The turnout for Zakho will be very high. The votes that will be counted could even exceed 100%. How come? Our observers report that the extended hour are being used for casting votes for all registered that have not voted. The personnel at polling stations are filling in all remaing ballot papers, voting for Kurdistani List. One of our supporters waited until the last minutes to vote. At the door he was asked what he is going to vote for and he said Listi 54 (Kurdistani List) and then he was let in with the words that he could help them and fill in some extra votes... We have also gotten a report that buses of hospital personnel, cleaners, janitors, guards etc have been sent to vote again during the last hours.
Observers from all polling stations in Zakho have all day reported people from KDP been seen voting several times. Arif Ali, Moxtar (chieftain) of Sabaanisan area, have been noted to cast his vote at least six times today.
The KDP have no shame at all. They openly are cheating and depriving their own people their right to vote independently. In room 4 at polling station Rauda the supervisor is not even giving the voters the ballot paper, he just writes the line for them, "helping" them to vote for Listi 54. Of those who are on duty for the IHEC at the polling stations, 99% are KDP members or supporters.
At the polling station Delal school our observers were kicked out in the afternoon. We contacted two international observers and asked them to be present at Delal and observe until the ballot boxes were seeled and sent away. They agreed to do that. These observers also told us that they had witnessed quite a deal of foul play in Zakho today.
We are really sad to say that the election in Zakho did not turn into a celebration of Kurdish freedom and democracy. Many of our adversaries were certainly sceptical to our attempt to hold a democratic and free election. Now the KDP have brought shame on our people by proving the sceptics right.
July 25, 2009
More cheating at polling stations in Zakho
The Change List are receiving more reports from our observers at the polling stations. At Brifka camp in Kanimase the observer have seen several whole families cast their vote twice. They are voting in the names of other families that are abroad, showing up their Food-for-oil cards.
At the polling station Nehren school in Sabanisan the observer reports seeing same persons cast their votes several times. They have been seen going to the KDP office in Sabanisan where the ink on their fingers has been washed away.
At Ermen school the observer also report that same people are voting several times. And in all polling stations our observers report seeing the supervisors and officials urging people to vote for List 54 (Kurdistani List). They also report from most of the polling stations that the supervisors are "helping" people vote behind the curtains. When we complain about this, they say "we have the right to help the illiterate and others who need help".
Kerim Haji, Moxtar (chieftain of his street) was brutally prevented to cast his vote at Jwan school. The IHEC contact at this polling station, Helagord, took his voting card out of his hands and put an X for Kurdistani List and then dropped it in the ballot box. This subsequently lead to a harsh discussion between them...
All incidents we are telling you about are being reported to the IHEC with names of witnesses and written statements.
The turnout for Zakho is 60% as of right now at 2 PM. It looks like we are seeing a high level of participation in the elections. The Kurdish people are eager to practice their right to vote in what we perceive as "the first real Kurdish election".
At the polling station Nehren school in Sabanisan the observer reports seeing same persons cast their votes several times. They have been seen going to the KDP office in Sabanisan where the ink on their fingers has been washed away.
At Ermen school the observer also report that same people are voting several times. And in all polling stations our observers report seeing the supervisors and officials urging people to vote for List 54 (Kurdistani List). They also report from most of the polling stations that the supervisors are "helping" people vote behind the curtains. When we complain about this, they say "we have the right to help the illiterate and others who need help".
Kerim Haji, Moxtar (chieftain of his street) was brutally prevented to cast his vote at Jwan school. The IHEC contact at this polling station, Helagord, took his voting card out of his hands and put an X for Kurdistani List and then dropped it in the ballot box. This subsequently lead to a harsh discussion between them...
All incidents we are telling you about are being reported to the IHEC with names of witnesses and written statements.
The turnout for Zakho is 60% as of right now at 2 PM. It looks like we are seeing a high level of participation in the elections. The Kurdish people are eager to practice their right to vote in what we perceive as "the first real Kurdish election".
Cheating at polling stations
The Change List observers report foul play in several polling stations in Zakho. Our observer in Delal school in Room 2 observed the room supervisor accompany voters behind the curtains to "help" them to vote. One woman objected, but he said "but you cannot read and write so I will help you" and followed her behind the curtains despite her objections. We told this official that this is illegal and he said he is just helping the illiterate people. The observer were not allowed to go in and observe in room 1 at all. When we went to talk to the IHEC contact for this polling station, Delal Ismael Abdullah, she refused to give us the complaint form for reporting this incident to the IHEC.
