Today, Wednesday, a Kurdsat English reporter said that fighting broke out between Kurdish farmers and relocated Arabs in Haftaghar in the Daquq district. Hundreds of thousands of acres of land are disputed between Kurds and Arabs in Kirkuk and other regions of the disputed territories, an outcome caused by Iraq’s continued Arabization of the region.

"The relocated Arabs brought several tractors to farm tracts of Kurdish-owned land, prompting the farmers to attack the relocated Arabs with sticks and stones, forcing them to leave," per the reporter. 

Kurdish, Turkmen, and Arab farmers dispute over 300 hectares of farmlands in Kirkuk and the disputed territories, most of which remain unsettled and are a source of contention between the different minority groups. Although the Daquq court ruled the return of thousands of acres of land back to the Kurds in November, the Arab farmers have ignored the decision.

Today, Tuesday, the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) Ministry of Electricity said that their minister had signed a contract with the director of Pluto Auto Cycle Company to install a solar power plant in Erbil. The plant will generate 25 MW of solar power and will be operational within 90 days, it said.

The ministry of electricity noted that their ministry had added an extra 615 MW of electricity to the national electricity grid in the past four years. Despite the national power grid, the Kurdistan region relies on tens of thousands of generators to substitute for the hours of power outages. The generators pump thousands of kilos of CO2 into the air every day. 

"It is noteworthy that even after the production of more power, it has not been able to provide 24 hours electricity to the citizens of the Kurdistan region, the power ministry added.

Power outages are common in the Kurdistan region, especially in the winter, as people turn to electricity to heat their homes. A recent ministry of electricity plan to provide 24/7 power to households failed since it lowered the limit of amperes every family could use from 40 to 30 amperes, not enough to turn on some essential household items, according to citizens complaining on social media.

The Kurdistan region relied on hydrocarbon fuel for heating residences and cooking, with most heaters working with kerosene or other fossil fuels; although electricity heaters are typical, the lack of electric power makes it difficult for many to afford. 

For the second day, a general strike is held in Rojhelat or Iranian Kurdistan cities; dissidents have shut their businesses, leaving streets empty. The strike is scheduled to continue tomorrow.

A week earlier, the Cooperation Center for Iranian Kurdistan's Political parties (CCIKPP) called for a general strike as protests stagnated. Many answered their call and went on strike. The strike continues even though Tehran has shown signs of relaxing laws on the Hijab.  

Human rights watchdog Hengaw reported that a general strike was underway in 29 cities of the four provinces of Iranian Kurdistan on Monday, including Ilam, Kermanshah, Sanandaj, and Urmia.

Students of Tehran University and Kurdistan University in Sanaa have also decided to participate in the general strike, and the strike is scheduled to continue tomorrow.

People of Tehran, Sanandaj, Kermanshah, Shiraz, Rasht, and Mashhad took to the streets last night to protest against the Iranian government.

Over 460 people have been killed in the unrest in Rojhelat and Iran, with almost 30 thousand people put behind bars.

Earlier this morning, Tuesday, a gas bottle caught fire in a house in Sulaiman's Tasluja neighborhood. Sulaimani Health Department Spokesperson Saman Latif told Kurdsat English, "the bottle was a small gas cylinder type and caught fire due to leakage." 

Small gas cylinders are often used in the Kurdistan region for cooking, as they are cheap and handy since high energy prices have left many unable to afford safer energy sources.

He said the incident occurred while the family was preparing breakfast when the bottle caught fire. The man, aged 70, and woman, aged 63, were partially burned, with rooms in their house destroyed.

According to Latif, the 70-year-old man suffered a 12 percent burn, while the 63-year-old woman suffered a 43 percent burn. The woman is currently being treated at the Sulaimani Emergency Hospital.

Gas-caused incidents are common in the Kurdistan region, as it lacks a united national gas system to warm its households. Many people resort to individual gas cylinders or systems installed in homes without proper safety measures.

Last month two explosions caused by gas cylinders in Sulaimani and Duhok claimed 21 lives and left tens of injuries, leading the government to ban their use and audit already installed gas cylinders in homes and offices.

Iranian forces have abducted over 300 children in the past 80 days of protests in Rojhelat, the Oslo-based Human Rights Organization Hengaw reported.

According to the group, 17 minors were kidnapped in Sanandaj, with 14 in Javanrud and 14 in Saqqez. The Kurdish cities in Iran have experienced one of the worst crackdowns in the nationwide unrest. Of the kidnapped, only 130 are identified, of which 27 are girls, and 103 are boys.

