Tuesday, January 12, 2010

Kurdish opposition hopes Barzani ends abuse


12-01-2010
Duhok – A local Change list official today expressed hope that the invitation of the President of Kurdistan, Massoud Barzani, wound put an end to the abuses against the movement members, reports the AKnews agency.

"We hope that the dealing, abuses and attacks against the representatives of Gorran Movement will change after President Barzani's invitation," Khairi Shenkali, responsible for Mosul and the Bahdinan region, told the Kurdish press agency AKnews.

The Kurdish president Massoud Barzani called for an end to the dispute between the Kurdish opposition list Change (Gorran) and the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan, after attacks against politicians of the Change list and initiatives of Kurdish politicians to end the dispute. "We all have tasted the bitterness of internal fighting, but unfortunately today we see that some of this undesirable phenomena is reappearing," the Kurdish president said in a statement.

Shenkali hopes this would end the incidents in Sulemaniyah province, ruled by the PUK. “[Change] welcomes this statement and that the citizens are satisfied too, and we hope it to be the last abuse, especially that President Barzani ordered, in his statement, the stopping of those abuses."

At the same time, Barzani called for the discussion of ideas and views in the Parliament, emphasizing that "those who oppose the aspirations of the people to put an end to instability in the Region should be stopped."

"We hope that there will be common positions among all political blocs in Kurdistan Region to maintain security and order", indicating the existence of "a lot of political blocs and parties, as well as political competition. Everyone must admit the existence of the Gorran Movement in Kurdistan Parliament," Shenkali said.

About the seriousness of the last statement he said: "I think that President Barzani noted the abuses against the Kurdish individuals that might lead to chaos and lack of stability in Kurdistan Region, which is very safe"

"For this Barzani has called for non-repetition of such incidents and to punish the abusers. According to my knowledge, an investigative committee was formed to investigate the events that took place in the recent past."

The opposition movement Gorran (Change) is led by Nashirwan Mustafa, a former PUK-leader and is part of the Kurdish opposition in the Kurdish parliament, controlling 25 of the 111 seats (Photo: Gorran logo)

© Rudaw/ AKnews