Death of Kurdish journalist must be explained – writer

BAGHDAD / IraqiNews.com: Ranj Alaaldin in his article in the Guardian newspaper expressed belief that the murder of Kurdish journalist Sardasht Osman needs more explanations by the Kurdistan’s government, as the assassination came after criticizing corruption in the region. “It would be just another tragedy if it had taken place anywhere else in Iraq, but the killing of Sardasht Osman, a 23-year-old Kurdish freelance journalist and university student who was kidnapped, tortured and then found dead with bullet wounds has shocked the comparatively stable Kurdistan region of Iraq, where the authorities now have much explaining to do,” Alaaldin said in his article. “Osman, writing anonymously but later revealing his identity, had been critical of the authorities and the patronage and corruption that plague Kurdistan. He pushed the boundaries of freedom in the region by publishing a number of inflammatory articles, insulting senior officials of the ruling Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) and the Kurdistan Democratic party (KDP); and crossed the red line of local taboo.” “After publishing such articles, Osman faced intimidation and received death threats (as described by him in an article he wrote in December 2009). Three months later events culminated in his death and fingers are now pointed towards the Kurdistan regional government (Arbil, pass through countless security checkpoints and then take him to the volatile and disputed territory of Mosul where they dumped his body the following night. Osman may have died during this journey, or in Mosul itself,” he pointed out. “What makes this so remarkable is that Kurdistan’s security and intelligence services are renowned for their tight grip; Kurdistan has suffered just one major terror attack since 2003, has eliminated jihadist terrorists and their cells, and its security forces have successfully created a haven safe for foreign investment and workers.” “Protests have taken place in the past few days in Arbil and Sulaimaniya, and more are expected. Recognising the severity of the issue and the potential it has to trigger greater protests of outrage on the Kurdish street, the will have to go beyond merely attributing blame to individuals or a particular entity. Of course, there could be other reasons for Osman’s killing but these do not sound very plausible. The operation to kill him was certainly audacious and, in normal circumstances, would have required the most sophisticated planning and the most cunning and exceptionally trained of attackers,” he said. A statement on the would do well to