“Gorran took the lead in concentrating on the youth” – Shaho Saeed

Dr Shaho Saeed – Gorran’s spokesman and a former MP – was interviewed by The Kurdistan Tribune. This is part two.

KT: How would Gorran’s foreign policy differ from the current government’s?

SS: According to the Iraqi permanent constitution, our foreign policy must be in line with the federal government’s. According to the constitution the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) is permitted to have representatives within Iraqi embassies abroad. Gorran as a movement does not conduct foreign policy, but we have our own political agenda to formulate foreign policies with respect to Iraq and Kurdistan. Those related to Kurdistan have two main elements:

First, to open KRG offices in all Iraqi embassies in order to organise and provide assistance to Kurds in the diaspora.

Second, the separation of the two ruling parties’ representatives from the KRG’s representatives, because they still have party influences on them and have so far failed to give priority to representing the interests of the KRG and the Kurdish diaspora.

KT: How should the KRG respond to the withdrawal of US troop from Iraq?

SS: We will not jump to conclusions, the situation is still blurry, but it’s vital that the KRG prepares and studies the implications of the US troops’ withdrawal and have a sufficient contingency plan. Gorran believes that the nationalisation of internal departments and an end of the current party power is imperative in order to form a strong national power that can withstand foreign threats.

KT: How does Gorran plan to further build its support across all of south Kurdistan and especially among the young generation?

 SS: Honesty and continuing with the same determination as when we started in 2009 is the way to guarantee to further build our support, Gorran has taken the lead in concentrating on the young generation, and so we left the other parties with no option but to pay greater attention to the youth. Gorran is making every effort, with great determination, to involve the new generation in politics, unlike other parties in the region, in particular those owned by the clans which only pay attention to the youth of their clans while neglecting the rest.

KT: Despite the fact that Gorran faced criticism for allying itself with opposition Islamic parties, do you intend to participate in the local election in a joint list? And when will Gorran hold a conference?

 

SS: We have a joint agenda with other opposition parties to implement changes in the political system. We also have a common interest and that is the Kurdistan region. Many people praise our alliance while others criticise it – that is normal. In terms of an opposition joint list for the local elections, there is no such decision yet but cooperation between the opposition parties continues.

We have not yet set a date for a Gorran conference, but we have made preparations for this.

KT: In general, Kurds in the diaspora believe they have been neglected by Gorran since the elections. What do you say to them? Has Gorran tried to benefit from these Kurds?

SS: Gorran has continuous relations with Kurds in the diaspora. We constantly confer with them and want them to participate in the process of decision-making. It’s also likely that there are shortcomings and that we might not have been able to establish adequate channels to contact them. But we assure them that lessons have been learned and we shall make every effort to re-organise Gorran councils abroad as well as increase our contact with them.

 

2 Responses to “Gorran took the lead in concentrating on the youth” – Shaho Saeed
  1. Baqi Barzani
    November 18, 2011 | 04:20

    Dr Shaho Saeed:

    Kurdish citizens would like to see more actions on part of “Groan Party”, otherwise, there seems to exist no disparity between Goran and the ruling parties. Goran first must deliver its touted election campaign vows to prove its credibility to more effectively be able to expand its permeation into Kurdish communities abroad.

    Our underrepresented youths absolutely merit more attention. It is the right investment strategy. It is highly encouraged. Goran must simultaneously strive to further broaden its political activities in the US to contend with mushrooming PUK-KDP influence.

    A suggestion that has repeatedly been submitted to KRG but overlooked so far is launching a Kurdish-English TV station in the United States. The importance and vital role of such an initiative has not been realized. It can connect Kurdish nationals in Diaspora with their government, be a strong cultural, political and information propaganda tool for advocating and promoting Kurdish cause internationally, and more significantly, serve and bolster Goran-USA ties and interests.

  2. Nawraz
    November 18, 2011 | 17:26

    We want to see changes on the entire system in kurdistan region, youth are not the only generation in kurdistan we have other generations who need to be consider.

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