Posters on 76th Anniversary of IRAQI COMMUNIST PARTY

76th Anniversary
of the
IRAQI COMMUNIST PARTY
(31st March 1934 - 31st March 2010)

Iraqi CP: Solidarity with the Palestinian people against Israeli terrorism and settlement policy‏

Statement of the IRAQI COMMUNIST PARTY

In Solidarity with the Palestinian People
Against Israeli Terrorism and Settlement Policy

The acts of Israeli repression and terror have escalated in recent days against the Palestinian people in the occupied territories who have been confronting the racist settlement policies. The occupation authorities and the gangs of settlers have committed new crimes, killing four young Palestinians in Nablus. These developments have come at a time when voices of international protests have escalated against the refusal of Netanyahu's government to stop settlement expansion and land confiscation in the occupied West Bank, and against its utter disregard of the United Nations and the international community.

While strongly condemning the killings and crimes of torture committed by Israel, reaffirming solidarity with the Palestinian people and their legitimate popular resistance to occupation, and calling for international protection for the Palestinians, our Party looks forward to the restoration of Palestinian national unity as a principal prerequisite for achieving Palestinian people's rights, liberation and independence, in particular the right to establish their own independent national state on their territory, impose a complete cessation of Israel's settlement policy and end the occupation in accordance with UN resolutions.

Political Bureau of the Central Committee
Iraqi Communist Party

22 March 2010

Iraqi CP – Interview about recent Iraqi Elections

Iraqi CP – Interview about recent Iraqi Elections

Interview with comrade Salam Ali, member of the Central Committee of the Iraqi Communist Party, on the recent Iraqi Elections
Published by “Nameh Mardom, the official organ of the Tudeh Party – Iran (15th March 2010)

Q1. What do you think about the new election laws and increased number of MP's? Apart from preventing the Baathist electoral candidacy, has the “Iraq's Accountability and Justice Commission” imposed any other restrictions on political parties or individuals participating in this election?

The amendments to election law that were passed by dominant forces in parliament on 9 November 2009 were totally undemocratic and constituted a gross violation of the rights of the Iraqi electorate. Articles 1 and 3 of this law, in particular, were designed to maintain the hegemony and control of political power by the ruling political forces and perpetuate the infamous sectarian power sharing system.
This will mean a repetition of the experience in the provincial elections that took place in January 2009, when the “big blocs” stole the votes of more than two and a quarter million people who had given their votes to other “smaller” lists. The same electoral ploy will be used by these same blocs to grab additional seats in the parliament.
The number of MPs has been increased to 325 (compared with 275) in the new parliament, based on an estimated increase of the population to about 32 million during the past 4 years. This highlights one fundamental loophole in the election process, caused by the lack of a proper electoral register based on a population census. Such a census should have taken place by the end of 2009, but was eventually postponed. The electoral register inside Iraq is therefore based on data of the food ration distribution system, which is fraught with errors and open to manipulation. For voters outside Iraq, there is no electoral register (with the eligible electorate estimated at about 1.25 million), thus requiring people to register (according to new arbitrary conditions announced by the Electoral Commission) and vote at the same time.
The measures taken by the “Accountability and Justice Commission”, to exclude candidates who had held senior positions in Saddam’s Baath party and the security organs of the ousted regime, caused a lot of controversy. This is due to the fact that the so-called process of “de-Baathification” (that preceded the promulgation of the Accountability and Justice Law in parliament in early 2008) had been politicized by the ruling Islamic groups. The net outcome of the measures taken on the eve of election was to deepen sectarian polarization, thus playing into the hands of both competing “big” blocs. It was exploited fully by their political leaders to stir up fears among their constituencies and thereby mobilize them once again along sectarian lines. This has exposed, in practice, the true sectarian colours of these forces and their hollow claims of abandoning sectarian positions and adopting a non-sectarian national democratic programme.

Q2. Nearly 300 political parties and groups have formed into 12 blocks competing for 325 parliamentary seats. Is this a sign of weakness and political division? Or does it point to a growing political maturity in Iraq’s politics that recognises the importance of united action?

