10-03-2010
Nawzad Mahmood
Suleymaniyah - The election campaign started and ended with conflicts between supporters of rival political parties in Suleymaniyah.
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
Most of the wars happened against Gorran supporter in Sulemany, but Kurdish alliance list had victims and some Islamists arrested in the streets. Dana Nuri, representative of Gorran from Sulemany 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 Sulemany, two journalists were attacked, and a support of the Change list (Gorran).
Ari Qaradaxi, the head of election office of KDP branch in Sulemany denied they attacked anyone. But Hawlati newspaper and KNN TV channel claimed that KDP members in Sulemany 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, member 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 Sulemany. 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 Sulemany 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 Sulemany.
© Rudaw
