Al-Sulaymaniya: Security prevents teachers' protest in front of Pavel Talabani headquarters

Shafaq News / On Monday, a group of protesting teachers, angered by the delay in receiving their monthly salaries, resumed their demonstrations in al-Sulaymaniya.

Our correspondent reported that “the teachers had planned to start their protest near Dabashan. However, security forces prevented them from advancing to that location, where the residence of Pavel Talabani, head of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK), is situated, due to a lack of security approvals for holding such protests.”

The protesting teachers are demanding timely distribution of their salaries, as they have not received any payments for over 50 days.

Although Baghdad sent a portion of the Kurdistan Region's employees' salaries two weeks ago, they have not been distributed yet due to shortages.

Notably, over the past six months, the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) has only disbursed salaries for October 2023 and January 2024.

This delay has disrupted the educational process in al-Sulaymaniya, Halabja, Ranya, and Karmian administrations. Additionally, government institutions have been on strike for over a week, and schools have resumed strikes today.

The Free Lecturers Council in al-Sulaymaniya announced yesterday that they are in contact with Kurdish MPs in Baghdad to “pressure decision-makers to secure their permanent positions.”

They emphasized that “the choice to participate in the strike or continue official duties lies with them,” asserting their “disassociation from the protests that began today near Dabashan.”

This protest comes after the Minister of Finance and Economy in the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) Awat Sheikh Janab announced on saturday, 23/3/2024, that the salaries for February would not be distributed until Baghdad sends the salaries of the security forces.

Noteworthy, KRG's Council of Ministers had called on the Federal Ministry of Finance in Baghdad to send the dues of salary recipients to the Ministry of Finance and Economy in the Region in full and without discrimination.

On Wednesday, 21/2/2024, the Federal Supreme Court, the highest judicial authority in Iraq, decided to obligate both Prime Ministers Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani and Masrour Barzani to localize the salaries of employees and workers in the public sector at federal banks.

Salaries are among the main outstanding issues between the Iraqi and the Kurdish governments, along with the oil export and disputed areas.

The Court's new decision has sparked anger and criticism among Kurdish politicians, with some claiming that the decision is unconstitutional and politically motivated and that it undermines the autonomy and finances of the Kurdistan Region.

However, some observers and experts argue that the decisions are correct and consistent with the law and the constitution and that they will ensure the rights of everyone and end the suffering of the Region's employees.