(AINA) -- Clarification on the Preparations of Arbel for the Iraqi National Conference

The transfer of sovereignty was good news for the Iraqi people. They began placing the foundations for a democracy that was longed for by all and which will prepare them for elections early next year, and a democracy which the people of Iraq strove for through prominent, patriotic movements which have struggled for decades and given many martyrs. Our Assyrian Democratic Movement is one of those movements that struggled against dictatorship, oppression and suppression for more than a quarter of a century both financially and in giving lives. Through its patriotic resistance, it established a place for itself among the Iraqi opposition. It also gained the respect of our people putting it at the forefront of their true aspirations.

In the backdrop of this optimism, those who are preparing to nominate the officials of the Arbel governorate have ignored the role our movement has played, even though it represents the ChaldoAssyrian people in that historical establishment; the Kurdish parliament. At the forefront of those ignoring our movement and scorning its role is the Kurdish Democratic Party (KDP). The KDP has not allowed our people to choose our representatives for the governorate. The KDP has chosen its own list of representatives to participate in the Iraqi National Congress.

We strongly object to such ways and methods. We ask the Higher Committee making preparations for the Congress to investigate this matter because what has happened undermines the validity of the Congress and contradicts the bases upon which the Higher Committee has relied.

Assyrian Democratic Movement
Arbel Bureau
July 21, 2004

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Clarification on the Preparation Methods in the Dohuk Governorate to the Iraqi National Conference

After the overthrow of the previous regime and the transfer of sovereignty to the Iraqi people, the population are looking towards establishing the longed for democracy in the country which has been absent throughout several decades of dictatorial rule. One of the important steps is preparing for the Iraqi National Congress due to be held at the end of July from which the National Assembly will emerge for the transitional period until the elections to be held in January 2005.

To achieve this honourable aim there must be a correct start. However, in the governorate of Dohuk, the preparations for the Iraqi National Congress and nominating the representatives to this congress, does not abode well. The preparations have not abided by the democratic methods and procedures which were agreed upon by the Higher Committee. Those procedures allocated a limited percentage of representation to political parties, civil organizations, religious, tribal, scientific and cultural figures. What happened in the governorate of Dohuk was far from these democratic procedures. Our Assyrian Democratic Movement has struggled against the dictatorship for over 25 years and has a position among other patriotic Iraqi movements with its struggle against the now extinct regime. It has sacrificed prisoners as well as martyrs executed by the dictatorship. In the past, it participated in opposition conferences as well as in the transitional government and parliament and in the Higher Committee for preparation for the Iraqi National Congress. It has also represented our people in the parliament and government of Iraqi Kurdistan since its election in 1992 to date. Our movement has been isolated from participation in the preparations for the congress and nominating representatives from the Dohuk governorate.

This is similar to other civil organizations such as the Student Union, ChaldoAssyrian youth, the Women's Union, cultural and social centres and several prominent figures who have a vital role and position among our people.

This removal of our movement was arranged between the local government in Dohuk ruled by the Kurdish Democratic Party and the committee assigned by the Higher Committee for the congress. This deliberate distancing from, and dismissive ness of our role and that of prominent members of our ChaldoAssyrian people is a continuation of old policies despite the democratic experiment established after the 1991 uprising under international protection for 12 years. Members of our ChaldoAssyrian people have been removed from governing positions despite our people being the second highest ethnicity in the governorate and despite calling for such positions such as deputy governor, mayor and other managerial positions in areas populated mainly by our ChaldoAssyrian people.

The rights of our people, the seizing of Christian ChaldoAssyrian villages from their rightful and historical owners, and repressive policies perpetrated against the simple people. Such activities perpetrated against our ChaldoAssyrian people during a period of democracy may have deeper implications on the world scene. Such activities require a revision and correction of mistakes.

We ask the Higher Committee for preparation for the Iraqi National Congress to review the process of nomination of representatives from the Dohuk governorate to correct the mistakes which would undermine the congress itself.

