LAST NEWS ABOUT KIRKUK/ KURDISTAN

[Anthea]

Land return law finalized within 2 days

The land restitution law recently ratified by the Iraqi presidency that seeks to return properties confiscated under the Baath regime to its original owners is set to be implemented imminently as all obstacles have been addressed, Iraq’s second deputy parliament speaker said on Monday

“I spoke with the justice minister three days ago, and the Official Gazette will publish it. When it is implemented, the first step will be to cancel the contracts for Arab settlers, and the government will take measures to return the lands,” Shakhawan Abdullah told Rudaw’s Diyar Kurda in Washington.

The Iraqi parliament in January passed amendments to three controversial laws demanded by the Shiites, Sunnis, and Kurds. The laws in question were general amnesty, personal status, and a bill proposed by the federal government aimed at returning land confiscated under the Baath regime to its original owners.

The land restitution law, a key Kurdish demand, aims to return properties to their original Kurdish and Turkmen owners. These lands were taken from them and given to Arab settlers by the Baath Revolutionary Command Council decades ago

“The law will be published within the next two days and there are no longer any obstacles to its implementation,” Abdullah said.

Last week, Iraq’s Federal Supreme Court dismissed an appeal challenging the validity of the voting procedures and paved the way for President Abdul Latif Rashid to ratify the laws.

https://www.rudaw.net/english/middleeast/iraq/17022025

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Kurdish bloc of Iraqi parliament

gathers with Kirkuk farmers

A delegation from the Kurdish blocs in the Iraqi parliament visited villages northwest of Kirkuk province on Tuesday to express solidarity with Kurdish farmers who were forcibly prevented from accessing their confiscated lands the previous day

The delegation included representatives from the Kurdistan Democratic Party, the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan, the Kurdistan Islamic Union, the Justice Group, the Kurdistan Communist Party, and the New Generation blocs in the Iraqi Parliament.

“We strongly condemn the unjustified attack on Kurdish farmers in Shinagha [village] and Sargaran [subdistrict] yesterday by a group of Iraqi army personnel, who prevented them from cultivating their lands which they inherited from their ancestors,” the Kurdish lawmakers told reporters on Tuesday.

Tensions in the regions northwest of Kirkuk escalated on Monday when Iraqi security forces blocked Kurdish farmers from accessing their farmland. Raw footage filmed by Rudaw showed Iraqi army and anti-riot forces clashing with civilians. In one instance, an Iraqi security officer is seen as trying to forcibly remove a local from his tractor.

The lawmakers emphasized that the forced prevention of Kurdish farmers from entering their lands “is a clear violation of the [Iraqi] constitution, applicable laws and human rights standards.”

The recent clashes come despite recent advancements in Iraq’s legislature, including the passage of the Property Restitution Law last month, which notably went into effect on Tuesday.

The law aims to return lands seized, in Kirkuk and other disputed areas, during the Baath era to their original Kurdish and Turkmen owners. These lands were previously given to Arab settlers, a tactic believed to have been part of the Baathist regime’s efforts to alter the demographic makeup in disputed regions.

The lawmakers argued that the Iraqi forces’ actions contradict the recently-passed land restitution law, which guarantees citizens the right to work on their lands without restrictions.

The Kurdish blocs also called on the Iraqi political forces to take a “clear and firm position” on these violations and to address the incident responsibly, stressing that such violations “pose a direct threat to peace and societal stability in Kirkuk.” They also emphasized they will be resorting to all constitutional and legal means to follow up on this issue.

This is not the first such incident. In November, Iraqi armed forces also blocked farmers from preparing their fields for the winter season. At that time, Kurdish farmers accused Arab settlers of preventing them from accessing their lands.

https://www.rudaw.net/english/middleeast/iraq/180220254

[Anthea]

Recent violations against

Kurdish farmers in Kirkuk

ERBIL (Kurdistan24) – Kurdistan Region Prime Minister Masrour Barzani presided over a Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) Council of Ministers meeting on Wednesday, with Deputy Prime Minister Qubad Talabani in attendance, according to an official statement from the KRG

At the outset, Prime Minister Barzani addressed recent violations against indigenous Kurdish farmers in the villages of Sargaran district, Kirkuk province. Condemning the reported incidents of rape and obstruction, he stated, “This behavior is unconstitutional, illegal, and unacceptable. We oppose all forms of oppression against farmers who are the rightful owners of their land and must have the right to freely cultivate and use their property, as well as that of their ancestors.”

Reaffirming the government’s commitment, the prime minister emphasized that all obstacles faced by farmers should be removed in accordance with Law No. 3 of 2025, recently passed by the Iraqi House of Representatives. He stressed the importance of ensuring that the lands are returned to their rightful owners through legal channels

The meeting also covered the KRG delegation’s recent participation in the World Government Summit in Dubai, held from February 11th to 13th. The high-level delegation, led by Prime Minister Barzani and Deputy Prime Minister Talabani, engaged in discussions on governance, economic development, and cooperation with international partners.

In the second segment of the meeting, a joint committee report between the KRG and the Federal Government was presented. The report focused on regulatory quality control measures and the classification of contractors, with relevant ministries outlining their recommendations for improvements in these sectors.

Additionally, Acting Minister of Natural Resources Kamal Mohammad Salih provided an update on a joint meeting held in Erbil regarding the implementation of Law No. 5 of 2025, the first amendment to the federal budget law concerning oil exports

The Council of Ministers reaffirmed its support for the implementation of the amendment to Article 12 of the Federal Budget Law and reiterated the Kurdistan Region’s demand for the resumption of oil exports.

Officials highlighted that the ongoing halt in oil exports since March 2023 has resulted in billions of dollars in lost revenue for Iraq. To expedite a resolution, the Council instructed the Ministry of Natural Resources to collaborate closely with the Federal Ministry of Oil to finalize procedures and mechanisms for the immediate resumption of oil exports.

https://www.kurdistan24.net/en/story/82 ... -in-kirkuk

[Anthea]

Farmers Must Access Ancestral Lands

Kurdistan Prime Minister Masrour Barzani on Wednesday chaired a cabinet meeting to discuss various topics, including the situation of Kurdish farmers in Kirkuk, who have faced aggressive military action by the Iraqi army

During the meeting, the Council of Ministers denounced recent aggression against Kurdish farmers in Kirkuk’s Sargaran town and called the acts unconstitutional and illegal. It also reaffirmed its commitment to protecting landowners’ rights.

Speaking at a cabinet meeting alongside Deputy Prime Minister Qubad Talabani, PM Barzani stressed that indigenous farmers must be allowed to cultivate their ancestral lands without interference. “We oppose all forms of oppression against farmers, who are the rightful owners of their lands,” he said.

The prime minister reiterated the KRG’s commitment to enforcing Law No. 3 of 2025, which repeals Ba’ath-era land confiscation policies and mandates the return of seized properties. He called for an end to obstacles preventing farmers from reclaiming their land.