KRG ministry: Burning of Kurdish farmers' crops in Iraq 'systematic'

The Kurdistan Region’s Ministry of Agriculture and Water Resources stated that there is a "systematic" burning of Kurdish farmers' crops in areas disputed between the federal government and the autonomous region and demanded that farmers and their fields be protected from the "fire of hatred."

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – The Kurdistan Region’s Ministry of Agriculture and Water Resources stated that there is a "systematic" burning of Kurdish farmers' crops in areas disputed between the federal government and the autonomous region and demanded that farmers and their fields be protected from the "fire of hatred."

"We regret the suffering and loss of property to our farmers in Kurdish territories outside the administration of the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) as a result of the fire of hatred and detestation," a ministry statement read.

The frequency of crop fires has increased in recent weeks with coming of the harvest season, many but not all in disputed territories.

Read More: Crop fires destroy hundreds of acres in Iraq’s disputed Kirkuk; ISIS claims Diyala incidents

Both federal Iraqi officials and a Kurdish Peshmerga commander have blamed most of the fires on the Islamic State, but blamed others on discarded cigarettes and other accidental causes, deliberate arson by landowners—potentially to seek government compensation, tribal disputes, or a new wave of so-called Arabization meant to displace Kurdish populations from places like Kirkuk, which the ministry appeared to have decided upon.

"We consider burning the wheat and barley crops of our farmers, starting from disputed Makhmour to Khanaqin, to be carried out as part of a systematic process, and this process is repeated annually, which leads to the complete loss of their efforts as farmers," the statement added, referencing the disputed territories that extend from Sinjar (Shingal) near the Syrian border eastward to Khanaqin, not far from the border of Iran.

The crop fires also took place last year in several provinces, both with and without disputed territories, including Kirkuk, Nineveh, Diyala, and Basra.

"We have asked the Ministry of Peshmerga to protect residents and safeguard their lives and properties in the Kurdish areas outside the administration of the regional government (disputed territories), in accordance to their presence in those areas."

He also called on local governments in the disputed territories to offer protection, "as a representative of our ministry at the Federal Ministry of Agriculture (in Baghdad) has also urged the need to protect crops and farmers in these territories."

The KRG statement  also demanded that the federal agriculture ministry, Kirkuk's provincial government, and various administrative departments in the disputed areas "assume their responsibilities to protect the lives and property of our farmers in these areas and compensate the damage they have suffered."

Two weeks ago, the Civil Defense Directorate said that the number of crops field fires reached 80 fires in 15 provinces, namely Baghdad, Babil, Maysan, Wasit, Diwaniyah, Diyala, Muthanna, Salahuddin, Kirkuk, Karbala, Anbar, Nineveh, Basra, Dhi Qar, and Najaf.

According to the Iraqi civil defence’s statistic, more than 1,300 acres have been burned, while about 13,000 acres were saved from fires throughout the country. The tally did not include the four provinces of the Kurdistan Region, as fire incidents have not yet occurred there this season.

Editing by John J. Catherine