Legitimate robbery in Mosul.. Selling the govenorate's land at low prices

Shafaq News/ Thousands of Mosul’s displaced people are still hoping to reconstruct their war-ravaged homes and infrastructure to return to their homes.

In parallel with these wishes; informed sources reveal large-scale corruption to seize residential plots and divide agricultural lands to sell them as residential ones in various areas of Nineveh - under the officials' and regulators’ radar.

"There is a real depletion of Mosul’s public and agricultural land. Hundreds of distinctive plots of land - worth hundreds of millions - have been distributed at a very low price to people from inside and outside the governorate through mediation, influence, and personal relationships", Mohammed Nuri Al-Abed Rabbo, a former member of the Iraqi parliament from Nineveh, told Shafaq News agency.

"Some people received land at low prices of 4 or 5 million dinars -  when the plot’s price was at least 200 million dinars. This happened without any regard for the public right or the public’s general funds; all of which is contrary to the regulations, laws, and controls”, Al-Abed Rabbo added.

* Legalization of corruption

"The thefts are covered with legal cover by exploiting legal loopholes. Some people from outside Nineveh have received plots of land in privileged areas inside Mosul with really low prices; by obtaining a document supporting their residency in the city from Al-Mukhtar (the city chief). If Al-Mukhtar is arrested and interrogated, many details will be revealed, and this is what the judiciary must follow closely", Al-Abed Rabbo said.

He added wondering, "Hundreds of officials and officers in various security institutions have obtained plots of land in high-end areas and sold them unrighteously at unreasonable prices. While there are employees in the governorate, served 30 or 40 years, and do not have an inch in it.. where is the justice and where is the law?".

* Weapon dominates everything

Political activist, Mohammed Ghasoub, told Shafaq News agency that the case of corruption in the land distribution began even before Mosul fall by ISIS in 2014. Speaking of fraud and manipulation in Tel Kaif district - at the time - prompting former governor, Atheel Al-Nujaifi, to dismiss the district administrator.

He also stated, "an association called Um Al-Rubaiein claimed that the property division converted the type of an agricultural land into residential.. and then it turned out that the document was forged and incorrect – as confirmed by Mohammed Yahya Al-Talib, director of the property division at the time”.

"After Mosul’s liberation, entities with power and weapons dominated everything - including privileged and agricultural lands that were divided and sold without any legal basis. Those armed factions are protecting the people spoiling Nineveh’s land.. The first concession took place in the land near the Fourth Bridge - it was sold for hundreds of millions after distribution - and then in the land distributed to the officers”, Ghasoub told Shafaq News agency.

"Many agricultural areas have been bulldozed; it was known later that the associations had illegally divided the land and sold it without any official support. Dozens of arrest warrants were issued regarding the land file and an entire network was dismantled several days ago, but this step is too late as they have taken over all of Mosul”, Ghasoub added.

"The situation in Mosul has been affected by the marginalization of its people after they were tired of the war and the occupation’s conditions, as well as the armed forces’ dominance over the law and everything. If the situation remains the same, the demonstrations will start again as Mosul’s people will not remain silent about the theft of their land”, Mohammed Ghasoub warned.

It is noteworthy mentioning that the Integrity Commission has dismantled a network manipulating public lands in Mosul; including the deputy mayor of Mosul, the second deputy governor of Nineveh’s office’s director - as he served as the land distribution committee’s chairman, and employees of the Property and City Organization division within Mosul Municipality - according to a statement issued by the Integrity Commission on November 14th, without mentioning the accused’s names.

Dismantling the network came more than two years after hundreds of the city's lands were distributed, dozens of agricultural plots were divided and sold by associations of various names, and entire residential neighborhoods were built under the regulators’ silence.

"What is going on is a big game. There are many people involved and everyone is silent for their own and others’ interests; while the regulators are handling things with nothing but interests in mind”, activist Saad Amir told Shafaq News agency.

How do regulators not know about the cutting and selling of Mosul’s land? How can they then start by holding citizens accountable for buying the land with their money to build houses - hoping to get rid of rent?", Saad Amir wondered.

* Next goal: Christian’s property

A private source stated, “Although the provincial land distribution committee has been dismantled, powerful actors are seeking to falsify and steal the Christians’ property titles - after they left the country due to the circumstances they faced in previous years”.

"National security in Mosul arrested an armed faction’s member several months ago; after receiving information that he was collecting information and documents about some of the Christians’ property inside Mosul. A major problem occurred between the national security and the party associated with this person..but after referring him to the concerned authorities, he was freed mysteriously and this file has since been closed”, the source told Shafaq News agency.