President Barzani and Kurdistan's Advancement and Success during the Past Eight Years

By Hemin Hawrami

Talking about political, national, diplomatic, economic, and rebuilding achievements during President Masoud Barzani's presidency, who inaugurated on 12 June 2005, without ideological attitudes and prejudgments, requires close academic and political research and evaluation. Since Kurdistan is still going through critical and crucial stages, one cannot talk about Barzani's presidency outside the context of the stages. The stages are:

1.National liberation
2.Transition to democracy. This stage is by itself divided into some other stages: ending dictatorial institutions, reconstructing the institutions and empowering democratic institutions.
3.State building which means establishing national and democratic entities.
Based on what is stated above, Barzani's leading role for success and continuous working in the stages was not started from 12 June 2005 and it will not end by the end of his presidency.

Gene Sharp in his book From Dictatorship to Democracy clearly explains the role of being a visionary and effective leader for moving a society from dictatorship to democracy. When President Masoud Barzani in his speech before Khwakurk Legend Peshmargas talked about great changes, when he addressed the people of Kurdistan on 21 March 1991 before Koya people and valued liberty, elections, democracy and rule of law, when he abandoned the success of his party in 1992s elections for the sake of unity of Kurdish people, when he did not allow to impose federal provinces in Kurdistan in 2004, when he did not allow to call Peshmarga militias, when he prevented the coming of Turkish troops, when he forbid fratricidal war between the Kurds and created a culture of acceptance of the other instead for the four parts of Kurdistan, when he stopped Iraqi Army in Shangal, Khanaqin, Kirkuk, and settled Peshmarg there, when he did not allow using minority for Turkmen, Assyrians, Chaldean, and Armenian and made citizenship the base for governance, all of these are strategic visions that Gene Sharp states in his book.

However, Samuel Huntington points out that there are three main conditions for transition to democracy: demolishing institutions of dictatorial system, establishing constitutional institutions of democratic system, and stability and advancement. Based on this, president Barzani has been having a central role since 1991 for achieving these prerequisites of democracy.

If we make scientific principles as a touchstone for evaluating Barzani's reign in all aspects--political, democratic, diplomatic, international relations, and governance—in order to know how much Kurdistan is developed and advanced, we will have to consider and mention the methods that can be used for evaluating and ruling a country:

1.Comparative Method
This method rests on the principles of comparing a place with its past, its neighbors, and knowing the present phenomenon of this place and comparing it with the past phenomenon of the same place. If this method is applied to Kurdistan for evaluating the present Kurdistan with Kurdistan in 2005, we can obviously see that there are many progresses in all aspects such as politics, economy, democracy, and diplomacy. We will make examples with data later on.

2.The method of good governance
This is also an important criterion for evaluating a country in ruling a group of people. This method hinges upon the following principles:
• Rule of law
• Efficiency and effectiveness of institutions
• Responsive
• Transparency
• Accountability
• Consensus oriented
• Participation and partnership

Similarly, if these methods and principles are used to evaluate the level of advancement in Kurdistan under Barzani's leadership, we can clearly see the progress and success achieved during his presidency. In order for the visions to be objective and unbiased, it can be said that all of the things that both President Barzani and the people of Kurdistan hoped for have not achieved fully. Yet, as Ulf Palme says "politics is the art of exercising wills". President Barzani has had an indomitable and strong will, and he has also had a clear vision for achieving more for his people according to the criteria of good governance. Later on we will come to the achievements.