According to Hengaw, a number of the kidnapped children were illegally instructed to fill out confessions, after several days and weeks of uncertainty about their fate, with some of them being later released on bail.

Since the unrest began in September, many minors have been detained and some killed, mostly in Iranian Kurdistan. 

Professor Vakas Jolak uses his restaurant to introduce Kurdish culture to the Japanese people and people visiting his restaurant. 

"Mesopotamia is the land where both the Tigris and Euphrates rivers flow and the birthplace of the two-water valley civilization," owner Vakas Jolak told Japanese Nippon TV.

When asked why he named his restaurant Mesopotamia and not Kurdistan, Jolak said that Kurdistan overlaps the Mesopotamia area where civilization was born. It seems Jolak wanted to show people of Kurdistan's historic and cultural richness. 

Jolak opened this restaurant in 2017 and is the only Kurdish restaurant in Japan. The restaurant also serves as a cultural center introducing Kurdish culture and language. As its owner says, his restaurant could be a refugee for the Kurds visiting Japan.

A map of Greater Kurdistan on the food menu of Mesopotamia Restaurant 

"People say that we Kurds are the world's largest ethnic group without a state. The area known as Kurdistan, where most Kurdish people live, includes parts of Turkey, Syria, Iraq, Iran, and Azerbaijan. Sadly, though it isn't a recognized nation," Jolak complained. 

Speaking of Kurdish cookery, the owner of Mesopotamia notes that "throughout history, Turkish cuisine has been influenced not only by Central Asian cuisine but also by Greek, Persian and Arabic cuisine, we can say that the famous Turkish dishes originated from the Kurdish dishes."

Born in 1981, Jolak hails from a small village in Turkey's Kurdish regions. In the late 1980s, the Turkish government cracked down on the Kurdish nationalist movements. Jolak's brother was deported several times for being a member of one of the Kurdish-banned parties. Accordingly, like thousands of other families, one of Jolak's brothers sought refugee in the Netherlands while others emigrated to Japan.

Vakas Jolak initially dreamed of becoming a Kurdish language teacher, but at that time, Turkey denied the existence of Kurds as an ethnic group and their language, so he had to study only the Turkish language and literature, forcing him to move to Malaysia to continue his studies. Unable to return to Turkey, his brother assisted him in moving to Japan in 2009.

Vakas Jolak currently works as the evening manager and chef of Mesopotamia Restaurant, he is also a professor of Kurdish in the Department of Foreign Culture and Language Studies at the University of Tokyo, and the director of the Kurdish-Japan Cultural Association.

The pond turtle found at the ponds and springs is connected to the Kurdish goddess of waters, Ana, which has been residing in springs, rivers and lakes since the beginning of life on earth. Accordingly, the turtle symbolizes longevity and immortality.

The turtle motif on a Kurdish rug, 19th or early 20th century

Among Muslim Kurds, the goddess Ana is replaced with the prophet Khizir, an immortal spirit whose shrines are found in many places in Kurdistan next to springs and rivers. Accordingly, turtle motifs are common in Kurdish decorative and religious arts.

In many texts, Khizir or Khidr is described as a messenger, prophet, or angel who guards the sea, helps those in distress and imparts secret knowledge. Although not explicitly mentioned, Khizir is mentioned in the Quran.

Khizir visualized in a painting wearing a green overall. Scholars suggest his name was derived from the Arabic word Akhzar, meaning green. 

One Kurdish legend is that the turtle was originally a wise human who was well-versed in the sea and eventually transformed into an animal, turning the sea or river it's an eternal home.

In Kurdish dream lore, a turtle could represent wisdom, good health and good luck. For instance, turtles seen in a dream indicate their will's emergence with wise people.

The turtle shell is believed to be a defense against the evil eye or malevolent witchcraft. When the harvest season begins, turtle shells are hung on poles and placed in the harvest field to ward off the evil eye. In some regions, the nomads, to parry fascination, carried a fragment of turtle shell fastened to a peg of oak wood.

In some ritual practices, turtle blood was applied on scars and skin infections, believing that turtles had the power of healing.

The mytheme of the cosmic turtle—a giant turtle supporting the world—found in many cultures has also made its way into Kurdish cosmogony, where we find a giant turtle carrying the world on its back.