From the polling station at Zin shool our observer reported that the room officials at the doors and the supervisors in the rooms urge people to vote for the Kurdistani List no.54.
From the polling stations at Jwan school and Zagruss school observers report seeing the same people vote several times and that others are turned back because they are not on the lists. Also from several polling stations observers notice that elder people accompany their young ones behind the curtains to "help" them vote.
We will file complaint on all incidents we see to the IHEC. We need to do this for the Kurdish people who deserve a fair election and in order to develop the democracy of Kurdistan. We were hoping to get the eyes of the world from international observers to help us, but here in Zakho they are absent.
From the polling station at Zin shool our observer reported that the room officials at the doors and the supervisors in the rooms urge people to vote for the Kurdistani List no.54.
From the polling stations at Jwan school and Zagruss school observers report seeing the same people vote several times and that others are turned back because they are not on the lists. Also from several polling stations observers notice that elder people accompany their young ones behind the curtains to "help" them vote.
We will file complaint on all incidents we see to the IHEC. We need to do this for the Kurdish people who deserve a fair election and in order to develop the democracy of Kurdistan. We were hoping to get the eyes of the world from international observers to help us, but here in Zakho they are absent.
July 24, 2009
Change List got 61.7% of the votes in Sulaymaniya
We have just heard the results of yesterdays voting of the security personnel, hospitals, prisons etc. in Sulaymaniya. The Change List - Gorran - received 61.7% of the votes. We have not yet heard results from the other districts. These results fill our hearts with optimism before the coming election day tomorrow.
We in the Change List in Zakho are prepared for the elections tomorrow. There will be observers in all the polling stations. We hope that the election will procede in a calm, respectful and democratic way. We hope this day will be a day full of joy for all the people of Kurdistan and that we will show the world that we are able to hold an election that is democratic and free.
We in the Change List in Zakho are prepared for the elections tomorrow. There will be observers in all the polling stations. We hope that the election will procede in a calm, respectful and democratic way. We hope this day will be a day full of joy for all the people of Kurdistan and that we will show the world that we are able to hold an election that is democratic and free.
July 23, 2009
Verbal assault on Gorran official by the illiterate general Osman Qasem
The Change List election poll observers have reported the voting today the 23 of July as being calm and with no signs of foul play. But there will be several complaints filed on voters being armed, carrying weapons openly. This has been reported from most of the polling stations.
We are also filing a complaint to the Independent High Electoral Commision (IHEC) on behalf of Dindar Yusef, the Change List official in Zakho. At 5.40 PM today when he was in the polling station at Raman school, general Osman Qasem, the head of peshmerga (Supa), Zakho, threatened him. He told him to "remain calm or else...". He answered "you be calm" and then Qasems guards showered him with curses as they passed him. Osman Qasem did not answer them to avoid a conflict. He also feared that they were armed, although he did not see any visible weapons.
The Change List in Kurdistan have filed hundreds of complaints on the Kurdistani List breaking the IHEC rules during the campaign period. Some of them have already been fined. In order to develop a democratic procedure for future elections we need to report all incidents and all breaching of rules. We will learn this way, and hopefully the attitudes of all will grow into the democratic way of thinking eventually.
We are also filing a complaint to the Independent High Electoral Commision (IHEC) on behalf of Dindar Yusef, the Change List official in Zakho. At 5.40 PM today when he was in the polling station at Raman school, general Osman Qasem, the head of peshmerga (Supa), Zakho, threatened him. He told him to "remain calm or else...". He answered "you be calm" and then Qasems guards showered him with curses as they passed him. Osman Qasem did not answer them to avoid a conflict. He also feared that they were armed, although he did not see any visible weapons.
The Change List in Kurdistan have filed hundreds of complaints on the Kurdistani List breaking the IHEC rules during the campaign period. Some of them have already been fined. In order to develop a democratic procedure for future elections we need to report all incidents and all breaching of rules. We will learn this way, and hopefully the attitudes of all will grow into the democratic way of thinking eventually.
Polling station observers KDP agents?
This morning we gathered the Change List polling station observers before they were being sent out to observe the voting of the security personnel; police, military, fire department, hospital employees etc. We had registered them by names to the authorities a few days ago and now we heard that the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) had received a list of their names. We told our observers that if they had been approached by the KDP they should tell us. We told them that if they are working for the KDP and they act as our observers during the election, they will be reported to the Independent High Electoral Commision (IHEC) and charged with this and that it could lead to fines or prison sentences. We said that in order to avoid serious consequences for them they better leave now. Six of the eighteen observers left. We had to put in reserves in their places.