The most important development since the previous elections is the realignment of forces and the break-up of big political Islamic blocs (both Shiite and Sunni). Some groups within the camp of political Islam had to abandon their openly sectarian position and adopt a national discourse, with some borrowing slogans of democratic forces (e.g. Maleki’s State of Law slate that calls for building “a democratic modern civil state based on institutions and law …etc”.). The defeat of the Supreme Islamic Assembly in the provincial elections in 2009 also forced its coalition (the Iraqi National Alliance) to attempt to change its image, by enticing a few liberal elements to join its candidates in return for promises of seats in the new parliament.
Many small groups decided, following their bitter experience in previous national and provincial elections, to join bigger blocs with the hope of getting into the parliament. The new election law, which was designed to marginalize and effectively eliminate small political entities, also contributed to this process. While the reduction of the number of entities contesting the elections may be seen as a sign of growing maturity in Iraq’s politics, the manipulation of the electoral system to perpetuate the continued hegemony of “big blocs” and control of political power is, however, a very dangerous development that could have grave consequences for the democratic future of Iraq. The current exceptional and transitional stage which Iraq is going through requires political diversity rather than policies of exclusion and political hegemony.

Q3. What is the reaction in Iraq and in particular among the religious groupings regarding the allocation of 25% quota for women which has resulted in 1813 out of approximately 6200 candidates being women?

The 25% quota for women in parliament was endorsed once again in parliament without any real opposition, and despite the poor performance of the many women MPs, especially those belonging to religious parties, during the past 4 years. Women’s organisations and activists campaigned to ensure that this quota system is adhered to in the new “open list” system adopted for the recent elections.
It is important to note that women’s participation in the elections was quite evident and characterised by enthusiasm. This is an indication of growing social and political consciousness in society, in addition to a growing awareness among women of the importance of their role in society, for achieving their rights and enjoying equal opportunities with men.

Q4. ICP is part of the People’s Unity list; what are the key socio-economic components of the People’s Unity’s programme?

The People’s Unity list adopted a detailed programme that included socio-economic and developmental goals. A brief version of this programme was widely distributed during the election campaign. Here are some key points:
Social goals:
- Enactment of a new Personal Status Law to ensure the abolition of all forms of discrimination against women, respect for their rights and empowering them politically, economically and socially, and providing conditions to ensure their participation in public life.
- Attention to the internally displaced and migrants who were forced to leave their homes due to terrorism and sectarian violence. And to eliminate the legacy of criminal campaigns against the Faili Kurds.
- To embrace culture and arts, ensuring their flourishing and promotion, and to reject any attempt to restrict thought and creativity and marginalize intellectuals and creative people.
- To ensure a better life for students and youth, and to provide all the prerequisites for the development of their talents and utilizing their potential.
- To respect the independence of the unions, trade unions, cultural associations and all the civil organizations, and to provide all forms of support to them, so as to enhance their role and contribution in public life, and to accelerate the enactment of a democratic law for civil society organizations.
Economic and developmental goals:
- Work to achieve sustainable economic-social development, infrastructure development, and restructuring the economy to develop and modernize the productive commodity and services sectors and provide the prerequisites for scientific and technological progress.
- To protect national wealth, especially oil, and to rely primarily on direct national investment in its exploitation and management. To employ these resources in the development of the national economy and achieving social justice. And to regulate the management of the hydrocarbon sector and accelerate the promulgation of the Oil and Gas Law.
- To provide government support to the public, private, cooperative and joint economic sectors, and to give priority to these national sectors in tenders, contracts and investment.
- To rehabilitate the factories and industrial installations of the various productive sectors.
- To activate the process of reconstruction and give priority to the disadvantaged and damaged regions.
- To pursue a prudent investment policy by encouraging investment and attracting national and foreign funds to contribute to development and reconstruction.
- To accelerate the rehabilitation of the electricity sector.
- Paying attention to the agricultural sector and bringing it up to self-sufficiency, ensuring food security, paying special attention to combating desertification and drought, and ensuring that Iraq gets a fair share of water.
- Organizing the commercial sector and development of mechanisms and controls regulating the market in order to protect consumers, particularly the poor, and to ensure a good quality of goods and services.

Q5. Was the election held fairly? How was the participation of people, and how do you compare these elections to the last election or the one under the Saddam regime?

