By Wladimir van Wilgenburg
On Sunday 23 September the Kurdish opposition movement Change (Gorran) organized a conference in the Dutch city of Delft to prepare for the Iraqi elections in Europe. Two Gorran officials spoke with Rudaw about Gorran’s European election strategy and the situation in Kurdistan. They say there won’t be any political parties in Europe, like in Iraqi Kurdistan.
Jamal Hama Karim and Safin Mala Qara both used to be part of Talabani’s Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK), but now Karim is the Gorran EU-representative and Safin Malla Qara is the representative of Gorran in Erbil. They visited Holland with Gorran EU commission members Dr Chia Abaas and Mahmud Murad. There were also Change list meetings in Germany, Austria, United Kingdom and Holland. The rival of Gorran, the PUK, is also preparing for the Iraqi elections in Europe.
What’s your strategy to win the Kurdish vote in Europe?
Jamal Hama Karim: Two points: To explain how the Kurdish authorities work and to stimulate them to vote for us. We can give them institutions to vote. Secondly: Because European Kurds live in a democratic environment, they will be more sensitive for change and they will be the basis of a democratic change. They are not afraid of losing their jobs. We think that we will get more votes because of this.
What should the Kurdish diaspora in Europe do, to support reforms in Kurdistan?
Jamal Hama Karim: They should contact politicians and organizations for support and pressure the authorities to guarantee free and fair elections. The dominating parties talk about democracy, but in reality hey are not democratic. External pressure is very important.
What are the most important points for the Iraqi parliament?
Jamal Hama Karim: First, there will be separate Kurdish lists, not one closed [Kurdish] alliance. Secondly, the transparency of the Kurdish part of the Iraqi budget and the last point is the return of the disputed regions back to Kurdistan [Kirkuk, etc].
Are you going to do something with the accusations against the Oil Minister Asti Hawrami? (See Kurdistan suspends DNO oil production).
Safin Mala Qara: We want to reveal these contracts and deals. It will require more work to reveal corruption and also our MPS in the parliament will reveal this and ask for more explanations.
What about the corruption in Halabja and Slemani then. Isn’t Gorran involved in this?
Jamal Hama Karim: We think this has a political purpose. We are against any corruption. In 2004 the KRG Vice premier Omar Fattah transferred 18 million to an electricity project and this is money is now lost. Why they don’t begin with this? This is one of our problems: corruption should be fought top down, first the ministries, then political issues and then to the lower officials. It shouldn’t be a selective issue: all these people should face court. What happened with this 18 million dollars? This is public money and the mayor of Halabja was never part of Gorran.
Safin Mala Qara: This is an important goal of PUK to blame their failures on Slemani on us. They didn’t do well in Slemani and now they want to blame their own problems on the provincial council and the mayor who are mostly Gorran supporters. They want to give Gorran a bad image.
Isn’t that one of your problems to convince people: Gorran promises change, but we only see old PUK politicians?
Safin Mala Qara: We don’t want any responsibility, this is a temporary phase, Gorran needs us now. We have fought our whole live for the Kurds and we used to be part of the PUK. It needs time till the people get trust in Gorran. We will never walk away and the people have shown our trust in the elections. It’s time for the new generation.
Will Gorran become a political party then?
Safin Mala Qara: It’s a political movement now, we are laying the foundations and the future will decide what happens.
How are you going to select the future Iraqi mps?
Jamal Hama Karim: We will select people with skills and technocrats in certain work areas. We also want justice: not five mps from Slemani and one from Kirkuk. We will give the people courage again to fight for their cause.
You are not going to select your own sons?
Safin Mala Qara: No, we have good sons, but not as candidates.
Is not difficult to find Arabic speakers?
Jamal Hama Karim: We rather have someone who speaks Arabic, but in the sessions of the Iraqi parliament, you can also speak Kurdish.
Is it true Talabani would need the votes of Gorran to become president? Would you give him this support of it’s the case?
Safin Mala Qara: Even if he will need our votes, we won’t support him. There is now a consensus in politics: Kurds must receive a position. The presidency is the best option, because it has no authority. But some Sunnis also want to get this position. It’s possible that the Sunnis will get the presidency.
What’s the biggest different of Gorran compared to the Kurdistani alliance. You all talk about article 140. Is it the support for Arabs and Turkmen?
Safin Mala Qara: We will concentrate on all indigenous minorities there, but the priorities are Kurds. If a Kurd from Kirkuk goes to Hawler now, he will need a permit, we don’t want this, we want to improve their living conditions. Not only Turkmen are dissatisfied, but also Kurds. They cannot get a job if they are not part of KDP or PUK.
Will the Gorran seek more compromise over Kirkuk, as some experts predict?
Safin Mala Qara: No, this is part of the Iraqi constitution. Premier Maliki said that Kurds have never taken article 140 seriously. It’s only used as propaganda and for the internal situation of Kurdistan. We are going to change this and will emphasise that the constitution has to be carried out.
But back to Europe: Are you going to have the same campaign in Europe, as in Slemani during the Kurdish elections with rap music and parties?
Safin Mala Qara: We won’t do this, there is no possibility for that here. In Kurdistan there will be local parties.
But how are you going to get the support of the apolitical Kurdish youth in Europe then?
Safin Mala Qara: We don’t have Kurdish neighbourhoods like the Turks in Maashaven [District in the city of Rotterdam], maybe there are some parties and picnics. If there are any, you are invited (Photo: Rudaw.net, by Wladimir van Wilgenburg).
© Rudaw
