Erbil, the capital of Kurdistan has 99 coronavirus cases confirmed and two deaths. The traditional celebration of Newroz (New Year) was cancelled, since family gatherings and picnics were banned. Many people stayed indoors to light candles as an alternative way to celebrate.
Erbil is now under strict lock down measures and people have been told to stay home unless they have to go out to obtain essentials. There are also travel bans in place between the cities of Erbil, Duhok and Sulaimani.
I recently spoke to Ankawa, a family friend who lives in Erbil, which she described as a ghost town. She is studying civil engineering at the University of Cihan. Students there are stressed at having to work online instead of in the classroom, since by no means everyone has access to the internet.
The other day Ankawa went out for groceries and sent me some footage. She couldn’t roam the streets with a camera since police are patrolling to ensure people stay indoors. Food stocks have not run out but those on low income are running out of money and facing real hardship.
This snippet of raw footage gives you a quick look at the largely deserted streets of Erbil.
Erbil isn’t economically stable like the UK. When people lose their jobs here, there just isn’t any financial support except family.
The situation is even worse if you’re a refugee. According to Rudaw News, the refugee camp in the city of Duhok which is home to 28,000 Syrians, has been put into lock down. That means staying inside a tent, not even a house or flat. Refugee Um Ahmad described the conditions as “very tiring…no one can go to work and no one is able to provide anything”.
Kurdistan is facing economic challenges, and many people are unsure of what the future holds. I think the measures are well-coordinated and most Kurds are listening to governmental advice. The major concern is what happens to people without homes, money and family support.
It’s bad enough being a war zone, and now this. Kurdistan has plenty to cope with!