3. The method of failed states
This method hinges upon some principles by which a country or a state is evaluated so as to know whether this state is failed or not. The principles are:

• Displaced people inside the country
• Density of population
• How is the life of people and their concerns
• Unequal development. That is, only one part of the country is developed compared with the other parts
• Tourism
• Economic conditions of people
• Is the authority Legitimate. That is, does it come by coup or ballot boxes?
• The level of general services
• Human rights
• Are the security institutions serve the people or repress them
• Are there any criminal organizations (Mfias)
• Are there foreign interventions

Thus, if we apply these principles on Kurdistan during presidency of President Barzani, we will come to a conclusion that Kurdistan cannot be listed as a failed state, but it can be seen as one of the successful states. Annually, Foreign Policy magazine publishes a list of failed states. For several years, Denmark, Sweden, and Finland have been seen as the most successful states, while Somalia, Afghanistan, Chad, and Sudan have been seen as the worst. If these possibilities are applied on the Arabic part of Iraq, it will be seen that this part will become a failed state. According to the index published by the magazine, Iraq is seen as the fifth state in ranking in 2012. Yet, since there is no internally displaced people in Kurdistan, power is not seized by a coup but rather it is an authority coming by elections, there is no foreign intervention, both the centers and the periphery are served equally: almost 4000 villages have been reconstructed, services have reached all the towns, districts, and villages, and universities have been opened in the towns such as Halabja, Kalar, Raniya, Soran, Akre, Zakho, and Koya. Moreover, the standard of living has been raised, tourism is raised, many foreigners come to work in Kurdistan, two international airports have been established and another in Duhok is coming. Above all, there are no political prisoners in Kurdistan. If anyone is in prison, it is because he/she made a crime or participated in a terrorist activity, not because of ideological beliefs. In this respect, the UN reports and international organizations are indications of human rights improvement in Kurdistan.
During president Barzani's participation in Davos Economic Forum from 23 to 27 of January 2013, Peter Maurer the president of the International Committee of the Red Cross, announced in a meeting with President Barzani that he would thank president Barzani for his cooperation and facilitation that were provided for their teams working in Kurdistan, and for the freedom and democracy in Kurdistan as there are no political prisoners.

If we take into consideration Huntington's conditions for achieving stability and democracy—one of which is a professional work of security forces—Kurdistan under the supervision and instruction of president Barzani for security, police and Peshmarga institutions becomes stable and prosperous amid chaos and instability in the region. When Barzani was elected in the parliament on 12 June 2005, some terrorist activities were done in the capital Erbil, but all of them are discovered by the police and security forces and the perpetrators were put to justice. It is a matter of pride and success for us that from June 2007 to the present time, no terrorist activity has been taken in our region, although, according to security forces, eight big terrorist activities have been dismantled (defused) since 2007. So if we compare this with New York where one is killed each 18 hours, Kurdistan can be seen as one of the successful countries in this regard.

Success at the level of national issues

During president Barzani's presidency, Kurdish question has progressed and improved noticeably not only in our region but also in all other three parts of Kurdistan. Protecting Kurdish dignity in the region, increasing the confidence of the Kurds in their struggle for achieving liberty, based on nationalism not racism, have been reinforced by president Barzani. That is, the president creates a liberal discourse for protecting our nation.

Examples of what president Barzani did during his presidency:
• He issued a decree prohibiting hanging Iraqi Ba'ath's flag in Kurdistan especially when it was hanged in some parts of Kurdistan such as Sulaimani and Garmiyan. This has had an importance in raising national awareness of our people.

• He insisted of re-electing Talabani for president of Iraq after Erbil Agreement. There was an insistence at the time by the USA, Arabic countries, and regional countries for not taking this post by Kurds and instead we would hold the Speaker of Parliament. In this respect, Michael R. Gorden and General Bernard E. Trainor in their book The Endgame: The Inside Story of the Struggle for Iraq, From George W. Bush to Barack Obama show how president Barzani answered the Americans and he says: this post is Kurdish entitlement in Iraq. If you have notes about Mam jalal, we will convince him, but if you do not want the Kurds to take this post in Iraq, it will be impossible for us to accept it because this post is the symbol of Kurdish participation in governance in Iraq.

• He worked on the issue of self-determination and the right for independence. This issue has been changed from a taboo subject into a possible one.

