Internet issues slow down census process in Dibaga district, official reports

Omid Aziz, who supervises a census team in Dibaga, told Kurdistan24 that poor internet connections have become a major obstacle in the electronic registration process.

A census taking staff registering information on the online portal. (Photo: Kurdistan24)
A census taking staff registering information on the online portal. (Photo: Kurdistan24)

Nov. 16, 2024

ERBIL (Kurdistan24) – Slow internet connectivity is hampering the progress of Iraq's national census in the Dibaga district, despite enthusiastic participation from local residents, according to census officials.

Omid Aziz, who supervises a census team in Dibaga, told Kurdistan24 that poor internet connections have become a major obstacle in the electronic registration process. 

"The slow internet is causing significant delays for our census staff and creating frustration among waiting residents," Aziz explained.

The supervisor noted that original residents of Dibaga and surrounding villages who currently live elsewhere can return to register with their families at their ancestral homes. 

"We can register up to three families per house," he added.

The census, which officially began today, covers 15 townships, 46 districts, and 350 villages within Erbil governorate.

Dibaga and its surrounding areas have a complex demographic history, marked by the 1988 village destruction campaign and subsequent Arabization policies that affected more than 20 villages. 

Many original Kurdish residents were forced to relocate to Erbil and other areas. While some returned after the 2003 Iraq War, others remained in their new locations. 

This census represents a significant opportunity to document the current population distribution in these historically contested areas.