‘Let Kurdistan Elections Be Held According To Applicable Laws And On Time’

Statement supported by 200 organisations and individuals:

To:

• Kurdistan Parliament Presidency
• All parliamentary blocs
• Head of Council of Ministers
• All political parties
• Independent High Electoral and Referendum Commission
• Consular representatives of all countries in KRG

Your Excellencies: it is the duty of all sides we should select a date for the election; please stop this silence and lagging towards the law in the region:

First, Legally:

1. According to paragraph (1) in Article (1) of the distribution of power of Kurdistan region presidency and in compliance with paragraph (2) in Article (10) in Kurdistan presidency law, the Council of Ministers in the region should select a date for election. (1)

2. According to a law issued by the Kurdistan parliament it extended its the term of per number (1) in 2017 from 6/11/2017 to 6/11/2018 of which less than 8 months remains.

3. According to the law, the election must be held before 6/9/2018.

Second: The electoral commission and the electoral register:

According to the election commission regulation 180 days are needed for election preparation, while up until now we don’t have a clean electoral register and all the parties demand the register to be cleaned and some of the parties make this as a prerequisite for holding a free and fair election. It is worth noting that they haven’t started the process of cleaning it. For those political parties that show their readiness for the election, they should have taken all means to clean the electoral register before selecting a date for an election as well as allocating a budget for that end.

According to law no. (2) of 2017, the power of Kurdistan region presidency is given to the prime minister.

According to the law, therefore, the date of election should have been set on 6/3/2018 and a budget must have been allocated to that end.

The speaker submitted his resignation according to parliament by-law and right after the approval of the resignation a new speaker should have been elected. Therefore, currently the sessions are baseless. Apart from this the speaker of the parliament is a candidate for the Iraqi parliamentary elections; this obliges the parliament to approve his resignation, and consequently this will bring forth the paralysis of parliament once again.

 

Third: Politically:

On 12/5/2018, Iraqi parliamentary elections will be held and after that a new government will be formed through which Kurds should try to get Kurds’ rights, whereas Kurds have a government from which most political parties withdrew except for the PUK, PDK and the Turkmens. Approximately, 13 acting ministers are running their ministries after the resignation of the ministers.

While the date of an election is set for Iraqi parliamentary election, if the date of an election is not set in Kurdistan region for the Kurdistan parliament alongside the Iraqi parliamentary election, there is a high possibility that the parties’ votes will decrease dramatically in the upcoming election. If they don’t set an election date, there is a chance that political disputes will be palpable among the political parties.

If the Kurds are not unified, the interest of Kurds in the Iraqi parliament will be jeopardized, since out of 329 seats only 56 seats are allotted to Kurds, including Kirkuk. To get these 56 seats, 20 political parties are competing and the situation is not in favor of the people of Kurdistan.

PDK is holding the parliament presidency, head of government, election commission and according to a law it has been given the power of the Kurdistan presidency, through which has the power to set the date for an election. After they sent official letter to the parliament twice and they have convened with the parliament and the election commission twice, a question come to our mind: why hasn’t he allocated a budget for an election? Why he hasn’t set a date for an election?

PUK has announced that to have a free and fair election there must be a clean electoral register; while they participate in the parliament presidency, government headship, and election commission presidency, they haven’t taken any practical step to allocate a budget and a date for an election.

The Gorran Movement, Islamic Union and Islamic Group each announced that they are ready for an election on condition of having a clean electoral register and they have representatives in parliament and on the election commission but they also didn’t take any practical steps which they should have done to set a date for election on 6/3/2018.

Other political parties in the political arena have prepared themselves to have a list in the future parliament of Kurdistan, such as the Coalition for Democracy and Justice, New Generation, other political parties like the Communist Party, Islamic Movement, Toilers Party, Socialist Party, etc.

