PKK demands head tax from local shepherds

[Piling]

Omar Chawshin
BasNews, Qandil


Local shepherds in Qandil and Raparin in Iraqi Kurdistan have accused members of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) of forcing them to pay a head tax to take their flocks to graze.

PKK officials have not rejected the accusation and refused to comment on the matter when contacted by BasNews.

Local shepherd Anwar Ahmed said they are being forced to pay money if they want to take their flocks to the mountains.

“They force us to pay them money and they say the money goes towards aid for PKK soldiers. The amount of money varies depending on the number of sheep,” Ahmed told BasNews.

Ahmed said that he has to pay approximately $50 per day and offer them a number of sheep.

Hama Amin Ibrahim told BasNews that each spring he takes his 200 sheep and goats to the mountains where PKK fighters reside.

“Every time I take the flock up to the mountains I’m forced to pay about $100 to the PKK to be allowed to stay,” said Ibrahim.

PKK is like French State : asking taxes for everything, even when you have to go to the loo !

[Anthea]

Omar Chawshin
BasNews, Qandil


Local shepherds in Qandil and Raparin in Iraqi Kurdistan have accused members of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) of forcing them to pay a head tax to take their flocks to graze.

PKK officials have not rejected the accusation and refused to comment on the matter when contacted by BasNews.

Local shepherd Anwar Ahmed said they are being forced to pay money if they want to take their flocks to the mountains.

“They force us to pay them money and they say the money goes towards aid for PKK soldiers. The amount of money varies depending on the number of sheep,” Ahmed told BasNews.

Ahmed said that he has to pay approximately $50 per day and offer them a number of sheep.

Hama Amin Ibrahim told BasNews that each spring he takes his 200 sheep and goats to the mountains where PKK fighters reside.

“Every time I take the flock up to the mountains I’m forced to pay about $100 to the PKK to be allowed to stay,” said Ibrahim.

PKK is like French State : asking taxes for everything, even when you have to go to the loo !

PKK have always demanded taxes/donations from others

[talsor]

“Every time I take the flock up to the mountains I’m forced to pay about $100 to the PKK to be allowed to stay,” said Ibrahim.

Not a fan of PKK what so ever , but what a load of crap propaganda .
like all the shepherds in kurdistan carry 100 dollar bills .

[Anthea]

“Every time I take the flock up to the mountains I’m forced to pay about $100 to the PKK to be allowed to stay,” said Ibrahim.

Not a fan of PKK what so ever , but what a load of crap propaganda .
like all the shepherds in kurdistan carry 100 dollar bills .

Not sure myself - I know that the price of sheep is going up in Kurdistan - to be able to have a flock of sheep graze on mountains where there is little or no competition probably would be worth that much money depending on the size of the flock

Does anyone know the price of sheep in Kurdistan?

[talsor]

Not sure myself - I know that the price of sheep is going up in Kurdistan - to be able to have a flock of sheep graze on mountains where there is little or no competition probably would be worth that much money depending on the size of the flock

Does anyone know the price of sheep in Kurdistan?

it is a load of crap propaganda period . You two sit on your ass bashing PKK like you are better huh . get a life and leave the kurds deal with Kurdish issues . it is no of your business

Even the dumbest of the dumbs can multiply 100 X 30 days = 3000 a month . A doctor in the hospital in Kurdistan can barely make between 1500 - 2000$ .

[Anthea]

Not sure myself - I know that the price of sheep is going up in Kurdistan - to be able to have a flock of sheep graze on mountains where there is little or no competition probably would be worth that much money depending on the size of the flock

Does anyone know the price of sheep in Kurdistan?

it is a load of crap propaganda period . You two sit on your ass bashing PKK like you are better huh . get a life and leave the kurds deal with Kurdish issues . it is no of your business

Even the dumbest of the dumbs can multiply 100 X 30 days = 3000 a month . A doctor in the hospital in Kurdistan can barely make between 1500 - 2000$ .

It is a shame that you are so dumb you did not read the article properly:

Hama Amin Ibrahim... each spring (as in once a year) he takes his 200 sheep and goats to the mountains

“Every time I take the flock up to the mountains I’m forced to pay about $100 to the PKK to be allowed to stay,” said Ibrahim.

$100 is a fair price to pay for annual grazing rights - I imagine Hama is complaining because the land does not belong to the PKK therefore they have not legal right to charge any money.

It is common for farmers to graze their flocks on mountains in the spring - springtime is when the snow has gone and there is a lot of fresh new growth - it gives the winter feeding grounds lower down time to recover

Anwar Ahmed said they are being forced to pay money...the amount of money varies depending on the number of sheep,” Ahmed told BasNews.

Ahmed said that he has to pay approximately $50 per day and offer them a number of sheep.

I admit that $50 per day seems rather a lot of money but sometimes farmers work together when they take their flocks to a different location for summer grazing - Kurds having a nomadic background - several families could possibly move to the grazing grounds together.

As we have absolutely no idea how many sheep are involved - we can only assume that the numbers are very high.

You two sit on your ass bashing PKK like you are better huh . get a life and leave the kurds deal with Kurdish issues . it is no of your business

talsor has forgotten Piling was here when RBK started - without Piling running this forum

THERE WOULD BE NO ROJ BASH KURDISTAN