The enthusiastic participation of the people in the elections on 7th March 2010, despite criminal terrorist attacks and bombings in Baghdad and other parts of the country, and the killing of 38 innocent people, was clear evidence of the determination of the people to consolidate democratic practice through the ballot box, and to continue the fight for a fully independent and sovereign, unified, democratic and federal Iraq. The voters’ turnout, at 62.4%, was higher than that during the provincial elections in January 2009.
While stressing these positive aspects in the elections, many violations were noted by observers that included the electoral register, election campaigns, the “special voting” (for the security forces), the “media silence day” (a halt to campaigning the day before and during elections), as well as the problematic elections outside Iraq, denying tens of thousands of Iraqis their right to vote.
In addition, due to the non-existence of a law regulating political parties and their funding, there was no control over funding for election campaigns. Billions of dollars, pouring in from outside the country to influence the outcome of the elections, were spent lavishly by dominant forces, on media advertising as well as buying the support of voters.
As to comparison with elections under Saddam, the latter could not even be called elections, but rather a sham process with people being forced out to cast their votes for a single candidate, the dictator, who got over 99% of the votes.

Q6. How would the outcome of this election impact the formation of the new government, withdrawal of foreign troops and US troops in particular, and relations with neighbours in the Middle East region? Can this election affect the political dynamics of our region?

Due to the fact that none of the big electoral blocs will achieve an absolute majority, the formation of the new government will be a protracted process, with political manoeuvring to set up a ruling coalition. Any such government will have to adhere to the terms of withdrawal of American forces as stipulated in the Iraq-US security agreement (with total withdrawal by the end of 2011). The overwhelming support among the Iraqi people for ending the occupation and foreign military presence, and eliminating its legacy, is a powerful factor that would prevent any attempt to circumvent this agreement.
A lot will depend on a smooth transfer to a new government, strengthening national unity and overcoming sectarian tensions that were deliberately accentuated by some forces for their narrow political ends. This will lay the basis for embarking on reconstruction and building the institutions of a modern democratic civil state, based on the principle of citizenship, human rights and social justice. A stable, peaceful, democratic and prosperous Iraq, that enjoys good relations with all its neighbours, is essential for achieving peace and social progress for the peoples of the Middle East and the whole world.

Iraqi CP condemns criminal bombings in Baghdad

Statement of the Political Bureau of the Iraqi Communist Party
About the heinous terrorist crime in Baghdad

The Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the Iraqi Communist Party issued the following statement about the criminal terrorist bombings in Baghdad on 8th December 2009:

The vicious forces of terrorism have carried out another barbaric crime on 8th December 2009, which is a part of the series of bloody cowardly operations that began with "Bloody Wednesday" in September, targeting innocent civilians and seeking to inflict the most damage to our people and the biggest harm to the political process, and ultimately to achieve the evil objectives of restoring the rule of tyranny and dictatorship.

It is noteworthy that the terrorist attack, which caused the death of dozens of civilians and injured even a greater number of other citizens, came in the wake of an intensified political conflict that raged between the ruling forces over the undemocratic amendment to the law for electing the Parliament. These struggles were bound to have a negative impact on the security situation, giving impetus to the activity of terrorist forces that have committed this heinous criminal operation.

While we strongly condemn and deplore these criminal acts that are full of hatred for our people and homeland, we call upon the Government and relevant agencies to assume their responsibility to protect the citizens, prevent the recurrent deterioration in security.. to speed up purging the security forces of corrupt elements, pursue relentlessly the criminals; remnants of Saddam's Baath party, al-Qaeda, militias and gangs of organized crime, and bring them to justice.

We also call upon all the patriotic, democratic and Islamic forces, that are truly concerned for the interest of the Iraqi people, to rise to the challenges besetting our country and people, to put the national interest above any other consideration, and pool their efforts in the face of the activity of terrorist forces, to put a decisive end to it.

We extend our condolences to the families of the martyrs, and wish the wounded and injured a speedy recovery.

Shame to the enemies of the people and democracy

8th December 2009

Iraqi CP statement on amended Election Law

Iraqi Communist Party:

Amendment of election law is a deal
struck by dominant forces

The Political Bureau of the Iraqi Communist Party has issued a statement on 7th December 2009 about the deal reached by Iraqi lawmakers to amend the election law, shortly before a midnight deadline on Sunday 6th December 2009, in an urgent session of the Parliament to resolve the impasse. The following is a full translation of the statement:

"The Parliament voted last night, Sunday 6th December, to amend the election law on the basis of a compromise formula reached by the big blocs after intensive meetings and discussions that continued, with the participation of representatives from the U.S. Embassy and the UN, until the last moment of the period allowed to veto the previously amended version of the law. Under the new law, the number of seats in Iraq's parliament will be 325, including 310 seats for provinces and 15 compensatory seats.