Political parties that entered the political arena and who attended to have electoral lists in the next parliament in the region, such as the Alliance for Democracy and Justice, the New Generation, and other political parties such as the Communist Party, the Islamic Movement, the Labor Party, the Social Democratic Party and other parties, also haven’t taken any practical steps and did not have any positions for the holding a free and fair elections on time.

The electoral law has not been amended, the budget has not been allocated for the elections, no date has been set for the elections, and if there is no date for the elections to be held a month ago and no allocation the special budget for its actions and these measures have not been taken. It is certain that the legal period of Parliament will be extended again by the influential parties and the date of the elections will be postponed or elections are not in accordance with the required criteria which caused the creation of problems and crises for the citizens of the region and cut off their livelihood and created dozens of other crises, and as a result, this government will not be able to protect the rights of citizens in the face of the Iraqi government.

As we are civil society organizations, intellectuals and academics in the Kurdistan region, we declare that the current situation, which is witnessing the postponement of the elections and the non-organization of party conferences and the end of the legal period, the institutions of legitimacy and the existence of large corruption and the economic crisis and poor economic conditions of the citizens of the Kurdistan region, which are not consistent with the course of international policies and that the international community supports The changes are in line with the wishes of the Kurdish people. Therefore, we call for speeding up the date of the elections in order to respect the laws, cleanse the voters register, form a new government in the region and allocate the required budget for the elections so that the electoral commission can begin its practical procedures and monitor and hold accountable the work of the Commission. And that this task lies with the five main parties, which formed the Electoral Commission and constitute a majority in Parliament in particular, being the only option to overcome the crises and the holding of fair and legal elections, and in this sense, we draw this note formally to all parties and we are waiting for a response from them and to know all the citizens of the region, which parties are keen to carry out reforms and solutions, with the holding of elections in real, and what parties do not want to hold elections and find solutions to the problems and crises in the region.

Names of participating organizations:

1. Pay Institute for Education and Development (PAY)

2. Kurdistan Legal Development Institute (ILDK)

3. Reform Institute for Development (RID)

4. Center for Democratic Development and Human Rights (DHRD)

5. Women’s Legal Cooperation Organization (WOLA)

6. Kurdish Institute for Elections (KIE)

7. Standard Media Foundation.

8. NGO Coalition Network (which includes 27 organizations)

9. Halabja Organization Network (comprising 25 organizations)

10. START Network (which includes 3 organizations)

11. Leader Leadership Development Network (which includes five organizations)

12. The Peace Generation Network (which includes 10 organizations)

13. The constructive network of Garmian organizations (which includes seven organizations)

14. The Justice Network for Detainees (which includes 40 organizations)

15. Idea Organization for Democracy and Community Awareness

16 – Kurdish-English academia for Education and Training

17. Halwest Organization

18- Kurdistan for All (KEODD)

