Erbil: The host city of sports t ournaments - Kurdish Globe

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The Kurdish Globe No. 276, Saturday, October 09, 2010 2 Breaking up or democratic pluralism Globe Editorial Following the inconclusive rese sults of Iraqi general election in March this year, the formate tion of a new government is in tatters in Iraq. The struggle for power and patronage within Iraqi political actors, regional interferences in Iraqi politics, and the U.S. position within all these are some of the main facte tors in this delay. The deadlock of a government formation, however, seems to be coming to an end as the National Alliance, a combination of various Shiite groups, decided to nominate current Prime Minister Nuri al- Maliki for the premier post. Since the official announceme ment of election results, Shiite groups failed to agree on a singe gle candidate for the premier post, and torturous, prolonged negotiations and bargaining within over the issue of who is going to get the top position bece came one of the main obstacles in the way toward forming the new government. Resolution amongst the Shiie ites on Maliki has removed this obstacle, but it is not the end of the game. Maliki still has to make serious decisions before he can assure his position and form a new Iraqi government. One of the most serious and fundamental decisions includes the role and place of the Kurds in the new government. An influential Kurdish leade er, Nechirvan Barzani, former KRG premier and now Kurdiste tan Democratic Party’s vice president announced his pleasue ure of Maliki’s candidacy. The Kurdish support for Maliki is essential as the Shiite coalition cannot alone secure the majorie ity seats at the Iraqi Parliament to form the government. For Maliki to get the support of the Kurdistan Alliance, he has to accept the proposals presented by the alliance as a prerequisite to join or participate in a new government formation. Maliki had already met Kurdie ish President Massoud Barze zani and other leading Kurdie ish political actors to conceive Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki gestures as he speaks during a joint press conference with Massud Barzani (unseen), president of Kurdistan Region, in the northern city of Erbil on August 08, 2010. their support and coalition. Throughout his meetings with the Kurds, Maliki seemed to accept Kurdish demands. But this is not clear or easy. Maliki could also opt to get the support of the Sunnis or the al- Iraqiya list led by former Prime Minister Iyad Allawi. Though Allawi himself is a Shiite, the list that he leads is a conglome eration of Sunni groups in Iraq. Most groups within Iraqiya list are accused by many Kurds of being Baathists and chauvinie ists, such as Mosul Governor Athel al-Nujaifi. Despite the fact that al-Iraqiya representatives announced that they will not join in any potente tial government led by Maliki, there were some reports that indicate negotiations between Maliki’s State of Law and offe ficials of al-Iraqiya discussie ing a possible deal to form a new government. According to a “Washington Post” repe port last Monday, Allawi had a phone call with the leader of the Sadrist movement, Muqtade der Sadr, who is living in Iran, in which he reiterated that his support for Maliki was condite tional on including Allawi as a key player. «Muqtadar said he won>t keep the alliance with Maliki unless Dr. Allawi is the president with more authorite ties,>> the report quoted from an anonymous Iraqiya official. Such a possible deal between Maliki and Allawi without a doubt will sideline the Kurds. A Shiite and Sunni alliance could not only strip the Kurds from the presidency post, but more crucial than that the Kurdish demands, including the impleme mentation of the Iraqi Constite tution, the position of Kurdish Peshmerga forces, the oil deals, and power sharing will also be jeopardized. Sunni groups are vehemently against Kurdish demands. A possible deal bete tween Maliki and Allawi would be a serious and dangerous deve velopment for the Kurds. In such eventuality, the only path that would remain for the Kurds is to go their own way; in other words: secession from Iraq. Kurdistan Region is ready in terms of its institutions, culte ture, manpower, and social, pole litical, and economic structure to establish its own independe ent statehood. However, for the Kurds to reme main as part of Iraq and within the Iraqi political establishment, Iraqi political actors should reae alize the genuine national rights of the Kurdish nation. Rather than pursue exclusive Arab nationalism, the Iraqi actors should pursue multi-cultural, multi-national, democratic, and inclusive policies to keep Iraq integrated and united. Sidelining the Kurds and their demands will tear Iraq apart. At the same time, lack of Sunni participation in the new Iraqi government would also cause serious problems and destabile lize Iraq. A broad, countrywide coalition includes all the main components of Iraq; however, this is a very difficult task. The demands of each of them are irreconcilable. For exampe ple, most Sunni groups--as the practice of Mosul Governor al-Nujaifi and his Hadba List indicate--are against the impe plementation of certain articles of the Constitution and federal structure of Iraq. Without fede eralism and implementation of the Iraqi Constitution, there is no way the Kurds can be part of government or remain as part of Iraq as a whole. It is high time SAFIN HAMED/AFP/Getty