A rare Kurdish rug with mysterious pond turtle icons associated with Kurdish mythology, 19th century

Today, Sunday, Sazan’s Pomegranate Company CEO Faraydoon Namdar, told KurdSat English, “they have delivered 20 tons of Pomegranates to United Arab Emirates (USA) and have prepared 1000 tons for export.” The Kurdish-grown pomegranates were welcomed warmly in the UAE.

The Halabja-based Sazan’s Pomegranate Company(SPC) has pioneered exporting agricultural products abroad; in 2020, it exported its first batches of pomegranates to Europe and the UK for the first time in the history of the Kurdistan region. 

“We prepared everything for delivering pomegranates to the UAE, from harvesting, to packing and preparing their shipment,” Namdar said.
In a televised press conference, Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) Minister of Agriculture and Water Resources Begard Talabani revealed his ministry’s policies to make pomegranate a Kurdish brand and export it all over the world, which helps to turn agriculture a great source of revenue for the government and the private sector.

Talabani said that they are currently working with the UAE to research Halabja pomegranates and orchards, and a committee has been formed for that purpose.

Kurdistan region relies heavily on the hydrocarbon reserves to fund its coffers. Yet, hydrocarbon reserves still need to fund the KRG as its spending outpaces revenues. Recently, the Kurdistan Region Deputy Prime Minister Qubad Talabani started assisting local farmers and investors in improving the agricultural sector in the Kurdistan region and turning it into a good source of revenue for the region.

Halabja pomegranates packaged for export in Halabja, Kurdistan region on October 18, 2022

Today, Sunday, at 01:30 PM, a Khurmatu-based plower whose originally from Ozem in norther Baghdad, was going to plow a land in a remote area north of Khurmatu, and was kidnapped by three unknown gunmen on two motorcycles, suspected to be ISIS terrorists.

The abducted man was hired by an Iraqi military commander named Hussein Mardan to plough his land in north east Khurmatu, KurdSat reporter said.

The relatives of the kidnapped man filed a complaint in the Khurmatu Police Department this evening, the reporter said. Police have opened an investigation into the incident, according to police officers.

Many people in Kirkuk and disputed territories go missing, who are usually kidnapped by ISIS terrorists.

Today, Saturday, the head of the group of lawyers defending Badinan prisoners, Bashdar Hassan, said, "Badinan prisoners believe that their rights are protected in Sulaimani Correctional Facility." Earlier the Badinan prisoners asked to be moved to Sulaimani prisons from Erbil prisons, citing discomforting treatment at Erbil jails.

"Badinan inmates believe that their rights are protected in Sulaimani Correctional Facility," the lawyer head said. Although necessary procedures were done, their transfer has been stalled for political reasons. "It is not the first time they have been punished; it is the fourth time they have been punished," Hassan explained. According to the lawyers, the new charges pressed against the prisoners are because they asked to serve the rest of their time in a Sulaimani prison.

The new charges follow PUK President Bafel Jalal Talabani's remarks in an interview that went rival, who said that the Badinan prisoners have asked to be moved to Sulaimani but were denied. It was because of the conditions in Erbil jails, as the prisoners have no knowledge of prisons in Sulaimani.

Representative of Badinan prisoners Ayhan Saeed said in a statement, "journalist Sherwan Sherwani has been sentenced for the fourth time without any reason and is deprived of any normal rights of a prisoner."

The inmates are denied contact with the outside world, even though Kurdistan region reform law gives them the right to contact their kin outside, according to the lawyer, who added that the measures against the prisoners were to break their will and mentally "disturb" them.  

On October 7, 2020, Erbil Security Forces (Asaysh) detained Sherwan Sherwani and his activist and journalist friends, leading to a widespread outcry in the Kurdistan region. 

On February 16, 2022, the detainees were indicted with several "wrongdoings" by the Cassation Court of Erbil and sentenced to six years in prison. Though some prisoners had served their time, new charges were brought against them every time public pressure mounted for their release.

Mohammad Taqi Osanluo, commander of Hamza Sayyid al-Shuhada base of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), overseeing the Kurdish areas of Iran, said in an interview that their borders were under control, but there were destabilizing movements on the border with Iraq. He was referring to the activities of Iranian Kurdish Opposition Groups.

The commander mentioned the American-Kurdish ties, saying they would not interfere in that matter but would not tolerate the presence of American forces on their borders, warning KRG of severe consequences in such a scenario. Osanluo claimed that the Americans are aware that we know everything about their whereabouts in the Kurdistan region.

