10-03-2010By Soran Bahaddin
The Iraqi elections in Kirkuk were much different from elections in other Iraqi cities, because of the number of ethnicities living in the city. Kurds, Arabs, Turkmen and Chaldeo-Assyrians could be seen in the same room of voting with their cultural dresses.
The national feeling of the people from Kirkuk could be felt more than in other days. Mariwan Zirar, 21 years old, who is originally from Kirkuk but based in Daratoo, nearby Erbil. He returned back to Kirkuk for voting one day before the election. “I came to vote for Kurdish success. We hope Kirkuk return back to Kurdistan,” said Mariwan. He thanked Kurdistan Region Government KRG (KRG) for providing them with buses and fuel to return back to their city Kirkuk for voting.
756,000 voters had the right of voting in Kirkuk. 12 seats are allocated for Kirkuk in Iraqi parliament. Kurds are likely to win majority seats of Kirkuk in Iraqi parliament. In the cities of Kurdistan region there were young people voting than old people. Na’aman Izaddin, 57 years old, talked about oppression of Kurds by the Baath regime before talking about voting. “If we don’t try today, they will occupy and Arabize Kirkuk,” said Na’aman Izaddin.
“I couldn’t bring my wife and daughters here on bus to vote because I did not have my own car,” said Izaddin raising his colored finger with the ink of election.
Those people who are originally from Kirkuk but living in other cities of Kurdistan region were complaining of Iraqi Higher Electoral Commission (IHEC) for not having polling centers in the cities of the Kurdistan region, as they have done for refugees of Baghdad and some other Iraqi cities. Because of this they had to return back to Kirkuk for voting.
“I came to vote for Kurdish strength,” said Saman Sherzad (26). He believes that Kurds from Kirkuk are again oppressed. “Why there is voting center for refugees of Basra in Soran, but there is no voting center for Kirkuk refugees in Erbil and Sulemany? Kurds has lost many votes in this way,” said Saman.
Kurdish women of Kirkuk with their Kurdish dress are more attractive than anything. Women were heading to vote as if they go to Newroz ceremony or wedding party. Nahida Khalid, 45 years old, wearing a black set of Kurdish dress, was going to vote with her husband and daughter. “I am going to vote for my nationality sake other wise I don’t like politic or election. I came with a car of other people” she said.
© Rudaw
