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Nawshirwan Mustafa warns of beating
fratricidal war drums
6.5.2011
By Shwan Zulal - ekurd.net |
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May 6, 2011
SULAIMANIYAH,
Kurdistan region 'Iraq', — "You Know what we want
and we know what you want", Nawshirwan Mustafa
(opposition Gorran Movement leader) tells both
incumbent parties of PUK (Patriotic Union of
Kurdistan and KDP (Kurdistan Democratic Union). He
reiterates Gorran's demands and says, "We want
comprehensive and systemic reforms by changing the
one party government as it stands-PUK controlling
Slemani (Sulaimaniyah) and KDP, Erbil and Dhok
area-to one national viable government ".
The opposition leader, Mustafa used to be PUK deputy
leader and split up from PUK to set up a new
progressive political movement in Kurdistan Region
demanding reforms and transparency. Considering the
proportional share of the vote from the last
Kurdistan Region Elections, Gorran movement would be
the second largest party, nevertheless; due to the
strategic agreement between PUK and KDP and the Bloc
voting system, A PUK and KDP coalition government is
in place with the majority in Kurdish parliament.
After Gorran movement splintered from PUK, the party
has become very fragile and lost most of the
moderate vices. PUK was known to be the progressive
force in Kurdish politics nevertheless, after Gorran
movement came apart from it, the party leaders
reverted to their conservative roots as part of KDP.
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Nawshirwan Mustafa, a former deputy in the Kurdish
government, formed the Change List in 2009 as a
rival to the ruling Patriotic Union of Kurdistan PUK
and the Kurdistan Democratic Party KDP. His party
scored a success in Kurdish elections in 2009,
taking several seats from the incumbent parties.
Gorran enjoys wide support in Kurdistan region.
Gorran is challenging Talabani's PUK and the KDP of
Massoud Barzani and accuses the parties of
corruption. |
As time moved on since
the last elections, PUK have become a more
regressive movement and aligned itself with KDP.
Although KDP may look polished to an outsider but
the party is based on tribal principles and its
leadership is hereditary. Unless someone is a
Barzani, it is not possible to become party leader.
Majority of the Kurdish public does not accept this
ideology and yearn for a more progressive force to
run the country. PUK was once a promising to end the
clannish nature of politics in Kurdistan but they
have failed to do so and this mantel has moved to
Gorran now. In his latest speech, Mustafa criticises
PUK and KDP for being regressive and resisting
change.
He also accuses them of using their position in
power to affect the result of the last Kurdish
parliamentary elections. He refers to the fact that
militia forces were used to put pressure on the
voters and attacked different opposition offices.
Moreover, "PUK and KDP have started to threaten the
other parties' supporters by shooting at their
offices and political activists." Furthermore, he
accuses the incumbent parties of using the
government apparatus to influence the voters by
rewarding and reprimanding government employees
accordingly.
Gorran movement was approached by PUK and KDP after
the elections to take part in the government, but
along with the other two opposition parties, mustafa
opted to stay in opposition. Many commentators were
sceptical about his motive as there were not any
effective opposition in Kurdistan before and this
was a new experiment. Two years on, the public and
commentators are all in unison,www.ekurd.netagreeing
that the opposition have been surprisingly
effective. KRG (Kurdish Regional Government) has
functioned much better as the opposition parties
have been very vocal in their criticism through
parliament and their media outlets. They have put
pressure on the government and hold it to account.
Nevertheless, according to Mustafa the Public's
thirst for reform is not quenched and they demand
more reforms on an accelerated pace.
Mustafa blatantly accuses PUK and KDP of looting the
government resources to enrich their political
parties. He adds that after the Iraqi election and
many disappointments due to the failings of the
government and lack of progress in carrying out
reforms "... the public have started to lose faith
in oppositions' effectiveness within parliament and
their ability push for reforms ... and the public
have once again started to mobilise itself again".
He contributes the main factors in public anger
spilling into the streets to the killing of 23 year
old freelance journalist and student, Sardasht Osman
and the introduction of new demonstration laws in
KRG.
In the speech the leader of the opposition, accuse
PUK and KDP of scaremongering as they have been
talking about fratricidal war. Due to the nature of
both incumbent parties' makeup as they both have in
excess of 50000 armed forces, Mustafa makes it clear
in his speech that any such parties will never
accept defeat in any election because they have
their forces in their disposal. Mustafa adds: "The
danger of a fratricidal war comes from the parties
with armed militia and not those without (referring
to the opposition parties)." Therefore, one of his
main points he is making is that the political
parties must all be stripped off their militia and a
national army must be formed without any political
influence.
Protesters and opposition demands are crystal clear,
only PUK and KDP supporters does not understand
them. The demands are legitimate and even educated
supporters of the government acknowledges it, but
they are resisting change, because of personal
interests, rather that believing in any ideology.
The current political system is unsustainable and
failing to change it, would lead to more adversity
for a nation, which have always been undermined.
Shwan Zulal
is a Kurdish Blogger, a regular contributing writer
for ekurd.net, interested in political and legal
Reform in Kurdistan, KRG, Iraq and current Kurdish
affairs, including oil exploration companies and
relevant legislations. You may visit Zulal's website
at http://kurdishviews.blogspot.com/
Copyright © 2011 ekurd.net
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