The Revolutionary Guards commander spoke of cases against Iranian dissidents living in the Kurdistan region. "Iran had previously called on the Iraqi Kurdistan authorities to dissolve the terrorist groups, but unfortunately there was no cooperation," Osanluo said. Washington Post reported on April 2021, that Iran hit a CIA hanger in the Kurdistan region's Erbil.

IRGC commander for Iranian Kurdistan said they could strike a Kurdish leader, but they did as he was with his family. "We would bomb houses harboring terrorists' groups."

Since the Zhina Mahsa Amini protests have swept across the Islamic republic, Iran has increased its attacks on the Kurdistan region, and at times threatening ground invasion in the Kurdistan region, Iranian opposition groups remain in the region.

Leezengberg opened his statement by saying, "It is a great honor to win the prize." The philosopher apologized for only speaking Kurmanji Kurdish, as Kurdish Sorani is predominantly spoken in Sulaimani, where the ceremony was held. 

Michiel Leezenberg, born in 1964, is a professor of philosophy at the University of Amsterdam in the Netherlands. He is known as a philosopher and comparative linguist. He spent over half of his life exploring Kurdish history and language. "I have been studying the Kurds for the past 30 t0 33 years," the Kurdologist noted.

He is fluent in Dutch, English, French, German, and Italian. The linguist has an excellent command of Greek, Turkish and Arabic, Kurdish, and even extinct languages such as Greek, Ancient Chinese, Sanskrit and Latin. Leezenberg is fluent in Kurdish Kurmanji, a dialect of the Kurdish language spoken by most Kurds.

Michiel Leezenberg is speaking Kurdish at the Jamal Nabaz Golden Pen Prize ceremony wearing the Jamal Nabaz Golden Pen Prize necklace, the necklace thread is decorated with the Kurdistan flag, in Sulaimani, Kurdistan region, on December 3, 2022.   

Michelle's acquaintance with the Kurds dates back to 1988 when he met several Kurds Turkey and Syria. In the same year, news of the horrific chemical attack on Halabja spread in Europe and significantly impacted Leezenberg. "I first came to Sulaimani in 1989, when it was under Saddam Hussein," Leezenberg said at the event.

Today, Saturday, under the slogan "freedom is preferred over independence", the ceremony to award the Jamal Nabaz Golden Pen Prize was held in Sulaimani with the presence of Kurdish linguists, scholars and Kurdologists; Dutch Kurdologist Michiel Leezenberg won the award and spoke in a fluent Kurdish Kurmanji in the ceremony, the Dutch linguist did not have an accent when speaking Kurdish. KurdSat Broadcasting Corporation (KBC) was the ceremony's media sponsor. 

A year later, Leezenberg tries to learn Kurdish, begins reading about Kurdish society and history, and travels to the Kurdistan region. The Dutch Kurdologist's first publications on the Kurds date back to the late 1980s, focusing on human rights and minority groups. He is the author of six books, including Islamic Philosophy: A history, an English translation is due soon. One of his widely taunted articles is Urbanization, Privatization, and Patronage: The Political Economy of Iraqi Kurdistan included in "The Kurds: Nationalism and Politics", a book about Kurds published by Oxford University Press, is a comprehensive study of Kurds that provides an accurate account of Kurds and Kurdistan.

Michiel 

The Dutch activist has always been a Kurdish advocate and raised the Kurdish question, leading Turkey to name him non-grata in 2018. As it is said, I am an undercover Kurdologist, the professor said at the Jamal Nabaz Golden Prize ceremony. Michiel Leezenberg has significantly contributed to the Kurdish language and culture and has participated in several conferences. Since 2010, he has tried speaking Kurdish in regional conferances, as he did at the Jamal Nabaz Golden Prize ceremony. 

He last taught an online course on comparative Kurdish literature during the Covid-19 lockdown. The Dutch Kurdologist is preparing an article on Ahmad Khani's Mam and Zin. He has also translated the story into Dutch and plans to publish it soon.

Today, Saturday, a mother of three children, a girl and two boys, died following a failed surgery in Kirkuk. Kurdsat English reporter said that the woman underwent a surgery 20 days ago at Dar al-Hikma private hospital in Kirkuk.

According to the relatives of the woman, they were told she would have a minor surgery, but she died shortly after being discharged from the operating room.

KurdSat English’s reporter noted that the woman's relatives filed a legal complaint against the hospital, but did not follow up the complaint properly, and have slept on it. They woman’s relatives seek justice through the media, thinking that legal charges would lead nowhere, KurdSat English has learned.