Paywand Hamaamin – Activists
For years, the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) has presented itself to the global community as a democratic achievement within Iraq. However, in truth, it falls far short of that image. Beneath the surface of well-crafted speeches and international handshakes is a deeply flawed, family-centered system that serves the interests of a powerful few at the expense of the Kurdish population.
The KRG’s power structure is not rooted in democracy but in hereditary control. The Barzani family (leading the KDP) and the Talabani family (heading the PUK) have divided the region among themselves like a shared inheritance, dominating land, oil resources, security forces, and all key institutions. This is not representative governance—it is a political monopoly run by two families.
Corruption within the KRG is not an occasional misstep; it is embedded in the system itself. Public funds are systematically diverted into private hands through schemes such as illegal oil exports and unlawful land seizures. There is little to no transparency, no meaningful accountability, and no sense of wrongdoing. Those who dare speak out often face detention—or worse.
The cost of speaking truth can be deadly. Just ask the grieving families of slain journalists like Kawa Garmiani and Sardasht Osman. Dissent is treated as a crime, peaceful demonstrations are met with force, and civil society faces relentless pressure and suppression.
Public services across the region continue to deteriorate. Teachers go unpaid, hospitals operate without essential supplies, and many young people see only one future: emigration. Despite the billions generated from oil exports, everyday life remains mired in crisis.
This is not a government serving its people—it is a privileged elite operating like a cartel. Real change will remain impossible unless the networks of patronage are dismantled and genuine reforms—like press freedom and independent judicial systems—are put in place.
The international community must stop viewing the KRG as a beacon of democracy. It is not. No more unconditional aid. No more uncritical diplomatic support. Any engagement must include real accountability or risk becoming complicit in ongoing abuses.
Kurdistan once held great promise—but today, it stands as a cautionary tale: when power is inherited rather than earned, the people are the ones who suffer.
