Thursday, November 09, 2006
Fuel crisis in the north
Kurdistan
Fuel is in such a short supply in northern Iraq that families are scrambling for branches of trees, bushes and dung to use for both cooking and heating. “The (fuel) crisis has aggravated recently,” declared Mohammed Zibari, head of Fuel Distribution Commission in northern Iraq, which includes six provinces Mosul and Kirkuk as well as the three Kurdish provinces of Arbil Sulaimaniya and Dahouk. Zibari blamed the crisis on interruption of imports, particularly from Syria and Turkey.
He did not say why the countries had stopped supplying northern Iraq with fuel. Last year Turkey suspended fuel exports as the Ministry of Oil stopped paying Turkish traders. The commission, in preparation for the cold winder months, had signed deals with both countries for the import of liquefied gas, kerosene and gasoline in quantities which Zeibari said would have met local consumption in the six provinces.
“The neighboring countries have halted supplies despite the contracts,” Zeibari said. Iraq’s fuel import bill is estimated at more than half a billion dollars a month and still the country faces a chronic shortage. Analysts say the Oil Ministry, which also handles fuel imports and distribution, is mired in corruption and there are reports of faked contracts and forged fuel distribution deals with local contractors.
He did not say why the countries had stopped supplying northern Iraq with fuel. Last year Turkey suspended fuel exports as the Ministry of Oil stopped paying Turkish traders. The commission, in preparation for the cold winder months, had signed deals with both countries for the import of liquefied gas, kerosene and gasoline in quantities which Zeibari said would have met local consumption in the six provinces.
“The neighboring countries have halted supplies despite the contracts,” Zeibari said. Iraq’s fuel import bill is estimated at more than half a billion dollars a month and still the country faces a chronic shortage. Analysts say the Oil Ministry, which also handles fuel imports and distribution, is mired in corruption and there are reports of faked contracts and forged fuel distribution deals with local contractors.