19. Organization of the Capital of Peace

20. STOP to combat corruption

21. Gayandan Organization for Democratic Activities and Human Rights

22. Mali-Sarkoten Organization for Capacity Development

23. NAWIN International Relations (NIIR)

24.Dang Radio

25. The National Center for Human Rights

26. Scala Organization for Women’s Affairs

27. Deeman Organization for Social Issues

28. Bradost Institute for Development (BID)

29. Chawi Zanko Organization

30. Kordo Zanst Organization for Democracy and Human Rights

31. Kurdistan Economic Development Organization (KEDO)

32. Mediterranean Institute for Regional Research

33. Ronia Awareness and Health Organization

34- Wise organization for education

35. Lisa Human Development Organization

36. Bradstead Tourism Organization

37- Srouri Organization in Halabja

38. Nuwa Organization for the Protection of the Environment and Women’s Rights

39.Future Organization

40 General Geography Organization in Kurdistan

41. Bidari Organization

42. HEWA Organization

43. Nishtemani Kurd Organization

44- Representatives of Sulaymaniyah in Kurdistan Nature Organization

45. Youth Development Center

46. Cord-Mad Organization for Cultural and Democratic Development

47 – the group of the lost

48. The Aristotelian Organization

49. Pekoizian Organization

50. Enough Organization

51.Educational Development Organization

52.Merouf Dust for Cultural Development

53. Organization for community education

54. Cozain Development Organization

55. Daou Organization for Freedoms and Human Rights

56. Lopi Institute for Democratic Development

57. Youth and Students Club (SYEO)

58. Organization for Environmental Protection

59. AMC for the Anfal

60. Community Culture Organization

61. Dabeen Organization for Democratic Development and Human Rights

62. Dawaruz organization for the preparation of women leaders

63 – Barbadian organization of youth capabilities

64. Azmun Organization AOCD

65. Sina Research and Development Organization

66. Bwar Center for Political and Strategic Research

67. Free Press Organization for Defense, Innovation and Training in the Field of Media

68.Silv Health Development and Education

69.Dostaiti Development and Human Support Organization

70. Elham organization for the development of children’s abilities

71. Organization visited to defend freedoms

72. Raile Organization for Training and Human Development

73. Organization for the pursuit of justice

74. Alon Karafi Group

75. Organization of donors of bodies in the Kurdistan region

76. Union of Muslim Sisters

77. Defense of Universities and Institutes

78. Political and political development

79. Friends of Environment in Karamian

80. Peace and Rights Organization

81. Sarez Charitable Organization

82. Jawakee-Honri Organization

83. An organization dedicated to the development of the environment

84.Schiller Environmental Tourism Development

85. Youth Education Organization

86. HEWA Health Organization

87. Organization for Humanitarian Cooperation

88. Cat Center for Culture and Youth Training

89. Organization for the Protection of the Environment

90. Dahinan Organization for All

91. MAP Organization

92. Organization of Human Rights in Kurdistan

93. Transparency organization to fight corruption

94. Holh Organization for the Investigation of Crimes

95. Jaumeer Organization for Democracy and Human Rights

96. Adan Organization for Community Development

97. KODDHR (Dog for Democracy and Human Rights)

98. Hazeri King Foundation for the Development of Democracy and Human Rights (HGODHRD)

99 Organization of the individual site

100.Darijah Organization for Environmental Protection and Water Resources

Names of Individuals:

