Protesters block main road in Dukan, demanding water and electricity

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region – Protesters in Dukan’s Surdash sub-district blocked the main Sulaimani-Dukan road for the second day on Tuesday, protesting a lack of water and electricity.

Dozens of people blocked both sides of the Sulaimani-Dukan road near Kani Khan village.

Speaking to Rudaw, they complained of scarce electricity, claiming they only have one hour of power between 4am and 6pm.

“We want the government to give us water, electricity and services. We’re not asking for money from them. It’s our right,” Mohammed Kani Khani told Rudaw.

The lack of electricity has also created a water shortage.

“People don’t have electricity, they don’t have water. They have animals, how are they going to give them water?”  said another protester Hemin Osman.

Mohammed Sheikh Abdulrahman, director of Surdash sub-district, told Rudaw that the demands of locals have been raised with Sulaimani’s governor.

“The electricity [problem] of the Kurdistan Region cannot be solved by us. No promises have been made from the electricity directorate; they’re saying 'we don’t have enough to distribute',” Abdulrahman said at the protest.

“Now Dukan has no electricity,” he added.

The Kurdistan Region and Iraq suffer from chronic electricity shortages and dilapidated infrastructure. The failure of successive Iraqi and Kurdish governments to alleviate the chronic shortages since the 2003 war has been a near-constant source of public anger.

In February, a spokesperson from the electricity ministry said the Kurdistan Region has no intention of importing electricity from abroad. At the time, he said national electricity was only available an average of 10-12 hours per day, and up to 16 hours in warmer areas, but production was to increase.  

The Region is in also in the midst of a water crisis.

Additional reporting by Horvan Raafat