Resilience in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq

Photo By Pfc. Cynthia Teears Van Cleve | A guard for the ministry of interior is entered into the Iraqi police data system...... read more read more

Photo By Pfc. Cynthia Teears Van Cleve | A guard for the ministry of interior is entered into the Iraqi police data system located in the main building for the MOI of the Kurdistan regional government, Irbil, Iraq, Jan. 21. There are three separate rooms dedicated to the computer system in the main MOI building.  see less | View Image Page

IRAQ

01.23.2009

Story by Spc. Cynthia Teears Van Cleve 

11th Public Affairs Detachment

✔ ✗ Subscribe

1

By Spc. Cynthia Teears
11th Public Affairs Detachment

IRBIL, Iraq – Beautiful roses, specially formed bushes, small palm trees and evergreens line the front garden walkways leading to the buildings for the minister of state for the interior of the Kurdistan regional government in Irbil, Iraq.

"We kept the garden and cleaned it up after the bombing that occurred in May 2007, but it was much more beautiful before the explosion," said Kameran M. Abdulrahman, general director of local administration. "It was full of roses and I used to take 10 minute garden walks regularly."

The bombing, which claimed the life of Kameran's brother, was the last major insurgent attack within the borders of the Kurdistan region.

"There are still minor attacks along the borders between the insurgents and the border police, but nothing within the borders here," said Capt. James Lawson of Ewa Beach, Hawaii, intelligence officer, Border Transition Team 4100.

Shelling still occurs along the border, as well, coming from Turkey and Iran, said Abdulkarim Sultan Sinjari of Sinjar, Iraq, minister of state for the interior of the Kurdistan regional government. Many innocent villagers have been hurt by the shelling, which is intended to attack strong holds of the Kurdistan worker's party. The shelling often only hurts the local villages near the strikes. The Kurdistan worker's party, also known as the PKK, is considered a terrorist group by some.

The Kurdistan region of Iraq has been the safest area for Soldiers and the citizens of Iraq. The KRG formed their own security force in 1992 and felt little influence from Sadam Hussein after that point. The Peshmerga, a military force that operates under the KRG, helped the U.S. Army during the Gulf War, Operation Desert Shield, Operation Desert Storm and Operation Iraqi Freedom.

"There has never been a U.S. Soldier wounded or killed in the Kurdistan region of Iraq," said Lt. Col. Mikel Russell of Lawton, Okla., commander, BTT 4100.

The Kurdistan region runs from Zakho, Iraq, and crosses north of Mosul encompassing the Dahuk and Irbil province. The region then runs north of Kirkuk and encompasses the Sulyamaniah province, down to the border town of Halabjah, Iraq.

Halabjah is the town where many Kurdish lost their lives, March 16, 1988. Sadam Hussein had accused the town of cooperating with the Iranians and gassed the entire area. No Iranians are on record as being among the casualties, but 5,000 of the towns people died in place and many more died in the surrounding area hospitals.

"America is doing a great job here," Minister Karim Sinjari said. "So they should know the success we have here is because of America. If not for America we would still have Sadam. They brought freedom to this country. All the people in this country are grateful for what America has done. America has a success story here and the American people should know that."

Abdulkarim, who is commonly known as Minister Karim Sinjari, is the minister of state for the Interior of the Kurdistan regional government now and has been one of the ministers of interior for the KRG since Aug. 2001. Prior to this point there has been a separate minister of interior for the Kurdistan democratic party and for the patriotic union of Kurdistan party united under the KRG, but now there is an effort to make one MOI representing the KRG as a whole to the MOI of Iraq. Sinjari also worked as the chief of intelligence for the region for seven to eight years prior to becoming one of the ministers of interior.

A few years ago an American company brought in by the coalition forces offered to help Iraq with a police data system.

"The Iraqi police data system here is a success," said Kameran. "Every police station, every city, is connected through this system in Kurdistan. Information is gathered from the street, then it is given to the station and copies of the information are sent to the general director of police and then here. Because of this process there are four to five copies of the information, so if anyone looses their copy we have backup copies."

The system collects data such as the police officers' personal information, what weapon he carries, his fingerprints and when he received his newest uniform. It also tracks fingerprints and information gathered at the airports and police stations.

The book of identification cards on record for the region was also scanned into the computer system and Washington, D.C. has exchanged information with the Kurdistan regional government using the system twice since it has been up and running.

In Baghdad they received 12,000 computers for this system and still have not been able to get it running properly, Kameran said.

"The Kurdistan region received 700 computers and the system is working for us," Kameran said. "We enter the data into the computer, taking photos, identification information and fingerprints. We get the data information from the personnel working for the government and from the criminals when they are arrested. We also have been taking photos and fingerprints of the citizens in the surrounding areas of our police stations and are receiving about 3,000 fingerprints a week. We now have approximately 28,000 criminals listed in the system and 10,000 policemen."

When the coalition forces came to implement the system in Kurdistan it only took six weeks for the system to run successfully. After using the system for one year, this region had the system totally run by Iraqi citizens with no more help needed from the American company.

The coalition forces have tried to implement the system in Baghdad and in the southern areas of Iraq and have still not been able to get it running properly after two years of trying.

"We are lucky because Kurdistan is completely connected by internet," said Kameran. "The south does not have total internet coverage. We do even in the country villages."

"Now we have a computer system for the fingerprinting, yet we still need more training from coalition forces and help from outside," said Sinjari. "I want coalition forces to treat us like the other parts of Iraq. We are still part of Iraq, so we need the same help. We are victims of our own success. We still need some more training and equipment."

Once this area is trained they are more than willing to share their knowledge and continue to train their own.

"The Najaf province, they sent some of their officers to be trained here," Sinjari said. "So we are trying to help them. Any part of the government that wants help we will do it."

The Kurdistan region security forces are loyal and have cooperation and trust from the people in this region, said Sinjari.

Here the students start with the teachers and end with their teachers, Sinjari said. In some of the Southern areas the classes start with 25 students then deplete down to 15 students by 10 a.m. By the end of the day, no one is left but the teacher.

"It's not fair to punish success," said Russell. "It would be good thou, for them to communicate to each other on their own and put us out of a job."

"Daily it is increasing, the number of visitors in Kurdistan," said Sinjari.

There is freedom of religion and freedom of political association in this region, Sinjari said. This is why the people are loyal and want to stay.