​​​​​​​Panorama of week: secret Arab document on future Syria, corruption and nepotism pushes youth of KRI to emigrate

 During the past week, Arab newspapers covered the Arab moves regarding the Syrian file, in addition to the issue of the migration of young people from Southern Kurdistan, as well as the Tunisian crisis.

 A secret document to the "Arab normalization with Damascus that includes the exit of foreign forces.

 The beginning of the Syrian issue, and in this context, Al-Sharq al-Awsat newspaper said: “The Jordanian document and its secret appendix revealed that the final goal of the Arab steps for normalization with Damascus is the “exit of all foreign forces and fighters from Syria who entered the country after 2011,” including  “American-led coalition forces from northeastern Syria, including from the American base of al-Tanf” near the borders of Jordan and Iraq, after a series of steps according to a “step-for-step” approach, including the beginning of “limiting Iranian influence in certain parts of Syria,” while recognizing that  Russia's legitimate interests.

 According to the newspaper, "the document includes a secret appendix that includes an explanation of the "step for step" approach, which includes the specific item and "required" from Damascus and "offered" by others. The first step begins with "guaranteeing humanitarian access and agreeing on the flow of humanitarian aid across the border in exchange for facilitating  United Nations convoys across the lines inside Syria, and providing medical aid to Syria.”

 The second step includes "creating Damascus an enabling environment for the safe return of displaced persons and refugees and granting the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees full access to the areas concerned, including ensuring that returnees are not persecuted and facilitating the return of displaced persons to their homes in exchange for Western steps that include the adoption of a temporary assistance plan for Syrians living in the areas  under the control of the system.

 The third stage is related to “the implementation of Resolution 2254 and the “positive participation of Damascus in the constitutional committee leading to the reform of the constitution”, and “the release of detainees and political prisoners, determining the fate of the missing and agreeing to form a real government formula that leads to a more comprehensive rule in Syria and holding elections under  United Nations supervision, leading to the formation of the inclusive government.

 As for the fourth phase of the program, it includes “fighting ISIS and terrorist groups, and cooperation in confronting ISIS and similar terrorist elements, including in eastern Syria, in exchange for cooperation with the Syrian regime and Russia in combating terrorism in northwest Syria, combating terrorist elements in eastern Syria and coordination between the regime and the Syrian Democratic Forces in dealing with the al-Hol camp, foreign fighters, and detained (ISIS) elements, and financing projects for stabilization and early recovery in the areas liberated from (ISIS) and under the control of the Syrian regime.”

 In the fifth stage, “a cease-fire is announced throughout the country, and the withdrawal of all non-Syrian elements from the front lines and border areas with neighboring countries, which leads to the announcement of a cessation of major military operations and the declaration of a ceasefire throughout the country and the cessation of all military operations,  Including air bombardment and raids, cessation of all foreign military air operations over Syria, unless within the framework of the ceasefire process, and the commitment of partners on the ground in Syria and regional allies (including Turkey) to the ceasefire declared throughout the country.”  ".

 The lack of job opportunities and the deterioration of the economy push the young people of Southern Kurdistan to migrate to Europe

 On the issue of the migration of young people from Southern Kurdistan, Al-Arab newspaper said: “The feeling of despair and lack of horizon is driving thousands of young Iraqi Kurdistan to search for ways to immigrate to Europe, defying the obstacles and dangers that may stand in their way, especially for those who do not have the ability to leave legally."

 Young people in Iraqi Kurdistan complain about the lack of job opportunities as a result of economic hardship, rampant corruption and nepotism, as jobs are assigned according to political loyalties.

 Among the aspirants to reach Europe, Gabriel, aged 28, decided to take the risk after reaching the edge of despair, he says, to join more than four thousand young people who left the Kurdistan region, many of whom are currently stuck on the Belarus border with the European Federation.

 "Here we see death every day," says Gabriel, as he drives the taxi from which he lives in Erbil, the provincial capital in northern Iraq.

 The young man especially complains about the absence of “job opportunities in the private and government sectors.  where everything was monopolized by a certain class.”  He says, "I have four brothers who graduated from university, and because they did not belong to political parties, they did not get an appointment in the government sector" in the region where the political scene is dominated by two traditional parties, the Kurdistan Democratic Party and the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan, while Iraq in general suffers from a severe economic crisis  and a political crisis dominated by nepotism, corruption practices, and security fragility.

 About three months ago, thousands of young people left the region’s cities, 1,600 of them headed to Belarus, according to the statistics of the Kurdistan Refugee Association, which estimates the number of Kurdish refugees currently on the borders of Belarus at about four thousand, most of them are young people, and also include children, women and the elderly who entered the country on a tourist visa  .

 "It got me to not being able to pay my rent," says the 44-year-old who owns a card design office.

 He recounts, "I have never felt safe in my life in the region and in Iraq," which has been suffering for more than 40 years from a series of crises and wars.

 The son of Delir Ismail Mahmoud paid with his life the price to reach Europe.  Mahmoud, 55, has been waiting for the body to be returned to Erbil for 11 days from Belarus.

 He says his 25-year-old son, Kelan, was suffering from "diabetes and spinal cord inflammation".  Because of the cold and hunger, his health deteriorated greatly at the border, and he passed away.

 Thousands of migrants have gathered for days in icy conditions at the border between Poland and Belarus, at the gates of the European Union.  Their presence has escalated the crisis between Belarus and the European Union, which accuses Minsk, with Russia's support, of exploiting illegal immigrants to put pressure on the union.

 Warsaw placed barbed wire to stop the migrants, and deployed a large military force to prevent them from entering its territory.  Mahmoud says that he tried many times in vain to obtain an entry visa through European embassies and consulates to send his son to Europe for treatment.

ANHA