• His insistence on the national attitude for preventing Turkish intervention in Kurdistan and Kirkuk, and his announcement that if Turkey intervenes in our affairs, we will be entitled also to intervene Diarbakir's affair. This made Turkey to enter a new stage with Kurdistan on February 2008 and opened its embassy in Erbil. Moreover, Turkish Prime Minister came to Erbil on March 2011 and under the Kurdish flag announced that it was no longer possible to deny the Kurds.

• Prohibiting fratricidal war which can be seen as one of the important achievements of president Barzani during his presidency. Rejecting the American, Turkish and sometimes Iraqi demand for fighting the PKK or allowing Turkey unilaterally to attack the PKK in Qandil Mountain. He, with profound confidence insisted that war cannot solve the problem of Kurds in Turkey and he encouraged them to hold peaceful talks and to announce ceasefires. he often rejected naming the PKK terrorist organization.

• His visit to the White House in traditional Kurdish clothes for the first time in Kurdish history in 2005 and his meeting with George W. Bush raised the national feeling of the Kurds.

• After 2005, many times the president has been asked by Bashar Assad to visit Syria, but he refused it because of Assad's attitude towards Kurds in his country. And even after Syrian people's uprising on March 2011, Syrian foreign minister Walid Muallem visited Baghdad several times and asked to visit Kurdistan as well, but his request was refused because of the wrong policies of his regime against the Kurds in the country, and this is seen as one of the strongest attitudes of the president in Western Kurdistan.

• The work of president Barzani to unify 11 Kurdish parties in Western Kurdistan within National Kurdish Council, and afterwards bringing PYD and creating with them High Kurdish Commission on June 2012 and Erbil Agreement. Receiving aids to our brothers in Western Kurdistan and opening the borders for the Kurdish refugees which have reached until now to 155000. Preventing the Kurds to wage civil war in western Kurdistan and informational, diplomatic, economic support for them.

• His work for preparing and formulating Kurdistan national conference for all Kurdish parities in all four parts of Kurdistan and also work for having a peace discourse in the region.

• He played a central role in the relations between Baghdad and Kurdistan and he tried hard to protect the dignity of Kurds and the border of Kurdistan. However, he did not allow the other parties to impose their wills on Kurdish people. For example, in 2004 the president did not allow federal provinces to be done and he was able to protect Kurdistan federation as one geographical area in the Iraqi constitution. He also challenged the Americans and the other parties for not allowing dubbing the Peshmarga forces militia in the constitution. He also resisted the impositions of Iraqi Army under the names of Dijla operation in Kirkuk, Jazeera operation in Shangal, and in Khanaqin in 2008 as well, and he ordered the Peshmarga to stay in these areas and stop Iraqi forces. At was at this time, sadly, that the opposition considered this action scenario.

• The president was able to gather all the parties, different sects and groups in Kurdistan Region to share and create regional political decision, and to combine national responsibility with the policy of coexistence. For instance, he created high council of political parties. He continuously met with political parties and factions, and he broadened the sense of responsibility in Kurdistan.

• He was able to unify the two administrations in Kurdistan—sulaimani and Erbil—in a way that after 2005 the wills, the political actions, and the discourse of the people of Kurdistan became one to challenge the difficulties facing our people.

• He always stressed the need for the rule of law, democratic principles, and sovereignty for more protecting the internal unity of Kurdish people. Even at the time of Sulaimani events on 17 March 2011, when the demonstrations were deviated and started by some people attacking KDP headquarter in Sulaimani Known as Four Branch, and continued for about 2 months in which several people from police forces and demonstrators were killed and injured, the president stressed the need for putting to justice both who encouraged the people to attack the headquarters and those who shot fire. Moreover, he also stressed the rule of law in dealing with the events took place in Duhok and Zakho on 3 December 2011, and ordered to put in justice both those who by the encouragement of Islamic parties especially Islamic Union attacked tourist sites, and people's possessions, and the members of KDP who reacted and attacked Islamic headquarters. And also decreed to compensate the affected.

