Iraqi Kurds mark Nowruz amid dire economic conditions
Iraqi Kurds mark Nowruz amid dire economic conditions
Iraqi Kurds celebrated the Nowruz feast amid growing frustrations with local authorities and dire economic conditions.
3 min read
Thousands of men, women, youth and children wearing colorful traditional Kurdish clothes gathered at Salim Street, in Sulaimaniyah city to express their pleasure, photo by Dana Taib Menmy for TNA, March 20, 2022.
Kurds across the Iraqi Kurdistan region celebratedÌýNowruz, but increasing concerns over the indifference by local authorities to tackleÌýthe dire economic conditions have put a damper onÌýthe festivities.ÌýÌýÌýÌý
Kurds celebrate, which marks the beginning of the Kurdish New Year. Nowruz, aÌýPersian word meaning "aÌýnew day'', is celebratedÌýby many countriesÌýacrossÌýthe Middle East, the Caucauses, Central Asia, and particularly by the Kurdish communitiesÌýin Iraq, Iran, Turkey, and Syria.
Celebrations include going out for picnicking and lighting bonfires withÌýfamilyÌýand loved ones.Ìý
On Sunday afternoon, thousands of men, women, youth and children wearing colourful traditional Kurdish clothesÌýgathered at Salim StreetÌýin Sulaimaniyah city. A number of young residentsÌýjoined hands to the traditional Kurdish dance and music, whileÌýothers eagerly tookÌýphotos.
On Monday, thousands of families picnickedÌýatÌýthe region’s beautiful resorts, and thousands of from the other parts of Iraq flocked to the Kurdistan region to celebrate Nowruz.
"As a Kurdish youth, I congratulate all Kurds in the Iraqi Kurdistan region as well as in all the four parts of the greater Kurdistan on this Nowruz national feast. I am expressing my delight by wearing traditional Kurdish clothes, in order to resurrect our national culture and pass it on toÌýthe nextÌýgenerations,"ÌýBawan Rizgar, 30, from Sulaimaniyah told °®Âþµº.
"Unfortunately, I see a coldness in marking Nowruz by locals in the city this year because ofÌýthe current dire economic and living conditions of the people of Kurdistan," Rizgar added.Ìý
Early on Sunday, Kurdish citizens in Iraq were angry overÌýthe news of while waiting to receive their delayed salaries. The Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG), which administers the region, previously promised to pay more than one million employees in the public payroll on time, but as of yet has not paid out the salaries forÌýFebruary.
Moreover, alarming hikes in theÌýand fuel due to the Russian invasion of Ukraine, coupled with rising unemployment rates in the private sector, have exacerbated the woes of the poorer and the middle classes.
Ahmed Mira, a Kurdish university lecturer, told °®Âþµº, "Indeed the Kurdish governance destroyed all the ceremoniesÌýas the principles of being a Kurd or the Kurdish nationality have been negatively affectedÌýas a result of the bad ruling of the Kurdish parties since the 1991 uprising."Ìý
"The passion forÌýcelebrating Nowruz is not as it was in the past," Mira added.Ìý
[Dana Taib Menmy/TNA]
The university lecturer also said, "Being happy in this country has become very uniqueÌýbecause of the bad governanceÌýin the region. Poverty is a big misfortune that makes people feel unableÌýto celebrate the feasts."
In 2020, a total lockdown was imposed by Kurdish authorities in Nowruz as the region was trying to restrict the spread of the coronavirus pandemic.
Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi, on Wednesday, March 20-21, as an official holidayÌýacross the country in celebration of the Kurdish New Year. In two separate tweets in Kurdish and Arabic languages, he also all the Iraqi people, especially Kurds on Nowruz, emphasizing the need to reinforceÌýIraq's stability, security and integrity.
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