Although the vote on the new version of the law has spared the country a political crisis and unforeseen repercussions, our Party considers the agreement that has been struck by the dominant political and parliamentary blocs, and voted by the Parliament, to be disappointing and one that does not change the unfair and undemocratic nature of the law. Our Party reaffirmed its reservation and abstained from voting on the amended version presented by the Speaker of Parliament. The amendments did not put forward anything new to address the serious anti-democratic deficiencies of the election law, in particular with regard to the first and third articles, which reduce the compensatory seats to 15 and adopt the infamous rule that grants remaining seats to the bigger winning lists, in flagrant violation of democracy and principles of justice. The amendments have instead consolidated the tendency towards monopoly and limiting the diversity of political representation in the Parliament, as well as unlawfully usurping millions of votes and confining the distribution of compensatory seats to the winning lists.

We have followed, along with the rest of our people, the regrettable spectacle presented by the dominant political forces as they were locked in an intensified struggle to redistribute seats among the provinces in accordance to narrow calculations, while pushing to the back, if not totally disregarding, the public national interest and the pressing issues of the people. This was done in favour of a discourse and practice that agitated and raised political tensions, fuelled sectarian polarization, and brought the country to the brink of a severe political crisis.

This attitude and behaviour is the basis for the political crises that have broken out from time to time, and its continuation will result in the continued outbreak of crises, pushing the country every time to acute crises and new tensions. It is also oblivious to the main worries and concerns of our people, large sections of whom are suffering extremely difficult living conditions, with the deteriorating level of services, unemployment, high prices, a security situation that is still unstable despite relative improvement, incomplete sovereignty and vicious forces that are hostile to the political process.

Despite the reservation of the Communist Party about the new version of the election law, we shall accept this challenge and participate actively in the forthcoming elections to get our representatives elected to the Parliament in order to defend the interests of the Iraqi people, especially the toilers, and to ensure achieving full independence and national sovereignty, reforming the political process and building a prosperous democratic Iraq.”

Aims of the People's Unity electoral list

Aims
of the "People's Union" (Ittihad al-Shaab)
Electoral List

The program of the "People's Unity" (Ittihad al-Shaab) electoral list, launched in Baghdad on 14th November 2009, contains the political, economic, cultural, social aims that have been expressed by the Patriotic Democratic Plan adopted by the forces, parties and figures of the democratic current that have come together in the People's Unity List to participate in the elections of the new Iraqi Parliament.

The program provides guidelines for the work and the struggle of these forces in order to strengthen the national unity of the constituent components of the Iraqi people and build a civil state; based on citizenship and institutions, in a unified democratic, constitutional, federal and fully sovereign Iraq.. based on the Constitution and laws guaranteeing the rights and freedoms of all citizens and ensuring a decent life of dignity for all its citizens, protecting the rights all citizens, regardless of sex, color, sect, religion, national affiliation and social position.

The basic aims of the List are as follows:

Goals to raise the standard of living:
- Improving the standard of living, combating unemployment, building and developing a social security network, expanding the network of social protection, and working to enact a labor law that ensures the interests of workers and their rights.
- Concrete action and measures to resolve the crises of scarcity of services (electricity, water and transport) and oil products.
- To tackle the housing crisis that has burdened the citizens, and to activate and develop government programs to support housing projects.
- Working to improve the health and education services, the free provision of such basic services, and to support and rationalize the ration card.
- Attention to the provision of municipal services to cities across Iraq (Clean Cities and Paved Streets).
- Formulating a new scale for the salaries of employees and retirees to ensure justice and the rights of all.
- Just treatment for people who had been expelled from their jobs for political reasons, and for the families of the martyrs and victims of the former regime and acts of terrorism and sabotage.
- To accelerate the release of innocent people, and those covered by amnesty decrees, from Iraqi and American prisons and detention centers.

