(Zaman Al Wasl)- Regime militias and Kurdish Democratic Union Party (PYD) monopolize the most important trinity in peoples’ lives; water, electricity and bread. This became a method to pressure the population and to lure them into joining these militias to militarize the society. The ones who join these militias get their reward while others outside them come second class or get deprived.
Along with the power cut for more than 23 hours a day, Hasaka city neighborhoods joined the villages of southern and western countryside which have been deprived of power during the past two weeks. Some villages are exempted from this since some of their sons have joined one of these armed militias where they are blessed with what is known as the “military line” 24/24 hours whereas the rest of villages get power for 2 hours a day on average or do not get provided with power at all, according to activist Malaz al-Yousef.
Al-Yousef told Zaman al-Wasl that owners of private generators increased the price of amperes per month from 1150 SP to 1250 SP exploiting the power cut and the current situation.
He pointed out that (PYD) which controls power lines refused to provide the population with the power of the “military line” in villages of Hanwah al-Saghira, Hanwa Kabira, al-Jisi, al-Tarahiye, al-Sheikh Salem, al-Alwkeh, al-Wardieh, al-Zabaa, al-Bura, al-Kaidiye, Balkis Saghira, Balkis Kabira, Shafura, al-Shamidineye, al-Abawi, and al-Farhaniye which pushed families to protest demanding power provision to their villages like other villages in Qamishli region.
The activist confirmed that some of the families who are deprived of power gathered at the house of al-Sharabin tribe Sheikh Saleh al-Bashar in al-Tarahiye village demanding the later allow them to protest and take the necessary procedures against (PYD) like resolving the councils and closing the schools. However, al-Bashar refused saying, “they promised me to solve the problem”. This did not happen.
Water crisis in Qamishli city is another draining problem for the population. The problem did not stop regardless of restoration of the lines after Water Directorate subordinate to Kurdish self-administration said, “the water is far away” as a result of changing the water line connecting wells with main water storage with UNICEF which sponsors restoration expenses for water lines in Qamishli, according to activist Mahmoud al-Ahmad.
Al-Ahmad told Zaman al-Wasl this exchange came to solve the problem completely but water traders are not happy with it. So they close the water from main sources which provide water to rich neighborhoods in the city and as a result population of the neighborhood are forced to buy water from them like what happens in al-Gharbi, al-Wusta and al-Mwazafin neighborhoods. He added that the population are very angry at the living conditions in general after fear took over them and their inability to complain.
The activist continued, “yesterday I bought bread for 175 SP containing 14 loaves of bread instead of 16. Normally, the person stands for two hours waiting to be allowed to get one bread package. You wish to have 3 bread packages in the bag which is 21 loaves of bread for 150 SP instead of buying it from a bread seller on the streets for 250 SP for one bag.”
The activist indicated that security personnel and (PYD) militia and Syrian National Defense militia enter the bakery and leave carrying piles of bread packages in front of normal citizens who stand waiting to be allowed to get one break package which may contain 14 loaves for 100 SP or 3 packages for 150 SP according to the mood of the trade monopoly.
Control in the Hasaka province is divided between the armed wings of (PYD) party with the large areas and regime forces which control security squares and military barracks and tens of villages south of Qamishli whereas ISIS controls Markada town, the last ISIS stronghold in the province.
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