Diplomatic successes and foreign policy of Kurdistan during President's presidency

The president has been able to achieve more successes at the levels of diplomacy and foreign policy since his inauguration in his office 12 of June 2005. Those principles of diplomacy and foreign policy that the president consolidated have become the base for the government and preserving the position of the Region among international and regional states. The principles are: mutual interest, balance in relations, openness, positive neutrality, pragmatism, rejection of the belief of fatalism, and the principle of the first is Kurdistan. These principles became the identity of Kurdistan's foreign policy under President Masoud Barzani's presidency in a way that not only creates a geopolitical position for Kurdistan but also leaves a positive legacy on Kurdistan. The president was able to run international and regional policy of Kurdistan based on mutual understanding and interests. That is, knowing how to protect the interests of our people and how to develop relations with others. This means that president Barzani did not allow any relation at the expense of interests of Kurdish people. Regarding balance in relations, the president was able to keep this and not allowing anyone to look down at our people. In formulating foreign policy of Kurdistan, he made Kurdistan neutral and not becoming part of any political or ideological blocs that exist in the region. Moreover, being pragmatic based on gaining more achievements for Kurdistan without losing values is another aspect of foreign policy of Kurdistan. Having plans, rejecting fatalism and the policy of openness and multi-dimension is one of the other features of the diplomatic achievements that president Barzani brought to Kurdistan. The last principle that reflected in president Barzani's presidency is that the first important thing to us is Kurdistan.
This vision and policy for diplomatic relations and openness to outside world, both at paradiplomacy and protodiplomacy levels is due to president Barzani's work and success. For example:

a. He met the president of the USA seven times during eight years: five times with George W. Bush and twice with Barack Obama, and he visited the White House four times.

b. The Pope of Vatican received the president thrice. According to Vatican's program, the interviews of the Pope do not exceed 15 to 20 minutes with presidents, but Pope Benedict XVI himself asked president Barzani to stay longer so he would tell him more about Iraq and the region, so their meeting took 45 minutes and this is because of president's important role in the region.

c. His meetings in Germany, Britain, Italy, France, Russia, Turkey, Iran, Ireland, Bulgaria, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Jordan, Emirates, Kuwait, Qatar, European Union, Belgium, Austria, Greece, and many other countries with leaders and presidents of these countries are indicative of preserving balance and multi-directions that the president formulated in Kurdistan's foreign policy.

d. When the president inaugurated on 12 June 2005, there were no embassies in Kurdistan. Now, there are 27 countries' representatives and embassies in Kurdistan.

e. Regarding geostrategy, the president was able to change the position of Kurds from affected factors into effective factors in the Middle East. In other words, he was able to make the Kurds a real player, not being played by the countries after The Sykes–Picot Agreement.

f. The session of Arab parliamentary Union Conference held in Erbil.
g. Conference of Arab Universities was also held in Erbil in 2013.
h. IYDY broad meeting was held in Erbil on April 2011 with the representatives of 60 Youth democratic Organizations in the world.

Advancement, Administrative and Economic Achievements since 12 June 2005

Development and economic advancements during president Masoud Barzani's presidency, which reflect in programs and plans of the fifth, the sixth, and the seventh cabinet of Kurdistan government are very obvious and clear, although Kurdistan has been going through many troubles, calamities, and has a limited ability.
Among these achievements:

