SULAIMANI (ESTA) — Hundreds of public servants protested in Sulaimani city on Wednesday against delays in salary payment in the Kurdistan Region.
Esta Media Network reporter Bzhar Dabakh said dozens of public servants and activists gathered outside Public Park in Sulaimani city in protest of salary delays.
“There is no economic crisis in the Kurdistan Region,” a protester said during the demonstration. “If there was an economic crisis, we would see the officials live just like the people.”
“They become richer day by day. Their sons and family members live in abroad, but the people in the Kurdistan Region do not have money to buy foods,” he added.
The protesters demand the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) to pay salaries to public servants, provide services and improve people’s livings.
Another protester said employees had been paid four times this year.
“There was no such oppression in any history,” the protester said, noting that the protests would continue until their demands are met.
A teacher told Esta Media Network that the officials’ children live and study in the American and European universities, while the public servants do not get paid.
“Employees live in harsh conditions. There are employees who do not have food at home,” she said.
“It is not the time to call for payment. It is time for them [officials] to leave,” another teacher said. “Most of the employees are renters and they have not paid their rents for two and three months.”
“The government is reckless,” she added. “The government wants to have uneducated people. Education will fail this year.”
The protesters, later, headed toward Sara Square in the center of Sulaimani city. The security forces used tear gas and stun guns in an attempt to spread the protests. Several protesters were slightly wounded.
The Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) has yet to pay salaries of October and November to its employees, saying Baghdad is the reason for delays in payments. The KRG has already cut off employees’ salaries for the months of April, May, June, July and August.
KRG Prime Minister Masrour Barzani said on Wednesday that the government would start distributing salaries of public servants from Thursday.