But we are happy to report that the voting today has been a calm event and the observers have not discovered any signs of foul play. There can be two reasons for this; either the rules by the IHEC are being respected or it is because those who vote today are all employed by the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG). The KDP may expect that most of them will vote for the Kurdistani List 54. But we in the Change List believe that when these votes have been counted we will see a big surprise.
If these elections will be executed in a democratic, free and transparent way, we in the Change List will be truly grateful and happy for the Kurdish people. We need to show the rest of the world that we are a people who will, and can, form a democratic society.
But we are happy to report that the voting today has been a calm event and the observers have not discovered any signs of foul play. There can be two reasons for this; either the rules by the IHEC are being respected or it is because those who vote today are all employed by the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG). The KDP may expect that most of them will vote for the Kurdistani List 54. But we in the Change List believe that when these votes have been counted we will see a big surprise.
If these elections will be executed in a democratic, free and transparent way, we in the Change List will be truly grateful and happy for the Kurdish people. We need to show the rest of the world that we are a people who will, and can, form a democratic society.
Preparing for the elections
The last two days here in Zakho there has been a hugh increase in the number of people that are coming to us at the Change List office or are calling us by telephone, telling us they will vote for us. But most of them ask us not to mention their names to anybody. They are afraid to loose their paycheck from the KRG (Kurdistan Regional Government) if they find out that they renounced the KDP (Kurdistan Democratic Party). This is widespread because in Kurdistan 1 of 4 has a job with a wage from the KRG. Most of these people are poor and they are disappointed in the KRG for neglecting their needs. But there are also some that enthusiasticly offer to work with us openly.
Today we also held a conference and discussed how our election observers should be organized. We will have an observer in every polling station during the elections. We will supervise the registration, voting, counting of votes until they leave in seeled boxes to Baghdad where the IHEC (Independent High Electoral Commision) will recount the votes. We hope that the international independent observers are present in as many polling stations as possible.
Wednesday 22 of July was the last of the campaigning days and now the election starts. No campaigning is allowed from now until election day. Thursday 23 of July all personnel within security, the police, the fire department, hospitals etc. will vote so that they can maintain preparedness over the elections. Hopefully this means that the Asayish (Kurdish security police) will leave us alone this day or will they follow us around anyway...
Today we also held a conference and discussed how our election observers should be organized. We will have an observer in every polling station during the elections. We will supervise the registration, voting, counting of votes until they leave in seeled boxes to Baghdad where the IHEC (Independent High Electoral Commision) will recount the votes. We hope that the international independent observers are present in as many polling stations as possible.
Wednesday 22 of July was the last of the campaigning days and now the election starts. No campaigning is allowed from now until election day. Thursday 23 of July all personnel within security, the police, the fire department, hospitals etc. will vote so that they can maintain preparedness over the elections. Hopefully this means that the Asayish (Kurdish security police) will leave us alone this day or will they follow us around anyway...
July 21, 2009
Change List hindered by the police
Today we visited Duhok to meet up with our supporters there.We were happy to see that more and more people are coming to us to discuss the Change List program. Many of them are disappointed with the KDP (Kurdistan Democratic Party) and are considering abandoning them in favor for the Change List. It seems that the number of threats are decreasing. But the Asayish (Kurdish security police) and the Parastin (Kurdish intelligence agency) are watching every step we take. And it seems that they take every opportunity to obstruct our campaign by hindering us in any way they can.
This Sunday the Change List official in Dohuk, Ismat Nerwahi, was traveling back from Sulaymanya via Barzan. At the control before entering Barzan they were stopped by the Asayish. They were held there for 40 minutes while they were checking the car and ID's. They were traveling in a car with KNN (Kurdish News Network) symbols and with KNN ID's. Then they let them go. But they had only been driving a few miles when they were stopped by the Parastin. Now they were asked to turn back and take another road to Dohuk. So they had to take the road via Aqrah, on small roads over the mountains. They left Sulaymania at 6 PM so now they had to travel in the dark on unsafe roads and the trip that should have taken half an hour turned in to a several hour excursion.
Four days remain until election day. We will bear all the hindering of our campaign with calm and not let us be provoked. We ask our supporters to do the same.
