Kurdistan
Referendum: July 8, 2017 President Barzani, announced that a referendum would
be held in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq in order to determine whether to remain
part of Iraq, or to establish a Kurdish state.
As
the region and the Iraqi government were in tense relations and many problems,
and the advent of the Islamic state had a great impact on exacerbating these
differences.
Despite
the many calls for Kurdistan government to retreat, the leaders insisted on
proceeding with the referendum, which created internal and external problems
for Kurdistan, and this referendum had many advantages and disadvantages
aspects, including what we will mention.
Advantages
Strengthen
the internal relations in Kurdistan and unite the ranks and strengthen the
internal front, which will adhere more to their national rights.
It
will also open their eyes on the dangers surrounding serious and practical
thinking to establish a state can stand in the face of challenges to weaken the
power of those who sank the region and corruption will not be a state in the
presence of all this amount of corruption.
Self-sufficiency
Kurdistan Region Unfortunately, it was idle in the years of oil prosperity and
it imported 90% of its needs from neighboring countries.
Agriculture
in Kurdistan collapsed, and faced a flaccid state that relies on the
consumption principle and the siege on Kurdistan. Establishment of local
factories and abandonment of external products.
Separation
from Turkey. Perhaps this is the most important achievement achieved by this
referendum so far.
Kurdistan
was not going to separated from Iraq but was going to separate from Turkey as
it was almost occupied by Turkey, whether economically or even militarily due
to the presence of intensive Turkish companies as well as military bases within
Kurdistan.
Despite
the existence of international rejection of the referendum of Kurdistan, but
the establishment of a Kurdish state in the region against the influence of the
new Ottoman, which almost swallowed the region during the Arab Spring. Also
repelled against the expansion of Iranian influence in the region, and the West
can rely on them if recognizes it as ally of them.
Economic
siege gained people international sympathy and this comes under the heading of
creating international public opinion for sympathy and acceptance of the Kurdish
state. Also, the results of the referendum forced the federal government to
return to the dialogue table with Kurdistan government.
Disadvantage
Strained
relations with the federal government in Baghdad, where the federal government
announced the closure of border crossings with Kurdish airspace in front of
commercial transactions.
Deterioration
of relations with neighboring countries, which all the needs of Kurdistan comes
from them, Ankara has announced the closure of the border with Kurdistan. Iran
has announced measures to close crossings with Erbil.
Kurdistan
has lost many international allies, the first of which is the United States,
which has refused to stand by the region for fear of destabilizing Iraq at a
time when the war on Islamic State has not put an end to it. Washington called
on the Kurds to look for an "alternative course"
Measures
will have a major impact on the economy of Kurdistan, oil revenues, trade with
the closure of land ports, and will raise the cost of living significantly
increase the cost of raw materials and Kurdistan cannot now achieve financial
resources from the domestic economy, because of its inability to export oil
supplier the first of the economy in Kurdistan.
Loss
of foreign investment in Kurdistan, led companies to leave Kurdistan and search
for another market because of the link of investment decisions to the
procedures of the central government and the consular procedures in the region,
some of which called for the withdrawal or closure or freezing of diplomatic
representation.
As
well as, those measures reflected on investment decisions, local and foreign in
Kurdistan, and caused great confusion, especially as the Kurdistanis already
suffering from a financial crisis.
The
referendum took place on time, and since the first week, Kurdistan was on the
brink of war with Iraq, but international mediation stopped it, in addition to
Kurdistan entry into a suffocating siege after that. Then the negotiations and
dialogue took place until the siege ends. But the Kurdistan lost many of the
privileges it had.
Written
by – Abduljalil Abdulrahman Haji
Edited
by – Adrija Saha
Social