Gorran Party needs to get bolder

Written on April 23, 2012 by Editor in Gorran, KRG

By Mufid Abdulla:

The unexplained death of Zana Hama Salih, former mayor of Sulaymani, and the tense dispute between Kurdistan Regional president Masud Barzani and Iraq prime minister Nuri al Maliki are worrying developments for the people of Kurdistan, and especially Sulaymani. Unfortunately Gorran has failed to ‘seize the time’ in what should have been a defining moment for the opposition party. Why is this? Gorran needs to provide clearer leadership at a time when the mass of people sees all Kurdish politics as corrupt and everyone in Sulaymani thinks the city has been devastated by the corruption of all previous mayors.

The Gorran party is not quite there yet. It is still straddled between becoming an inspiring democratic opposition instead of an uncertain insurgent opposition. Gorran is only a few points behind the two ruling parties in the opinion polls. It is staring at the possibility of power, and yet, if Gorran were in government, what would it do about these recent hot events? It has failed to follow through on its response to the ‘Zanagate’ tragedy. It has also been too quiet about Barzani’s fraught dealings with Baghdad: Gorran should demand the involvement of all the parties – and not just the president as a ‘one man band’ – in a united front to defend Kurdish interests.

Gorran should realize that it has lost some credibility and work hard to regain it. Real change often comes when events slip out of the grasp of those trying to manipulate them. ‘Zanagate’ should have been such a moment for Gorran. Now is the time for the party and its leadership to get bolder and draw a line under much of the past. They need to get ahead fast with their ideas and strategy.