This Sunday the Change List official in Dohuk, Ismat Nerwahi, was traveling back from Sulaymanya via Barzan. At the control before entering Barzan they were stopped by the Asayish. They were held there for 40 minutes while they were checking the car and ID's. They were traveling in a car with KNN (Kurdish News Network) symbols and with KNN ID's. Then they let them go. But they had only been driving a few miles when they were stopped by the Parastin. Now they were asked to turn back and take another road to Dohuk. So they had to take the road via Aqrah, on small roads over the mountains. They left Sulaymania at 6 PM so now they had to travel in the dark on unsafe roads and the trip that should have taken half an hour turned in to a several hour excursion.
Four days remain until election day. We will bear all the hindering of our campaign with calm and not let us be provoked. We ask our supporters to do the same.
July 20, 2009
Change on its way in Zakho
Today we in the Change List notice a different attitude in people. More people are taking contact with us and they appear less frightened.They have heard that hundreds of people are abandoning the Kurdistani List parties.It seems that the Kurdistani List tactics are turning on themselves. People do not like what they see and hear. People are showing interest in our program and they actively take contact with us instead of the other way around. And they find us though we do not have an office in Zakho. We have made our own homes to offices and there are no flags and posters on our houses.
The word is however that many fear that the last days of the election campaign will be violent. But we are telling all supporters to keep calm. We will not seek conflict and will not provoke the Kurdistani List supporters by envolving ourselves in discussions with them. People do not see this as weakness. They see that we are strong and that we will not be intimidated. They see that we are here not for ourselves but for them. We are here because our people need a change.
The word is however that many fear that the last days of the election campaign will be violent. But we are telling all supporters to keep calm. We will not seek conflict and will not provoke the Kurdistani List supporters by envolving ourselves in discussions with them. People do not see this as weakness. They see that we are strong and that we will not be intimidated. They see that we are here not for ourselves but for them. We are here because our people need a change.
Visit at a poor family in Zakho
During our door-to-door campaign visits we were not invited in by one of the families we had planned to visit. This man have always supported the KDP (Kurdistan Democratic Party) and all his family have been lojal to them. But surprisingly he then called Halima A. Othman, posted on the Change List as no.48, and asked if the Change List would like to come for a visit. So we went to talk to him. He lives with his wife and seven children in a small concrete house with a roof made of mud and with very poor hygienic sanitation facilities. He has been unemployed for several years and struggles hard to support his family. He has no direct connections with the KDP but have tried over and over again to get their help in finding a job. He has applied many times to get a post at the Peshmerga (Kurdish police) in Zakho. He tries to make a living by selling parts for guns but he cannot earn enough to support his family. He is very disappointed in the KRG (the Kurdish Regional Government) and in the KDP for not helping the people in Zakho.
The unemployment rate in Zakho were 4% in 2001 and was the lowest in the Dohuk governate (9%). There are no official statistics for today but we know that the unemployment rate in Zakho has tripled since then. The unemployment rate for the Dohuk governate today is 20%. This is due to the KRG neglecting the whole Behdinan area. There are no strategic plans for reform or social development programs. There are no employment agencies to help our people to find work and many of the job opportunities are filled with imported labour force from Georgia, Pakistan, Sudan, Ethiopia etc.
There are many poor families like this here in the Dohuk governate. And people are disappointed in the KRG. The man we visited said that he hoped now that the Change List really can make a change for families like his and said that he would lay his vote for us in the elections.
Halima A. Othman,
posted on the Change List as no.48
The unemployment rate in Zakho were 4% in 2001 and was the lowest in the Dohuk governate (9%). There are no official statistics for today but we know that the unemployment rate in Zakho has tripled since then. The unemployment rate for the Dohuk governate today is 20%. This is due to the KRG neglecting the whole Behdinan area. There are no strategic plans for reform or social development programs. There are no employment agencies to help our people to find work and many of the job opportunities are filled with imported labour force from Georgia, Pakistan, Sudan, Ethiopia etc.
There are many poor families like this here in the Dohuk governate. And people are disappointed in the KRG. The man we visited said that he hoped now that the Change List really can make a change for families like his and said that he would lay his vote for us in the elections.
Halima A. Othman,
posted on the Change List as no.48
July 19, 2009
The KDP/Kurdistani List fear the Change List
The Change List would like to respond to a rumour the KDP (Kurdistan Democratic Party) spreads about us. Or actually they personally confront friends and relatives to our supporters here in Zakho and Dohuk with these statements of "truth" in the warnings and threats they personally present.
According to the KDP we all are agents for Iran, Syria and Turkey. And we are being paid by these countries through Nouri al-Maliki, the Prime Minister of Iraq.
