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Kurdistan's Islamic group leader on
Kurdish Elections
10.6.2009
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June
10, 2009
SULAIMANIYAH, Kurdistan region 'Iraq', — Ali
Bapir, Kurdistan’s Islamic Group leader, comments
about the upcoming elections in the Kurdistan Region
scheduled to be held on July 25th. He believes that
the incumbent government is monopolized by some
conservative people. On the other hand, there are
some other people who are, in Bapir’s words,
“reformists” or “revolutionaries” may bring about
change if the election outcomes are not
predetermined by the two major political parties.
The Hawler Tribune interviewed Ali Bapir.
Q: In the
Kurdistan Region, to what extent the concept of
Democracy as the rule by the people can be seen, in
practice?
Bapir: First and
foremost, I find it necessary to state an
obvious-reality that the statement of ‘democracy is
the rule by the people’ is a widespread one, and in
my understanding, democracy, as a system of
governance, offers less-negative tips compared to
other manmade political systems. |
Ali Bapir, leader of the Islamic Group of Kurdistan. |
Yet, both or either
ideally or practically democracy is not flaw-free.
Indeed, it has its own weaknesses, to comment on,
the most significant one is that democracy has not
any borders to prevent it from excessive and
disproportion; its limits are due to the desire of
the people ‘the majority’ consequently, strange and
undesired things might gush forth from democracy.
Having this, it can be argued that democracy is a
bad among the good and a good among the bad. A
simple example in this regard is that almost all the
decisions concerning the invasion of Islamic and
none-Islamic countries were made by the
western-democratic states legitimized by their
parliaments.
As to whether in Kurdistan democracy as ‘the rule by
the people’ is being manifested, I can say that to
some extent the political system and the process of
governance have taken steps forward but it is rather
in a slow motion. This, however, due to the
monopolization of almost all the governmental
institutions including the three branches of
government: the executive, legislature and judicial
powers by the two dominate political parties,www.ekurd.net
the Kurdistan Democratic
Party (KDP) and Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK).
Owing to such a party-hegemony the level of people’s
holding or influencing the political power is very
low. People’s extreme dissatisfaction with and their
disappointment at KRG’s policies in general and the
two dominate political parties in particular can be
a self evident instance in this regard.
Q: To what
extent the forthcoming elections can bring about
change?
Bapir: Quite
possibly, a real and transparent election would
bring about a positive change in the current
political equation. But if the KDP and PUK
predestine the elections, as has been the case in
the previous times; in deed, such a monotonous
election would not breed any kind of change.
Nevertheless, in either case I am sure that the
present dictate-situation can not last long, it will
change sooner or later; it is just a matter of time.
Q: the election
aims at directing the power in accordance with the
interest of the people, will the upcoming elections
pursues such an aim?
Bapir: In the
Kurdistan region there are two different directions:
conservatives or ‘the reactionaries’ and reformists
or ‘revolutionaries’. The former tries to keep the
status quo; they are those who have advantaged and
are not in a desire of change, for any type of
change might hurt their interests and political
legitimacy. Those are the conservative-reactionaries
and the change-frightened ones. The latter group,www.ekurd.net
quite the reverse,
attempts to bring about change aiming at directing
the political power in accordance with peoples needs
and requirements. Those are the
reformist-revolutionaries and change-motivated ones
that do not want the power (i.e. the government) to
be a tool in the hands of the political parties;
political parties which in turn are controlled by an
individual and/or a client.
Q: The two
dominate parties have made a single list thus
‘before the election the result is known’ how you
interpret such an argument?
Bapir: I don’t
think that any one or any group, including the KDP
and PUK, can guarantee the outcome. If in a
condition, before the elections the outcome is
already known then it would suggest that the
election is but a routine without any essence;
further, in such a case election can not make change
and will be unable to preserve reform. Subsequently,
the frustration, dissatisfaction and distress of the
people in all segments of society will increase
then, quite possibly ‘the people’ might think of
other means for solution: to change the
dictating-status quo.
Copyright, respective author or news agency,
hrtribune net
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