. According to the dissident Goran, change is inevitable. "There has not been any change here for very long time, and that frustrates and anger people. People are becoming more critical, and think for themselves" Says Goran. "And that will lead to something".

By Thomas Erdbrink
NRC Handelsblad NL