A senior Shiite cleric and leader of one of the main Shiite parliamentary blocs in the Iraqi parliament describes Kirkuk as tidy and the bucket of flower, a miniature Iraq.
Ammar al-Hakim, head of al-Hikma (Wisdoms) National Movement holding 19 seats in the Iraqi parliament, met acting governor of Kirkuk and directors of state-run offices on Friday, June 4th.
“This is my first trip. Kirkuk is a miniature Iraq and the bucket of flower for all Iraq with all its diversities. If the situation is stable in Kirkuk, it means stability of Iraq. Coexistence among components of Kirkuk means a unified Iraq,” he addressed the attendants of the meeting.
AL-Hakim called on Kirkukis to be proud of themselves and give no chance to the “terrorists.”
“Kirkuk needs development. I have never believed for Kirkuk to be so clean and tidy.
“Kirkuk needs development. I have never believed for Kirkuk to be so clean and tidy.
The comments by al-Hakim comes amid wide protests by the locals about poor public service in the oil-rich city in particular collection of garbage for which local authorities blame Baghdad for sending short budget enables them to collect only 200-400 tons of garbage while garbage of Kirkuk mounts to 1200 tons daily.
Faraidoun Adel, head of Kirkuk municipality said 1.2 million Iraqi Dinars (800,000 USD) can cover their monthly expense compared to only 200 million IQD ($134,000) received in a month from Baghdad. “We can clean one sector of Kirkuk downtown divided into six sectors,” Adel said.
The northern oil-rich city of Kirkuk, Iraq's second largest oil reserves, is ethnically a mixed province for 1.2 million Kurds, Arabs, and Turkmen. It has long been at the center of disputes between Baghdad and the autonomous Kurdistan Regional Government KRG.
The five oil fields of Kirkuk have produced over three million barrels in May for 199 million Dollars while in April it has pumped only 2.86 million barrels making $177 M, Iraqi ministry of oil said.
Kirkuk, April 2021- piles of garbage can be seen all over the streets. Photo by Goran Baban.
Al-Hakim clarified the slow path of state-funded projects has to do with the political situation “which has negative impact on all the sectors and weakens its progress.”
the political situation has negative impact on all the sectors and weakens its progress
“A strong Iraq means strong citizens so that people and the state unite, feel accountable and show passion for the state. Organization of social relationships and the ties between the components guarantees a welfare country.
Al-Hakim said Kirkuk passed through a hard political security condition under the dictator regime of Baath Party and big changes in the age of democracy “so building a state means building a community.”
The leader of al-Hikma said he believes that “people of Kirkuk are in good ties and have no issue together yet it’s the politicians whom implant sectarian feud for political purposes. Then the competing parties meet and share the cake and ordinary people pay for it.
“The ethnic discourse aims at the same target.”
The trip by al-Haki to Kirkuk coincides with preparation of e political parties for the upcoming parliamentary elections in October 2021 for 329 seats f Iraqi parliament.
