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Election fight in Sulaimaniyah, Iraqi
Kurdistan
10.3.2010
By Nawzad Mahmood |
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March
10, 2010
SULAIMANIYAH,
Kurdistan region 'Iraq', — The election campaign
started and ended with conflicts between supporters
of rival political parties in Sulaimaniyah.
While one of Gorran supporters was hanging posters
in the first night of election campaign starting,
members of Patriotic Union of Kurdistan PUK fired on
him and injured him. The clashes between Gorran-PUK
supporters in a hand and Gorran-KDP in the other
hand ended the election campaign where nine injured
cases happened only in that day.
Gorran: more than 30
wounded
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Most of the wars
happened against Gorran supporter in Sulaimaniyah,
but Kurdish alliance list had victims and some
Islamists arrested in the streets. Dana Nuri,
representative of Gorran from Sulaimaniyah office of
Iraqi Higher Electoral Commission (IHEC) described
his list most harmful one during the election
campaign. “We have more than 30 injured and any
child who had our flag on his bike has been
threatened,” stated Nuri. The night of 16 February,
2010 was the worst night for Gorran list when six of
their supporters were injured and arrested. Gorran
fraction in Kurdish parliament accused the Counter
Terrorism Group (CTG) of conducting attacks on their
supporters, but the CTG denied the allegations.
“PUK is the most harmed party during election
campaign not Gorran,” said Arif Rushdi, ex-member of
PUK's leadership. “But we didn’t maximize this issue
for the sake of showing a good face for our
democracy.
In the last evening of election campaign all the
rival parties came to the streets. PUK and Gorran
supporters fought each other which lead to seven
injury cases which one of them was eight years
child. In the last days of election campaign clashes
happened in front of KDP branch in Sulaimaniyah, two
journalists were attacked, and a support of the
Change list (Gorran).
Ari Qaradaxi, the head of election office of KDP
branch in Sulaimaniyah denied they attacked anyone.
But Hawlati newspaper and KNN TV channel claimed
that KDP members in Sulaimaniyah have attacked one
of their correspondents and took his camera. Editor
in chief of Hawlati said that he is going to sue the
KDP for the attack.
On 24 February, a KDP convoy was attacked by Change
list supporters. Then people were lightly injured
and 26 cars were smashed. A Gorran spokesman blamed
the PUK for the attack, but the head of the KDP
branch didn’t accuse anyone for the attack.
Islamic Group (KOMAL) is the only list who passed
the election campaign without troubles. “It’s true
we hadn’t had any injury but our candidates and
supporter have been threatened and our
correspondents have been attacked on” said Zana
Rustayee,www.ekurd.netmember
of KOMAL political bureau. “Few days before ending
election campaign there have been firing on our
campaigners in Kalar” Rustayee said.
KIU: government was not
neutral
One of the campaigners of Kurdistan Islamic Union (KIU)
has been injured while he was climbing on a power
pole for hanging some poster, while a car hit the
pole, he fall down and was injured. “We have not
been safe too. We have been threatened,” said Taha
Solayee, a candidate of KIU in Sulaimaniyah. He also
mentioned that government was not neutral in
election campaign.
There have been 36 cases of people getting wounded
during 24 days of election campaign. According to
Gorran representative in Sulaimaniyah office of (IHEC)
30 of were Gorran supporters, KDP 3, PUK one and KIU
one. Also seven journalists have been beaten.
But security officials say they have provided good
security. “We have been successful of protecting
security situation during election campaign” said
Zana Muhammad, spokesman of security committee of
Sulaimaniyah.
Copyright, respective author or news agency, rudaw
net
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