Political objectives:
- To consolidate security and stability, to confront the forces of sabotage and terrorism, and restore normal life to the country.
- To provide the prerequisites for ending foreign military presence and achieving full sovereignty, including the complete withdrawal of foreign troops from Iraq by end of 2011.
- Adopting the principle of citizenship and providing the conditions for building the modern democratic civil state.
- To continue building the army, police and security services on the basis of professionalism, competence and integrity, and raising their capacity, enabling them to exercise their role and accomplish their tasks effectively.
- Activating the legislative and oversight role of the Parliament and the provincial councils, and to ensure separation between the three powers and the independence of the judiciary. Working to complete the Constitutional amendments so as to ensure enriching the content of the democratic civil constitution.
- Regulating the relationship between the Federal Government and regional and provincial governments and councils, so as to strengthen the federal principle and decentralization in state-building in accordance with the articles of the Constitution and its principles.
- Displaying competence, patriotism and integrity in the management of state affairs and the distribution of responsibilities and employment in state institutions, so as to achieve justice, provide equal opportunities and improve the level of professional performance.
- Activating the Constitutional article on restructuring the "Civil Service Council" that has the responsibility for the appointment of citizens in state departments in accordance with general administrative and legal regulations.
- Protection of public funds, addressing administrative, financial and political corruption, developing effective mechanisms to monitor spending, and to encourage regulatory bodies in the state and strengthen their role, ensure the protection of their employees, and activate people's control.
- Building a relationship of friendship, mutual respect and cooperation with neighboring countries and the world, so as to achieve joint interests between Iraq and those states, and to refrain from interference in internal affairs.

Economic and developmental goals:
- Work to achieve sustainable economic-social development, infrastructure development, and restructuring the economy to develop and modernize the productive commodity and services sectors and provide the prerequisites for scientific and technological progress.
- Protection of national wealth, especially oil, and to rely primarily on direct national investment in its exploitation and management. To employ these resources in the development of national economy and achieving social justice. And to regulate the management of hydrocarbon sector and to accelerate the promulgation of the Oil and Gas Law.
- To provide government support to the public, private, cooperative and joint economic sectors, and to give priority to these national sectors in tenders, contracts and investment.
- To rehabilitate the factories and industrial installations of the various productive sectors.
- To activate the process of reconstruction and give priority to the disadvantaged and damaged regions.
- To pursue a prudent investment policy by encouraging investment and attracting national and foreign funds to contribute to development and reconstruction.
- To accelerate the rehabilitation of the electricity sector.
- Paying attention to the agricultural sector and bringing it up to self-sufficiency, ensuring food security, paying special attention to combating desertification and drought, and ensuring that Iraq gets a fair share of water. s
- Organizing the commercial sector and the development of mechanisms and controls regulating the market in order to protect the consumers, particularly the toilers, and to ensure a good quality of goods and services.

Social, cultural and educational goals:
- Enactment of a new Personal Status Law to ensure the abolition of all forms of discrimination against women, respect for their rights and empowering them politically, economically and socially, and providing conditions to ensure their participation in public life.
- Attention to the internally displaced and migrants who were forced to leave their homes due to terrorism and sectarian violence. And to eliminate the legacy of criminal campaigns against the Faili Kurds.
- Paying attention to scientific universities and developing education and scientific research institutions, and to review the educational curricula in all stages.
- Embracing academics and scientific talents, and providing appropriate security and living conditions so as to prevent their migration. Providing legislative, administrative and financial prerequisites for the implementation of the decision regarding the return scientific talents abroad.
- To embrace culture and arts, ensuring their flourishing and promotion, and to reject any attempt to restrict thought and creativity and marginalize intellectuals and creative people.
- To ensure a better life for students and youth, and to provide all the prerequisites for the development of their talents and utilizing their potential.
- To respect the independence of the unions, trade unions, cultural associations and all the civil organizations, and to provide all forms of support to them, so as to enhance their role and contribution in public life, and to accelerate the enactment of a democratic law for civil society organizations.

People's Unity electoral list launched in Baghdad

People's Unity (“Ittihad al-Shaab”) Electoral List
launched in 18 Iraqi provinces

The democratic electoral list of "Ittihad al-Shaab" (People's Unity) was launched on Saturday 14th November 2009, at a mass rally held in the National Theatre in central Baghdad.

The list is a coalition of democratic and patriotic forces, led by the Iraqi Communist Party and includes the National Democratic Party (First), the Democratic Chaldeo-Assyrian List, and several democratic groups and personalities.

Mufid al-Jazairy, member of Iraqi CP's Political Bureau, opened the event by introducing "Ittihad al-Shaab" List, and then invited the party leader, comrade Hamid Majeed Mousa, to deliver the statement and programme of the electoral list. He was accompanied on stage by a number of candidates.


The cultural part of the programme followed with poetry and songs. The well-known poets Aryan Sayyed Khalaf, Nadhem al-Samawi and Hamza al-Hilfi, were warmly received by more than 2000 people who packed the hall. The singer Karim Mansour then presented a number of his popular songs.

The event received wide coverage in the Iraqi media, including the Iraqiyya satellite channel that broadcasted half an hour of the proceedings.