By Kamal Chomani
Sulemani (KurdishMedia.com) 03 October 2009: An unknown group set fire to a journalist's car in Sulaimania province, which is widely believes here in Kurdistan that this has been due to his critical views on the Kurdish political groups KDP, PUK and the Kurdish administration of the KRG.
Bakhtiyar Sa'id the owner of the car, one of the prominent journalists in Kurdistan, told KurdishMedia.com that his car was burnt on the midday of 2 October in front of his sister’s house, where he visiting his ill sister.
Bakhtiyar Sa’id who bases in Arbil, regional capital, but was in Sulaimani for that day to participate in two TV and radio programs, told KurdishMedia.com, “After completing the program, which I criticized KRG for sacking people for having different opinion form those of PUK and KDP, I left to my sister’s home to visit her and her family as well.” Over 2000 people have been sacked by the Kurdistan administration because they did not vote the PUK/KDP coalition in the last election.
“At exactly 2.00 o’clock my sister cried. When I went out, I saw the flames of the fire on my car. People gathered to put the fire out, but it was too late. Thanks for God that I was not in it.”
Bakhtiyar Sa’id has been threatened by KDP and PUK many times. He had 200 SMSs in his mobile phone that ‘unknown people’ threatened him and asked him to give up criticizing KRG and the two dominated clans, Barzani and Talabani. He recently supported Change list to the parliamentary election in 25 July 2009.
“I don’t have any problems with anybody in Kurdistan; my problem is with the corrupted political-system, which needs to be reformed. But I indict the two illegal intelligence corporations, Zaniyari (PUK’s deep state organization), and Parastin (KDP’s deep state organization). I believe that the KDP and PUK are responsible for this act of terror. I support my statement by the movement of the police in the area. At the night of the incident, there was no police. They left the area under suspiciously. However, every other night, there are police.” Bakhtiar Sa’id told KurdishMedia.com.
Media professionals have suffered under the PUK and KDP rule. Now the PUK and KDP deep state organizations and intelligence services support a number of media organizations to undermine some Kurdish activists and intellectuals who are outside their control or critical of them.
Kamal Chomani is a regular KurdishMedia.com contributor, lives in Kurdistan: Chomani_85@yahoo.com
