The firms that do business with northern Iraq stressed in their initial statements that they would comply with an embargo decision; however, it is a fact that they are also seriously concerned. Let's first take a look at the current scene.There are approximately 1,100 Turkish firms operating in northern Iraq at the present time. Turkish companies active in such cities as Dohuk, Arbil and Sulaimaniya operate in a number of fields, from large-scale housing projects to the construction of five-star hotels, from building huge shopping centers to digging irrigation canals to building viaducts, bridges and highways. The amount of food items exported by Turkey to the region is growing by the day, and the bazaars in northern Iraq are filled with Turkish goods. The current number of Turkish citizens working in the region is around 15,000. In the construction sector alone, the current value of Turkish investment is $4 billion, and there are about 5,000 Turks who work at these construction sites.
These are undoubtedly very important figures that we have to take into account. However, there are not only Turkish firms in northern Iraq. There are also firms from China, Austria, South Korea, some other European countries, Iran and others; northern Iraq is turning into a huge construction site. In other words, there is a cutthroat commercial and economic competition in this region. If the decision made by the MGK is to be carried out, there are thousands of foreign firms and corporations to fill the gap to be opened by Turkish firms. Maybe northern Iraq suffers from some shortcomings and delays in the short term, but ultimately it's certain that the life there will not stop.
The economic embargo also has an aspect that relates directly to Turkey's economy and particularly that of southeastern Anatolia. Ahmet Öcal, the head of the Diyarbakır office of the Independent Industrialists and Businessmen's Association (MÜSİAD), gives literally gob-smacking figures while depicting the terrible economic condition of the region. For instance, the unemployment rate in the region has gone up to 60 percent. In Diyarbakır, whose population is nearing 1.35 million, there are 630,000 people who have a green card. This means that the monthly income of all these people is around $90 (in order to be granted a green card, one's monthly income must not be higher than YTL 120.) Those under 18 years of age account for 50 percent of the population; a large, unemployed and young population devoid of hope is filling southeastern cities.
An economic embargo to be carried out would not only affect the Southeast, but also a massive line between Mersin and the Habur border gate because drivers of tens of thousands of trucks and semi-trailers try to earn a living along this line between Turkey and northern Iraq.
There is also another point of importance emphasized by Öcal: "When you look at the level of socioeconomic development of the cities in eastern and southeastern Anatolia, you see that those in the Southeast are at the bottom of the list. But normally these cities should have been economically far more developed than the cities in the center of the country, as they border five countries. Almost everywhere in the world border towns are, most of the time, far more developed than those in the midlands. While most developed countries realize 40 percent of their trade with their neighboring countries, the rate of our trade with our neighbors doesn't exceed 10 percent; even though our people who live close to borders share the same language and religion with the neighboring countries." (Yeni Şafak, Nov. 8, 2007)
What we can infer from this is that we should change our perspective on the Kurdish issue and northern Iraq at once. It's high time we did this. Terrorism feeds on poverty; this is a very important factor that feeds terrorism. The way to eliminate poverty is not enforcing an economic embargo; just the opposite, it's commercial and economic activities that will strongly support politics. If Turkey imposes an economic embargo on northern Iraq, it will have shot itself in the foot.
