Kolbers destiny in Rojhelat (East Kurdistan)
Since the Iranian Revolution 1979 one of the areas that have been neglected is Kurdistan. Despite having natural resources and mineral reserves of precious kind, instead of being a gateway for tourism and free trade, it has become a double fear for the militarization of the region by the Iranian security forces also prevalence of Kolberi phenomenon in the Rojhelat borders because of unemployment. In recent years it has been denying the Kurdish people of their cultural rights and political participation was regarded as a red line in the law.
“Newroz Hesen Evdi 28 from Urmiye and Celil Yunesi 29 from Bane” (Rojhelat) were the latest Kolbers — border couriers who carry untaxed goods coming from Iraq or Turkey for a small fee — to be killed by Iranian border police. The police have killed close to 100 of these petty smugglers over the last two years, treat them like dangerous criminals, According to Kurdpa (Kurdistan Press Agency).
While the official unemployment rate among the youth in Iran is 26%, the figure in the Kurdish areas in the west and northwest of the country is much higher, forcing people like Newroz and Celil to resort to the perilous profession of smuggling goods across international borders.
This hard life for thousands of Kurds owes in part to lack of investment by the government in the Kurdish areas, which some argue is politically motivated.
“As economic problems intensify due to international economic sanctions by the Western countries and the incompetence of the government … other security and political issues have turned Kurdistan into a place for political disputes and this is one of the reasons why the government ignores the development of the region, and therefore people have been forgotten and resort to the dangerous job of Kolberi to live,” reads a report by the US-based Iran Human Rights Documentation Center, an advance copy of which was obtained by Al-Monitor. The governor of Kurdistan province also stated recently, “Investment and creating jobs are among the essential needs of Kurdistan.” Fazel Hawramy wrote for Al-Monitor.
MP Biglari challenges the government
Ironically last Wednesday Mohsen Biglari MP for Seqiz and Bane cities has criticized the new government policies in connection with Kurdish areas. “Despite the votes of 80 percent of the Kurdistan people to President Rouhani also according to his campaign promises, expected to add a local governor in the Kurdish regions plus putting a minister of Kurds in the cabinet, while it did not materialized they are forced to be satisfied with lower posts today”. ISNA News Agency quoted Bigleri.
In case of Kolberi phenomenon in the Rojhelat, Bigleri says the President: “people of Bane and Seqiz have turned to Kolberi without their will, unfortunately in the last two months were killed six Kurdish civilians with the brutal shooting in front of their families by the Iranian border forces. While there is not even g-trafficking in their cars, police itself confirms this fact”.
The MP for Bane and Seqiz asked the Minister of Industry, Mine and Trade: “government should take immediate steps toward the formalize border markets, cleaning land-mines in Kurdistan also use of the local labours for constructions and economic development to avoid turning people in Kolberi.
The Evin Case
In November 14, police had killed Evin Osmani, 17, when they shot directly at a moving car in Encile village outside Bane. A bullet hit her in the spine; she died the next day. The killing has led to public anger in the region, especially since Evin Osmani and her fiancé were scheduled to be married that week, the source told the International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran.
In his recent report to the UN General Assembly, UN Special Rapporteur on Iran Ahmed Shaheed was highlighted the “indiscriminate killings of Kolbers in violation of the domestic laws and international obligations of Iran”.
Rojhelat.info