a. The average per capita income was $ 450 for 2005, according to international statistics. For 2012, it rises to $5300.
b. The rate of unemployment, in 2005, was about %18. Now in 2013 is only %6.
c. The rate of economic development in 2005 was about %1. Now, it is %11 according to international statistics.
d. The rate of poverty in 2005 was %14. Now it is only %3. The big city, like Baghdad, now it is %23, and in some southern provinces in Iraq it reaches to %36.
e. According to a research entitled "the reality of Kurdistan economy after 2003 and energy security" written by Dr. Azad Ahmed Saedun Dosky, the president of university of Nawroz in Duhok, Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in 2004 was 2419 billion Iraqi dinars, thus per capita income was 524426 dinars. At the end of 2011, GDP raised to 28320 billion Iraqi dinars and per capita income increased to 5324450 Iraqi dinars. According to the same source, after the passing of investment law No. 4 in 2006, investment in Kurdistan rose in a way that in 2006 only 438 million dollars was the capital of the investors, but in 2012, 6,306 billion dollars were invested in Kurdistan. Generally, in all aspects of investment, both foreign and domestic, in 2013, the investment rises to 21 billion dollars.
f. There are more than 3000 different companies in Kurdistan, which helps a lot in providing job opportunities and increasing income for Kurdistan.
g. Tourism industry boosts in Kurdistan. According to unofficial statistics, there were 107 hotels and motels in 2007. Now there are 476.
h. There were 4 universities in Kurdistan in 2005. Now there are 23. 13 of them are governmental and 10 are private.
i. The success of both President Masoud Barzani and Prime Minister Nechirvan Barzani in oil sector made 36 oil companies come to Kurdistan from different parts of the world including Exxon Mobile, Chevron, Total, and Gazprom. Moreover, about 45 billion barrels of oil reserves have been discovered in Kurdistan, which makes the country no. 9 in oil reserves.
j. Increasing of Electricity in Kurdistan due to electricity policy of the government in a way that in 2005 only 2 to 3 hours per day is available. Now it rises to 22 hours per day.

Reform Process

The process of governance in Kurdistan, providing services, empowering institutions, the culture of respect, rule of law, and transparency are still going and under construction. In some stages of running the country, the process of reform, re-estimating the system, following up the shortcomings, and new plans become one of the necessary requirements. In this respect, President Barzani made a speech before the people of Erbil on 11 March 2011 announcing that it had to make a reform, provide more services for the people, and fight the shortcomings. For this, he announced a reform program on 20 March 2011, which consisted of 19 points and included all aspects of reform such as economy, administration, politics, and judges. Afterwards, the follow-up committee of implementing the reform plan of the president published two reports about their work in two stages. Then, after enriching the plan, it became the agenda of the seventh cabinet of Kurdistan government under the presidency of Mr. Nechirvan Barzani for providing more services to the people of Kurdistan. For more information about the work of the committee, you can go to the Kurdistan presidency site: www.krp.org

President Barzani and protecting the principle of balance between authorities: majority and minority
One of the things that has been talked by people during president Barzani's presidency is the principle of protecting the balance between the authorities and work for respecting the view of the majority, but with taking into consideration the view of the minority in democratic, parliamentary, and political games.
According to presidency law no. 1 in the year 2005, Kurdistan president has the right to approve laws and to legislate, or to return the laws to parliament for amendments. In this respect, some acts passed in the parliament, but they were returned by the president for amendments and to take the view of other parties. For example:

a. Returning information law No. 35 in 2007 in order to be enriched and open the way for more freedom of thought and expression.
b. Returning ministry of justice law No. 13 in 2007 because it gave more authority to deputy justice minister for if he is a judge, he will have the right to work as a judge, and amending the item of adhering the president and the members of appeals court to the ministry of justice administratively.
c. Returning Law No. 2 for the year 2009 the Fourth Amendment to the Law of the Kurdistan Parliament Law No. 1 for the year 1992 for the most protection for the sovereignty and security of the voter.
d. Returning MP Protection Law No. 10 for the year 2011.
e. Returning General Amnesty Law No. 2 for the year 2012 for reviewing and increasing its articles.
f. Returning Law No. 14 for the year 2019 of the Ministry of Culture about the word "gender' and find another term.
g. Returning Private Universities Law No. 18 for the year 2012 for the purpose of protecting public interests and preserving the scientific levels of the universities.
h. The latest example is president Barzani's request on 13 June 2013 about answering his letter by political parties in Kurdistan on those notes that the parties have on the constitution so parliament with the follow-up committee of the draft constitution, and with factions of parliament reach a consensus about the constitution.

To sum up, based on what have been presented and in reality, Kurdistan has progressed, developed, and achieved a great deal in all aspects during president Barzani's presidency as he says in one of his speechs: "Kurdistan will move forward and will never move back."

The End