Assyrian Democratic Movement
Dohuk Bureau
July 21, 2004

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The Overseeing Committee over the Elections of Dohuk Governorate Delegates to the Iraqi National Conference

To: Assyrian Democratic Movement ý Dohuk Bureau

Subject: Follow up

On July 23, 2004, I noticed the clarification that was issued by the Assyrian Democratic Movement ý Dohuk Bureau, broadcasted on Ashur TV in Dohuk. The clarification was about the ways and means used by the Dohuk Governorate to prepare for the Iraqi National Conference. In that clarification, it was stated that the Assyrian Democratic Movement (ADM) in Dohuk was expatriated from participating in the local conference, which took place on July 22, 2004. The conference was to select the governorate's delegates to the General Conference of the Interim Iraqi National Assembly. The clarification went further to state that this expatriation was through the collaboration between the local administrative authorities in Dohuk Governorate, which is ruled by the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP), and the special committee assigned by the Upper Committee of the Conference. Since what was mentioned above touches our work in the committee that oversees the selection process of the Dohuk Governorate delegates to the National Conference in Baghdad and since the issue includes some ambiguity and confusion, we thought it would be appropriate to state what happened actually and as follows:

The Overseeing Board or the Committee responsible for the selection of delegates representing Dohuk Governorate to the Iraq National Conference was formed in accordance to article three of the Ways and Means of the works of the Upper Preparatory Committee that is preparing for the National Conference. The Dohuk Committee consisted from:

- Representative of the Dohuk governorate in the central Upper Committee, Ma'soom Anwar Ma'i.

- Two senior judges in the governorate and the judge with seniority were to head the Committee. The Dohuk Superior Criminal Court assigned two judges: Michael Shimshon and Abdullah Aziz Ahmad. Judge Michael Shimshon headed the Committee.

- Two members from the City Council, oldest among men and youngest among women. Thus Mohammad Hasan Hamid Hajani, a governor deputy, and Aamina Ahmad Abdulla, head of planning and construction in the governorate, were selected.

- Two members from outside: Hana' Edward and Aziz al-Yasiri, and the last two neither attend the meetings nor sent replacements for them. Therefore, the selection and election committee for Dohuk was comprised of seven members.

A meeting for the committee referred to above was scheduled for July 19, 2004 in the Dohuk Governorate building in order to address issues concerning how to select the delegates of Dohuk to the National Conference planned to take place in Baghdad. That meeting did not take place despite the numerous contacts we made with the deputy governor. We were told that Mr. Ma'soom Ma'i was not available. Since the presence of Mr. Ma'soom was important, being a representative of the governorate and the liaison between the Dohuk Committee and Central Committee in Baghdad, therefore, the meeting was postponed and rescheduled for Tuesday, July 20, 2004.

On this day (July 20, 2004), the members attended the meeting were surprised to find out that the applications were already submitted to the heads of the administrative regions in the governorate the previous day (July 19) without my and Mr. Abdullah Aziz Ahmad's knowledge or agreement. Even the other member in the committee, Mrs. Aamina Ahmad Abdulla, expressed her dissatisfaction for what had happened. Therefore, this happened in our absence and between the remaining members in the Committee and the local authorities in the governorate. It was not in collaboration between all members of the Committee and the local authorities, as expressed in your above clarification; it was completely to the contrary. Judge Abdullah Aziz Ahmad and me were dissatisfied and angry towards such behaviors. We reflected our objection for what had conspired truthfully and clearly to both Mrs. Ma'soom Ma'i (representative of the Upper Committee) and Mohammad Hasan Hajani (Deputy Governor and Committee member). I informed them that I will rely our point of view and opinion to the Upper Committee and I was planning to have that done through Mr. Ma'soom Anwar Ma'i. However, Mr. Ma'i left for Baghdad before we met with him again that evening and after the elections, a meeting among us that we planned earlier. This same point of view was expressed during an interview conducted with me by Kurdistan TV after the completion of the partition of votes inside the hall that hosted the conference. In that interview, I clearly emphasized the mistakes that accompanied the above election process. A representative of the mentioned television station assured me that he will broadcast the interview, in its entirety, however, he did not keep his promise. We are ready to conduct any television interviews with any television station or media source to express this point f view of ours. Therefore, we missed the opportunity before others did and we could not contact those concerned, whether political organizations or others, as stated in the instructions given to us by the Upper Committee. The misdeed or guilt is not ours but it is the guilt of those other sides. Worth mentioning that while we were in the conference hall and during the votes' partition, we observed the sudden appearance of applications that belonged to the Assyrian Patriotic Party (APP) and we did not know how and where from did they obtain them and why were they submitted so late.