1. Paiman Azaddin- Lawyer
2. Masud Abdul Khaliq- Head of Standard Organization
3. Dr. Sarwar Abdul-Rahman Omer- Lecturer
4. Kamal Rauf-Journalist
5. Kardo Muhammad- Former MP
6. Dr. Khamosh Omer-Lecturer
7. Jawad Saeed- Parliament Advisor
8. Dr. Dler Ahmed Hamad- Parliament Advisor
9. Muhamd Sharazoori-Former MP
10. JUtiar Majeed-Former MP
11. Dr. Dana Saeed Sofi-Former MP
12. Khaman Zrar- Former MP
13. Razaw Mahmud Faraj- Former MP
14. Shawnm Muhamad Gharib- Former MP
15. Adnan Osman- Former MP
16. Kamal Chomani-Writer and journalist
17. Shwan Sabir Mustafa- Lawyer and Civil Activist
18. Hiwa Ali- Civil Activist
19. Shilan Ali- Civil Activist
20. Hemn Anwar Jawhar- Civil Activist
21. Shokhan Raza- Civil Activist
22. Omed Qaradaxi- researcher and lecturer
23. Bahra Hama Rash- Civil Activist and journalist
24. Arez Dara- Media employee and Civil Activist
25. Farman Rashad- Civil Activist
26. Dastan Jahfar- Civil Activist
27. Aram Sardar- journalist and Civil Activist
28. Rebin Fatah-Journalist
29. Younis Hamad- Civil Activist
30. Darun Najeeb- Civil Activist
31. Deren Ali- Civil Activist
32. Ibrahim Abbas- Civil Activist
33. Sewa Fatih- Civil Activist
34. Aso Qadir Abdullah- Civil Activist
35. Jiahd Hawez- Civil Activist
36. Ahmed jamil- lawyer and Civil Activist
37. Ako Abdulmajeed-teacher
38. Dr. Ismail Najmaddin- lecturer
39. Asoso Namiq Brakhas-lecturer
40. Faris Murad hamasheen- teacher and Civil Activist
41. Bakhan Jahfar- Civil Activist
42. Fatah Hassan Qalani-teacher and Civil Activist
43. Kakaziad Hamad Abdullah- Civil Activist
44. Hogir Abdulrahman Saeed- Civil Activist
45. Hissam Barzinji- Civil Activist
46. Hemn Mamand-journalist Civil Activist
47. Majid Khalil- lecturer
48. Jegir Bradosti- Civil Activist
49. Qaraman Khoshnaw- Civil Activist
50. Sakar Aziz Rashid-lecturer
51. Bahroz Jahfar- Civil Activist
52. Ahmed Kawani- lawyer
53. Sardar Ali- lawyer
54. Saeed Maulud- lecturer
55. Naji Omer Ismail- Civil Activist
56. Lezan Abubakir- Civil Activist
57. Fareed Farhad-Lawyer and Civil Activist
58. Rezhna Majeed- Civil Activist
59. Baban Jahfar- Civil Activist
60. Rebeen Sabah- Lawyer and Civil Activist
61. Sarteep Khalis-lecturer
62. Khoshi Osman- lecturer
63. Dr. Tahseen Shafeeq Hissein-lecturer
64. Rebeen Ghareeb Nuri-lecturer
65. Shwan Assad Qadir- lecturer
66. Chro Osman- lecturer
67. Dr. Kawan Salahaddin Osman- lecturer
68. Gona Osman faris- lecturer
69. Shakir Mahmud Ahmed- lecturer
70. Banaz Hama Rasheed- lecturer
71. Aras Masud Ismail- lecturer
72. Dr. Sabah Muhamad Barzinji- Former MP and lecturer
73. Nizar Lateef- lecturer
74. Lana Abdulhamid Muhamad- lecturer
75. Rebaz Kamal Ghareeb- Civil Activist
76. Sarwat Muhamad Abdulkarim- Civil Activist
77. Qaisar Rahman- Civil Activist
78. Iqbal Ghafar- Civil Activist
79. Farhad Qadir- Civil Activist
80. Juuhaf Aziz- Civil Activist
81. Mahdi Omer Salih- lecturer
82. Hemen Hassan Muhamad- lecturer
83. Halat Rasheed Abdullah- lecturer
84. Deman Ahmed Saeed- lecturer
85. Dilan Jamal Qadir- lecturer
86. Frial Maruf Muhamad-Lawyer
87. Dr. Qaraman Nadir- lecturer
88. Zana Taifur- lecturer
89. Dr. Hoshmand Ali- lecturer
90. Dr. Ari Anwar ZUbair- lecturer
91. Ali Ilinjaghi- Veteran Peshmerga
92. Hakim Peshraw Said Brain- Veteran Peshmerga
93. Dr. Akram Khamosh- lecturer
94. Hunar Fazil Rasheed-teacher
95. Sarkawt Hadi Hama Karim-Veteran Peshmerga
96. Afan Mahmud Ahmed-teacher
97. Hawre Muhamad Rasul- lecturer
98. Zainab Omer Hama Ahmed- lecturer
99. Shakar Nuri-journalist
100. Khelan Hussein-Civil Activist
101. Nian Hakim Akram- lecturer
102. Shilan Aram Akram lecturer
103. Jaafar Hama Amin- Veteran Peshmerga

(1) In paragraph (2) Article (10) states: “issuing an order for holding a general election of Kurdistan Parliament and setting a date for election within 15 days from the date of disbanding the parliament or at least 60 days before ending the term of the parliament on condition the date of election should not exceed 60 days after the end term of the election or do not exceed 60 days before the election date.