Thousands of protesters in Iraq's semi-autonomous Kurdistan region called on Monday for the immediate resignation of the entire regional government, saying it had failed to provide democracy and justice. The Kurdish zone, dominated for decades by two political parties, has seen continuous protests for more than a month against corruption and a lack of freedom, inspired by uprisings throughout the Middle East.
Protesters have camped out since February in the main square of Sulaimaniya - the second-largest city in the Kurdish region - to press for change. "Because of social injustice, the waste of the region's resources and the lack of law enforcement, we have decided to no longer accept living under a system of governance which is unjust and undemocratic," the protesters said in a statement. The statement, which was issued by the Interim Council of Liberation Square, a body organising and representing the Sulaimaniya protesters, called on the Kurdish president, prime minister and cabinet to resign and demanded parliament be dissolved.