- We want to clarify as well that the instructions we received from the Upper Committee were neither thorough nor clear. These instructions did not address many unresolved problems. These include, for example, the alternatives if legal and proper quorum was not obtained, whether regarding the general members attending or the men/women percentage. This is because in the latter case there was a specific percentage set by the Upper Committee, which was difficult to achieve in a society that is dominated by civic and tribal culture, something that could not be overcome or wiped over night. Furthermore, we could not figure, through the Upper Committee instructions, those means to follow in considering the various Iraqi groups like Turkomans, (Assyrians Chaldeans Syriacs), and Mandeans during the election process. The instructions of the Upper Committee were not specific about what guidelines to follow in this matter.

- Article four of the Ways and Means of the works of the Upper Preparatory Committee that is preparing for the National Conference included eight conditions that were to be present in the nominees for delegates. These included nominee age; whether he/she assisted the past regime; was he/she part of the past repressive apparatuses; did he/she become rich illegally; that the nominee must not be convicted with a disgraceful crime; that the nominee must be of good reputation; has a high school diploma or equivalent; and that he/she was not a supporter and propagators of the past regime's ideology and crimes. How could we investigate and make sure that the above conditions are indeed present in the nominee within two or three days. This process requires two or three weeks, or perhaps one month. Is it logical to consider only the absolute word of the nominee himself? This we say especially when we are selecting delegates to the National Conference in Baghdad, which millions of Iraqis are waiting anxiously; a conference through which the Iraqi National Assembly shall emerge? Who in his right state of mind is going to tell the Committee that he was a supporter of the past regime or participated in the regime's repressive apparatus? That is illogical. It was expected, therefore, and under such conditions, to open up the opportunity for the Committee to investigate whether the nominees were qualified. This could have been accomplished by contacting the appropriate and related agencies or any other available means. This rush will lead indeed to have people reaching the Iraqi National Assembly who do not deserve that mission and there lay the biggest disaster.

In short, it is not possible, under any circumstances, to hold us responsible for the mistakes of others. We reject that our unblemished record be touched and we will not submit to any person no matter who it was. We did not compromise our principles even in the darkest days. If so, how would we compromise in these joyful days that bring the winds of democracy to our country? What saddens us is that we did learn from the mistakes of the past and we are repeating those mistakes even when freedom is shinning over our land. It is not wise for any person to keep everything to himself and all the time.

We hope and wish that the spirit of freedom, friendship, and forgiveness will find itself among the sons and daughters of this one country and admit that we, all of us, are partners in it. We hope that the various sides will not try to control everything because that did not last for others and if we consider it wisely, it will not last in our case either. However, wishes and hopes are one thing and reality is another.

I hope as well to let you know that Judge Abdullah Aziz Ahmad, the member in the Committee, shares with me this opinion completely, as mentioned earlier through this follow up. We hope that this follow up will be published in media outlets that belong to your movement so that the facts about the issue are known.

Cordially,

Judge Michael Shimshon, Head of Committee

Cc:

Dohuk Superior Criminal Court

Dohuk Governorate ý The desk of the governor

The Upper Committee for the Iraqi National Conference

All political organizations in the governorate

Members of the committee

Judge Abdullah Aziz Ahmad. Per our verbal communication about this issue

The Committee overseeing the elections