Students demonstrate in Kurdistan Region, asking for their monthly allowances

It has been three days since the university students started demonstrating in many areas in the Kurdistan Region asking for their monthly allowances, which have been cut since 2014.

Students from different universities in Slemani boycotted classes to demonstrate outside their universities and closed several main streets, while in Erbil, students held demonstrations in front of the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research. 

In other areas, such as Koya, Rania, Soran, Garmian and other areas, university students also organized protests and asked for their financial dues. 

However, the protests witnessed some clashes between the protester and the security forces, and it is believed that some parties are trying to exploit  the demonstrations and use it for their own benefits. 

The Patriotic Union  of Kurdistan announced since the beginning of the demonstrations that it considers the demonstrators demands as legitimate and supports peaceful protests. 

On Tuesday, Amin Baba Sheikh, the spokesman of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan reaffirmed PUK support for students' legitimate demands and called on the security forces to exercise restraint and not to use violence against the demonstrators.

"We in the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan support the students' legitimate demands and call on the Kurdistan Regional Government to take their demands into consideration and re-disburse their monthly allowances," Baba Sheikh said. 

"We also call on the security forces to exercise restraint and not to use violence against demonstrators as they are demanding their legitimate rights, and we also call on the demonstrators to demonstrate in a civil and peaceful manner and to stay away from violence and chaos," he added. 

He also called on the demonstrators not to allow irresponsible parties to exploit the demonstrations for the benefit of their wrong policies.

For his part, the Undersecretary of the Ministry of Interior in the Kurdistan Region, Major General Chato Salih, said that "protecting the lives of the demonstrators is our duty, and we consider their demands as legitimate," adding that "instructions have been issued to the security forces to deal with student demonstrators in a civil manner."

On Monday, the Ministry of Finance and Economy of the Kurdistan Regional Government denied responsibility for cutting students allowances.

The ministry said in a statement that "the students' financial allocations were cut by the Council of Ministers of the Kurdistan Region on February 11, 2014 due to the financial crisis."

"Before 2014, and after the budget was approved by the Kurdistan Parliament, amounts were allocated for student allowances, and they were spent in the Ministry of Higher Education itself; it did not return to the Ministry of Finance at all," the statement added. 

It continued, "during the year 2021, no letter was sent by the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research to the Ministry of Finance regarding the students' allowances."

In addition, Slemani branch of the Kurdistan Journalists Syndicate, on Tuesday issued a letter regarding the demonstrations, saying, "the beauty and tranquility of the city and freedom of expression are above all interests, and media channels provide a real coverage of the demonstrations and do not exaggerate or minimize the events."

It is noteworthy that the students' monthly allowance was cut in 2014 due to the financial problems that the KRG faced as the Iraqi government cut KRG's budget and the price of oil fell. 



PUKmedia