Do they protect Sulaymaniyah? What can they do against the big heads of corruption?
Two prominent leaders of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan defy Bafel Talabani
It has been nearly 14 months since the events of July 8th. Bafel Talabani said more than once that what happened for good or bad in Sulaymaniyah after July 8, he is responsible for, and now he is facing the great challenge.
On August 16, the mayor of Sulaymaniyah clearly said that mafia groups appeared in Sulaymaniyah, taking money by force, occupying lands, and demanding investors for shares.
It was difficult to accept the mayor's message to Bafel Talabani. Before she could finish her speech, the commandos arrived at the municipality and arrested a number of employees.
After that, Bafel Talabani said in two separate decreed letters, that any person of any rank and position involved in the occupation of lands in Sulaymaniyah, threats and extortion, will be arrested, brought to court and will be punished with the most severe partisan punishment.
Bafel Talabani's movements have not yet quenched the thirst of the people of Sulaymaniyah, even some of the prominent leaders of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan. They demand that the PUK leader reach out to the big heads of corruption because everything has been done on their orders, and this is the biggest challenge facing Bafel Talabani now.
One of the leaders of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan is Mullah Bakhtiar who sent an indirect message to Bafel Talabani, in which he said: "It is too late to arrest the land dealers in Sulaymaniyah. The delay in the case created an anti-government public opinion. This is very dangerous and should be known. It is not possible to arrest the corrupted and the head of the corrupted are free."
Mullah Bakhtiar stressed that no senior leaders have yet been arrested over the issue of Sulaymaniyah lands.
Another prominent leader of the PUK, Muhammad Hama Saeed, Minister of Culture said:
"If the big thieves are not caught and only the little ones are caught, then the big thieves, like big bugs, will one day destroy the spider web."
"My brother, arresting and prosecuting petty thieves is a good thing, but it will not solve the corruption issue," said Hama Saeed.
“Come, bring these great thieves to justice before they cut the rope and we fall to the ground, and go to remote countries.” he added.
Talabani's sons seem very serious about succeeding in this challenge. They know it well and by their own admission, after July 8, they are responsible for good or bad. Therefore, alongside Bafel Talabani, Qubad Talabani has begun to use his powers as deputy prime minister. He threatened the heads of the directorates that if their work does not go well in the future and investment does not revive in Sulaimani and routine continues, he will send them home without hesitation and puts others in their places.
What the two brothers have started is not easy. Those who were destroying the city, extorting from the rich and capitalists, and tearing the government land to pieces in broad daylight are not ordinary people. They are people with high ranks in the party, government and security forces. So let's wait and see whether the power of Talabani's sons is greater, or the power of the senior officials, whom the mayor called them mafia groups.