There are no evidence of any of the Change List high officials having connections with these countries. Nashirwan Mustafa cannot travel anywhere, he cannot even step outside his door without being watched by the KDP. Actually we are all being watched by the KDP in evey step we take. We suspect that they want people to turn on us and hurt us or even kill us by trying to undermine the trust people have in us. Or that they will use these accusations as being confirmed when someone of us has been arrested or killed. And if we were paid by anyone, how come we do not own any buildings to set up our campaign offices everywhere? Why do not all posted on the Change List and officials drive luxury cars and live like kings?
According to the KDP is everything we say in public media slander and the only reason for us to do this is to harass or provoke them. Our posters or flags are put up only to taunt them. Obviously the Kurdistani List has no understanding of the democratic framework. They do not know that if these elections should ever be viewed as democratic all sides must be allowed to voice their opinions publicly and without interventions or obstructions. There should be an open dialogue and mutual respect for each other's right to have different opinions and have their own candidates and representatives. The people have the right to hear all sides and then decide independently. But the KDP is doing everything to prevent the Change List from being heard or seen. This attitude explain though why you never see any of our posters or flags anywhere in the Behdinan area. They have been torn down as soon as we have put them up. They must really sting their eyes...
The Kurdistani List are exposing their fear of the Change List. By all the dirty tricks they pull they reveal that they really see the Change List as a threat to them keeping the power. They are showing the people that they are desperate and that they do not have any real arguments to counter with when we accuse them of corruption, nepotism and cronyism. How can you defend that you own everything in Kurdistan when people do not have jobs and food on their table? How can you defend that you and your family use the KRG money as your own and the people does not have electricity, water, roads, schools, hospitals, medicin? No, you cannot. That explains their fear and their exasperated attitude towards the Change List.
Change List flags torn down
According to the KDP we all are agents for Iran, Syria and Turkey. And we are being paid by these countries through Nouri al-Maliki, the Prime Minister of Iraq.
There are no evidence of any of the Change List high officials having connections with these countries. Nashirwan Mustafa cannot travel anywhere, he cannot even step outside his door without being watched by the KDP. Actually we are all being watched by the KDP in evey step we take. We suspect that they want people to turn on us and hurt us or even kill us by trying to undermine the trust people have in us. Or that they will use these accusations as being confirmed when someone of us has been arrested or killed. And if we were paid by anyone, how come we do not own any buildings to set up our campaign offices everywhere? Why do not all posted on the Change List and officials drive luxury cars and live like kings?
According to the KDP is everything we say in public media slander and the only reason for us to do this is to harass or provoke them. Our posters or flags are put up only to taunt them. Obviously the Kurdistani List has no understanding of the democratic framework. They do not know that if these elections should ever be viewed as democratic all sides must be allowed to voice their opinions publicly and without interventions or obstructions. There should be an open dialogue and mutual respect for each other's right to have different opinions and have their own candidates and representatives. The people have the right to hear all sides and then decide independently. But the KDP is doing everything to prevent the Change List from being heard or seen. This attitude explain though why you never see any of our posters or flags anywhere in the Behdinan area. They have been torn down as soon as we have put them up. They must really sting their eyes...
The Kurdistani List are exposing their fear of the Change List. By all the dirty tricks they pull they reveal that they really see the Change List as a threat to them keeping the power. They are showing the people that they are desperate and that they do not have any real arguments to counter with when we accuse them of corruption, nepotism and cronyism. How can you defend that you own everything in Kurdistan when people do not have jobs and food on their table? How can you defend that you and your family use the KRG money as your own and the people does not have electricity, water, roads, schools, hospitals, medicin? No, you cannot. That explains their fear and their exasperated attitude towards the Change List.
Change List flags torn down
Death List by the KDP
Today we are not making the planned campaign trips in Dohuk and Zakho. We need to get more information about the threats we just have received from the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP)/Kurdistani List. They are giving us the warning that they have a "Death List" were those who do not respond to their bribes or threats will be posted. The KDP declares that on the 26 of July this list will be made operative.
We cannot let anyone get hurt or let them provoke us into retaliating.We do not approve of using threats and violence in making our message known.The Change List are in fact instructing all supporters not to respond to provocations and violence from Kurdistani List supporters.
We cannot let anyone get hurt or let them provoke us into retaliating.We do not approve of using threats and violence in making our message known.The Change List are in fact instructing all supporters not to respond to provocations and violence from Kurdistani List supporters.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