Images for Sunnis to give up on their exclusive Arab nationalism and adapt to the new realities and conditions of Iraq in the 21st century. Hypothetically, the Sunnis could play an effective role of opposition in Parliament to check the government action and policies and bring them into accountability. Any proper functioning democratic system needs proper and strong oppose sition. Arab nationalism and centralie ism brought Iraq during the 20th century nothing but disaste ter and chaos. A chance must be given to democracy and pluralie ism to get Iraq out of its current state of affairs and into a peacefe ful and democratic country. Some of Iraq’s neighbors and the U.S. fear that a Maliki-led government with the support of the Sadr movement may lean toward Iran and intensify Iran’s influence in Baghdad. Probably because of this fear alone, they wish to see Allawi and Sunnis participating in the government formation and rebuke Iran’s infe fluence in Baghdad. A potential Shiite and Kurdie ish coalition government with the application of Kurdish deme mands would be a better and more effective way to curb Iran’s influence in the country. A more democratic, plural, and federal Iraq means less influe ence by Iran or other regional powers in the country. After almost seven months following the general election, Iraq is still in search of forming a new government. There are still serious challenges ahead. With complete U.S. troop withde drawal on its way, Iraq remains a fragile country on the brink of disintegration. Two solute tions can remedy this fragility: either breaking up the country into three, or establishing a democratic and plural political system. The political mindset of most of the Iraqi political acte tors unfortunately indicates the former option is more likely than the latter. Azad Amin Weekly paper printed in Erbil First published in 2005 www.kurdishglobe.net info.kurdishglobe @gmail.com Address: Erbil, Bakhtiyari Quarter EXECUTIVE EDITOR Jawad Qadir EDITOR Azad Amin +964 750 4504653 azad.kurdishglobe@gmail.com Senior U.S. Editor Suzanne DeRouen suzi.kurdishglobe@yahoo.com Senior U.K. Editor Bashdar Pusho Ismaeel +44 752 5130336 Ako Muhammed +964 750 4661936 ako.kurdishglobe@gmail.com Aiyob Mawloodi +964 750 4776905 aiyob.kurdishglobe@gmail.com Qassim Khidhir +964 750 4823081 qassim.kurdishglobe@gmail.com STAFF WRITERS Sazan M. Mandalawi sazan.kurdishglobe@gmail.com Zakaria Muhammed +964 750 475 3897 zakaria.kurdishglobe@gmail.com Hawzhen Rashadaddin +964 750 4707416 hawjin.kurdishglobe@gmail.com ARTS EDITOR Diyaco Qayoumy +964 750 4036252 diyaco.kurdishglobe@gmail.com Advertisement For information and prices of ad spots, please contact Globe’s Advertisement section: Rizgar Yahya info.kurdishglobe@gmail.com Cell: +964 750 470 49 99 You can also check prices and packages by logging on to: kurdishglobe.net/ad Subscription The Kurdish Globe can be delivered to your office or home address, whether in Kurdistan or abroad. To subscribe: Please contact the Globe Distribution Section: Rauf Aspindarai rauf.kurdishglobe@gmail.com +964 750 4497976 You can also subscribe by logging onto: kurdishglobe.net/subscription
KRP PHOTO The Kurdish Globe No. 276, Saturday, October 09, 2010 3 KRG representative office opens in Rome Kurdistan sends 116 students abroad Iraqi Kurdistan Region has allocated US$100 mille lion every year with the aim of sending students to study in other countries. On Wednesday, October 6, government officials held the first ceremony to send 116 students abroad as a first stage. The proje ect is part of the Kurdistan Region Parliament and Council of Ministries proje ect entitled “Empowering Youths.” Students mainly will be sent to universities in Europe, the U.S., and Australia. In the ceremony, Kurdie istan Region Prime Minie ister Dr. Barham Salih requested that European countries, the U.S., and neighboring countries help Kurdistan Region students get visas and entry into their universities. Dr. Salih added that in the coming weeks the representatives of many of the world’s universite ties will visit Kurdistan to better understand the “Empowering Youths” project. The Kurdish gove ernment has a plan to send 1,200 students every year abroad in order to study in well-known universities, and after their graduation the students will return to Kurdistan Region to serve their country. Kurdistan Region President Massoud Barzani delivers a speech while opening the KRG representative office in Rome. Kurdistan Region Preside dent Massoud Barzani opened a KRG represente tative office in Rome on October 6 in an official ceremony attended by high-ranking Italian office cials. In his speech, Barzani hoped the opening could build a bridge to tighter relations between the Rege gion and Italy. Barzani, also President of the Kurdistan Democe cratic Party, arrived in Rome to participate in a general meeting of the Alle liance of Democrats held in Rome on October 2. There, he also met with top Italian officials to disce cuss relations and current political situations in Iraq. “I am pleased to see that Italy is very interested and willing to support Iraq and Kurdistan Region in parte ticular,” stated President Barzani, following a meetie ing with Italy’s Foreign Minister Franco Frattini. The Italian Minister also described the meeting as “very constructive,” and praised the stable security situation of Kurdistan Rege gion. Frattini announced atte tempts by his government to open a consulate in Erbil as soon as possible. His government “will conte tinue to encourage Italian companies and businesses to seek investment opporte tunities in Kurdistan Rege gion, and the opening of a consulate in Kurdistan will greatly facilitate this,” he stated. “I reassured him [President Barzani] that Italy will continue to suppe port Iraq and Kurdistan Region in their efforts to rebuild their country,” said Frattini, adding that Italy will also continue to help rebuild the Iraqi sece curity forces, especially in training Asked about security risks for foreign compane nies in Kurdistan Region, Minister Frattini said that security is very good in Kurdistan and there is no comparison with the rest of Iraq, thereby reassuring Italian companies. Kurdistan Region Prime Minister Dr. Barham Salih KRG.ORG PHOTO Kurds fume over census delay Population count to be held on December 5 instead of late October Iraq’s general census has been postponed until December 5 due to Arab and Turkmen party demands, an official declared. Kurds expressed worry on the delay of the proccess, which was expected on Octobber 24. A delay of the October 24 census appears to be a political decision and apparently has nothie ing to do with technical problems as has been announced, according to several Kurdish political experts. The KRG plans to discuss the challenges of the delay and will dele liver its stance over the issue soon, stated Sirwan Muhammad, head of the Kurdistan Region Adminie istration Census Board. In a meeting in Erbil last week, officials revealed that KRG census officials discussed challenges facing the process with the Iraqi Central Census Board delegation. According to Muhamme mad, the meeting highle lighted interferences made by Mosul Governe nor Athel al-Nujeifi in the census process. “It was concluded that the demands of some Arabs and Turkmen in Mosul and Kirkuk delayed the census in the country. The meeting helped dece cide to have more bilate eral understandings with the Iraqi Central Census Board so that the census can be held at the precise time.” This is the second time the census has been postpe poned since last year; the Iraqi government decided to delay the census for one complete year because of security issues. Kurds feel cheated in regards of the census, which conseqe quently affects budget alle locations and distribution of parliamentary seats. “Delaying the census is due to political purposes, and we, as Kurds, will have our own stance. For a long time now, no cense sus has been conducted in Iraq, and it is seriously affecting many aspects in the country, like electe tions,” said Hazha Suleime man, a member of Kurdie istan Parliament. “A big change has happened to the Iraqi population over the past few years, and it means a census is an urgent need. In previoe ous Iraqi elections, there was inconsistency in the population of Iraqi and Kurdistan provinces that was really doubtful.” The census can reveal facts about ethnicity that will influence disputed areas in Kirkuk, Ninewa, and other provinces, acce cording to Abdulzahra Al-Hindawi, the spokesme man of the Central Cense sus Board. Arif Taifur, a highranking Kurdish official, described the parties deme manded the postponement as “chauvinists.” “They want to hamper all type of progression in Iraq,” he said, warning that the delay leaves a “negative impact” on future relate tions between Erbil and Baghdad. He accused the Iraqi government of viole lating the Constitution in reply to party demands. Nujeifi welcomed the decision to delay by the Minister of Planning, and described it as a “positive step.” “We have asked for a specific time to dele lay the census. The time during which the census is delayed is enough for us to fulfill our demands. We can collect all the infe formation about the area during this time.” Kurdish officials in Ninewa province critice cized the Mosul governor for demanding the delay. “The census has nothing to do with politics; rather, it relates to services and planning for the provie ince. Holding the census is a civilized phenome enon, and it aims to serve residents of the province. Unfortunately, there are some voices in Kirkuk and Mosul that demand the delay because they are afraid of the fact denied by the former regime. For example, the former regime registered Kurdie ish tribes in the province as Arabs; even Yezidis were registered as Arabs at that time while they are Kurds with different rele ligious faiths. Also, Shabe baks and Christians were registered as Arabs in the census held during the time of previous regime,” said Khasro Goran, head of the Kurdish Ninewa Brotherhood. Goran underlined the Kurdish stance over the delay. “We are against delaying the census and we want it to be held tode day rather than tomorre row. This is a wrong decision, and the Iraqi government that spent millions of Iraqi dinars to hold the census on time should decree a serious decision.” It is unreasonae able that the provincial council, not the central government, decrees the decision over delaying the census, according to Goran. “Delaying the census for two months is not a big deal, but what makes us question all the decisions and acts of the Baghdad government in the future is that it folle lowed the demands of chauvinists,” said Taifur. “This point forces Kurds not to believe in any kind of government that will be formed in the future.”
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Erbil: The host city of sports t ournaments - Kurdish Globe

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