By Dr. Ali Zalme
The younger generation's migration
(age 18 to 28) from Iraqi Kurdistan to Europe and North America has become a
significant issue that cannot be overlooked any longer. It is clear that the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) and its
relevant agencies are only focusing on the immigration of those who have left
their homes due to war and political instability from Iraq and neighbouring
countries. These include Syrian and Kurdish Iranian refugees, as well as those
Arab families from central and southern Iraq, who have resided in displacement camps or are
distributed across cities and towns within the Region. Unfortunately, this is
also the main focus of research studies in this field.
The research that has been carried out
on the displacement issue in the KRG controlled areas is precisely
restricted to incoming migration. This is because the funding to conduct these studies mainly comes from UNHCR, charity
organizations, and foreign universities. Ultimately, their objective is to
provide humanitarian aid to those who most need it (i.e., incoming migration to
the KRG), or at least to follow formula policies that help western powers
better deal with the phenomena. In
contrast, there is a lack of government policy towards the mass migration
particularly of young people out of the Region. Furthermore, the lack of
official statistics from the government regarding how many people have
migrated, who have made the journey safely to Europe, and those who have
unfortunately lost their lives, has made the issue even more complicated.
The time has come to pay attention to
the outgoing migration of youth from the Kurdistan Region. I ask that the issue be taken seriously.
Non-official figures from local media estimate that
27,000 people, mostly young, crossed into Europe in 2020. This should cause
concern for a relatively small population like Iraqi Kurdistan as this has been
continued for many years and is increasing. The migration of great numbers of
young people based on a personal whim and mostly to western European countries
has significant consequences for both countries of origins and country of
settlement. The situation in Iraqi Kurdistan is disappointing - it appears
that corruption, youth unemployment, inequality and political instability are
the main reasons behind youth migration in the region.
Firstly, it is an issue of economic
sustainability and employability, as the majority of those leaving the country
are between 18 and 30 years old. This age range is considered the age of productivity
and creativity in any given society and important for dynamic and future
prosperity. Leaving this matter to personal choice owing to the government's
lack of policy to tackle mass and random migration undoubtedly questions the
KRG's fate. Secondly, it is a demographic problem as young males are traveling
abroad permanently in significant numbers while young females remain in
the country. This has consequences such
as imbalanced population and family unsustainabilities. Thirdly, it is a
problem from an education point of view, as the state provides free education
for 16 years to citizens, hoping that they will graduate and contribute to
society. Instead,these youths
are leaving the country to voluntarily contribute to a different society. Undoubtedly
this is the most serious government failure and disorientation. Fourthly, a younger generation's disengagement
from political activity and decision-making in the society makes the gap deeper
between the political elite, who have dominated for decades in the region, and
ordinary citizens. As a result, any political will to change and reform becomes
unrealistic and difficult to achieve. Thus, this can be seen as a generational
discontinuity under the KRG’s semi-autonomous administration and an issue of
belonging by the younger generation. This can be said for the population under
the control of the federal Iraqi government as well. From unofficial contacts and
discussions with numbers of young people who live in Iraqi Kurdistan via
various social media platforms, I am convinced that unfortunately the only
dream for them is to reach Europe. “I don’t feel I belong here,” a young man told me without any
hesitation, a feeling echoing among the youth everywhere in the Kurdistan
Region.
Finally, it is a human problem because
the whole journey is fraught with both physical and mental challenges that a young
illegal traveller will face. The route has been described by eyewitnesses as a
“huge risk” and a “matter of life and death.” According to local media, 32 refugees
from the Kurdistan Region drowned in the Mediterranean last year. A recent
tightening of border controls by European countries has pushed many vulnerable
refugees into the hands of smugglers and traffickers and they will face
different types of abuse and exploitation. Even then, the exploitation will continue when they reach one of the
European countries that is supposed to
be safe. For example, in a country like the United Kingdom, where claiming
asylum is becoming even more difficult due to policy changes after Brexit and
in particular during the pandemic, asylum seekers must wait longer until their
case to determine by the Home Office, during which they are often poorly
supported and without sufficient financial means. This renders them more vulnerable to
further exploitation.