At a time when more than five million citizens in Basra are living under the impact of a stifling water crisis, which is worsening day after day due to the salt tide, the delay in desalination projects, and the deterioration of infrastructure, the federal government is moving with all its weight towards the Kurdistan region, to address the issue of salaries and revenues, through a high-level ministerial committee and under the direct guidance of Prime Minister Muhammad Shiaa al-Sudani. Urgent government statement... but for the region The government's move was not only ironic, but the level of the committee formed, the number of members, and the speed of the response all put many question marks in the mind of the Basra citizen, who was exhausted by thirst. In a statement issued by the media office of Prime Minister Muhammad Shiaa Al-Sudani and followed by Al-Raya, it was directed to form a committee headed by the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Planning, with the membership of the Ministers of Construction, Higher Education, Justice, and Health, to discuss the file of the Kurdistan Region’s oil and non-oil revenues, and the salaries of the region’s employees and their resettlement, based on two papers submitted by the relevant federal and regional authorities. According to the statement, the committee will study and negotiate the proposals, to present its recommendations to the Council of Ministers to take the appropriate decision as soon as possible. Response driven? This response, which appears coordinated, rapid, and at the highest levels, reflects a clear political eagerness to please the region or settle central disputes, while the same methodology and interest are absent from the southern governorates, led by Basra. Basra between salinity and neglect In complete contrast, Basra is still suffering from the worsening salinity crisis, the deterioration of drinking water, and the absence of actual projects, despite months having passed since the inclusion of the “Great Desalination Project” in the government’s plans. More than five million citizens are threatened by thirst, water pollution, and the collapse of agriculture, amid a clear government inability to implement any strategic desalination project. While important projects such as “Al-Bidaa” and “Seawater Desalination in FAO” did not exceed the limits of statements and designs, despite billions of dinars being allocated to them in more than one budget. Even the Prime Minister’s recent visit to Basra a few days ago, during which he announced an “urgent intervention strategy,” has not yet crossed the limits of the media, without a clear executive committee or strict time limit. Move to the region... and wait in the south The difference in dealings is not just a coincidence of time, but rather a manifestation of an inverted understanding of the state’s priorities: In Kurdistan: The government moves through a ministerial committee that includes basic ministries and is given specific tasks. As for Basra: The government is still content with general promises and paper plans, despite the worsening situation to the level of a humanitarian crisis. While ministerial teams are allocated and direct negotiations are conducted with the regional government, Basra is left to its fate, even though it is the primary source of Iraq’s oil wealth. Observers: The government's double dealing is worrying Observers believe that what is happening reflects a clear double standard in the government, as the Kurdistan file is dealt with with high political and administrative responsibility, while the Basra file is ignored despite its severe humanitarian and environmental nature. Observers confirm that “the government deals with Basra as a reservoir of wealth, not as a city with residents and rights. If the current crisis were in any governorate other than the south, we would see government alert and permanent committees.” Voices of Basra: Enough ignoring! Visual activists and observers described this discrepancy as an “intentional approach” that marginalizes the south and pleases the region, calling on the government to form an immediate crisis committee for Basra that is no less important than the one formed for Kurdistan, which follows up on water projects, holds lagging parties accountable, and gives the highest priority to desalination projects.