How to strengthen the KRG’s federal status

By Kamal Chomani:

The debate over the announcement of plans for independent regions in Iraq is becoming heated. Assemblies of Sunni provinces are reorganizing themselves in preparation for declaring their support for independence and more decentralization of the country. Salahaddin province has already taken concrete steps towards achieving federal status. To strengthen the KRG’s federal status, we should support any such moves.

Kurdistan’s federal status is not secure unless other provinces in Iraq also become federal regions. Kurdish politicians, media and people should support the announcement of independent provinces by some Sunni governorates in other parts of Iraq.

Iraq’s federalism is not a real federalism while the central government remains strong enough to be considered a threat to minorities and ethnic groups. Basically, a federal country with only one federal region is not healthy. It is to be expected that, if the central government gets stronger, the only federal region of Iraq will be in danger.

According to Article 116 of the Iraqi constitution, it is allowed for any province in the country to announce their independent federal status if two thirds of its voters favor this. Self-government within Iraq will be a very positive development since the peoples of Iraq have not got used to living together in harmony. It is therefore better if they can continue their progress and make improvements in all fields of life within their separate regions.

Sunnis support decentralization of the country mainly because they are certain that they cannot hold power in the current Iraqi government because they are in a minority compared to the Shiites. Aside from this, over the years Sunnis grew used to ruling people and not to being ruled by people. They consider themselves the real rulers of Iraq. From the foundation of Iraq until recently, Sunnis have been the dominant power in Iraq. They cannot easily accept the rule of the Shiites.

On Tuesday November 15, 2011, in an unexpected visit, Usama Al-Nujaifi, the Iraqi parliament speaker, arrived in Salahaddin and supported the proclamation of independence for the province (al-sumariyanews).

Tariq Al-Hashmi, the vice president of Iraq, in his recent meeting with noblemen of Anbar province, reiterated that decentralization and independent regions are not a threat to Iraqi’s unity.

Hashmi’s words were in response to Iraqi prime minister Maliki, who told tribal leaders and noblemen in Salahaddin province that he is against federal status for provinces. Essentially, Maliki’s argument is that creating federal regions in the name of ethnicity or creed might lead to more ethnic and religious conflict rather than more stability. But, on the contrary, Iraqis can only sustain their development under a federal government in which the central government doesn’t have too much power over the regions.

Nujaifi has confirmed that Salahaddin’s proclamation of is constitutional and the Iraqi government doesn’t have a leg to stand on against the will of its people.

Some other Iraqi cities have announced their wish for independent status and threatened mass demonstrations if this desire is refused them by the Maliki government.

Kurdistan Region is an inspiration to other regions. In Kurdistan, public services are better than in other parts of Iraq. Economic development, security and stability are far ahead of other provinces. Whenever Iraqis from different cities visit Kurdistan they feel as though they are in a different region in their country and this inspires them to seek to also achieve federal status.

The Slemani provincial assembly should be commended for promptly giving its support to the Salahadin declaration of independence.

It is very important to support any moves towards more decentralization in Iraq. More decentralization means more federal rights and more development. More centralization means more threats against ethnic groups and minorities.

I do not know exactly what Prime Minister Dr Barham Salih discussed in his meeting with Joe Biden, the US vice president, but he MUST have reminded him of the article Biden wrote about Iraq in 2006, proposing its division into three federal parts: because it is time to move Iraq towards that plan. This idea is also supported by Saudi Arabia although Iran may dislike it. Saudi Arabia and other Arab countries have little influence over Iraq because the Sunnis are out of power but, if there are independent provinces, they can unite against Iranian hegemony.

The KRG should have a plan to approach those who support federal status and decentralizing Iraq leading to independent regions. There should be conferences and networks between both sides. It doesn’t matter whether those who support such plans are Sunnis or Shiites or even remnants of the Baathist party.

The KRG should invite different people of Sunni cities to see the situation in Kurdistan – including students, NGOs, journalists, professors and tribal leaders. These people can see the developments in the KRG and be inspired to struggle for their own independent regions because, at the end of the day, the KRG’s public services and development are superior to any other cities in Iraq because of the war.

 kamalchomani@gmail.com

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