Change has a lot going on now after the elections. But it seems as if the Bahdinan has been left out in the equation. I wish that those who care about the Bahdinan put pressure on Gorran leadership to remember to include us too.
Gorran need to actively engage in a long-term commitment to the Bahdinan area and allocate resources, both human and financial. We need to work close to the people. But we also need to understand that to achieve progress in this area may take a long time. It is a special area, with special people, in a very special situation.
In Bahdinan, the KDP controls everything. It will be very difficult to break their firm grip on people. People are in the hands of the KDP just to get by in their daily lives.
The KDP use their party membership as a mean to control every aspect in life. If you are going to apply for a job, you need to go to the KDP and get a written affidavit of your membership to go with your application. Without being a KDP member you cannot get an employment, you cannot keep your job, you cannot start or keep a business, your children will not make progress in school, you cannot put food on your table... If you want to become a member of another political party, you will get sacked and your food-for-oil card will be taken away from you.
The KDP have in the Zakho area 142 offices. The rexsten, KDP party workers, see eveyone and hear everything. News travel faster between the rexsten than through TV and radio... The rexsten are on a constant watch on people and immediately intervene if they see anything that goes against being a lojal KDP member.
This is why Gorran need to have a long-term plan on how we shall help people out of this situation. The first step is to show the Bahdinan people that we are here to stay and that we are also in the Bahdinan to make a change.
Showing posts with label gorran. Show all posts
Showing posts with label gorran. Show all posts
August 19, 2009
August 11, 2009
The attacks on Gorran offices
On Sunday after the elections there were celebrations on the streets. The KDP/PUK used this as an opportunity to attack Gorran offices. They afterwards said that it was just supporters out celebrating and shots that were fired were just Taqay Xoshi, celebratory gunfiring. If these were not planned attacks, how come the same happened at the same time in Duhok, Erbil, and Sulaymaniya? They also said it was civilians shooting - civilians with AK47's?
August 9, 2009
Program for Change
Now that 25% of the Kurdish people have given us the right to represent them in parliament, they want to know how Gorran is going to proceed from here.
In Gorran head quarter, conferences, meetings and discussions are held every minute since the election. We are planning that Gorran shall continue to work on the basis of a modern and active model instead of the party system that political work is usually based on.
Gorran is not a political party in the old meaning of the word. The word "party" has in Kurdistan taken the meaning of cheating, thieving and injustice. We will not form a politicical party with party members and hierarchy of a politburo. We are an organisation, an association of people that work for the same goal. We will work according to our program which will be based on the political platform we presented for the elections.
We will work actively among people, with the people. Our offices will be open for anyone. We want people to see us who work for Gorran as people working for the program - for the benefit of the people, not as party members working for a party and for the benefit of party members only. When people go to vote in the next election, they will vote for the program, not for a party.
We called ourselves Listi Gorran, the Change List, for the elections, and now we are in fact lacking a name for our organisation. We still are the Gorran, we still work for change in our program, so maybe we will call the organisation Program for Change.
In Gorran head quarter, conferences, meetings and discussions are held every minute since the election. We are planning that Gorran shall continue to work on the basis of a modern and active model instead of the party system that political work is usually based on.
Gorran is not a political party in the old meaning of the word. The word "party" has in Kurdistan taken the meaning of cheating, thieving and injustice. We will not form a politicical party with party members and hierarchy of a politburo. We are an organisation, an association of people that work for the same goal. We will work according to our program which will be based on the political platform we presented for the elections.
We will work actively among people, with the people. Our offices will be open for anyone. We want people to see us who work for Gorran as people working for the program - for the benefit of the people, not as party members working for a party and for the benefit of party members only. When people go to vote in the next election, they will vote for the program, not for a party.
We called ourselves Listi Gorran, the Change List, for the elections, and now we are in fact lacking a name for our organisation. We still are the Gorran, we still work for change in our program, so maybe we will call the organisation Program for Change.
August 1, 2009
Post-election discussions
I am now back in Zakho after being in Sulaymaniya this week after the election. Gorran, The Change List, have been busy the last couple of days in conferences discussing how to proceed now after the elections. We are discussing the parliament seats and our future work to bring about change in the KRG (Kurdistan Regional Government and for the Kurdish people.
We are also discussing how to proceed with legal actions concerning the election fraud. We will not let this pass and have had our lawyers look into our options.
Furthermore, we are having talks with the 4PartyList (Sevice and Reform List) about forming a joint opposition in parliament. They can choose inclusion in government or staying in opposition. The governing parties, KDP/PUK, have made it clear that they will not tolerate any criticism of the government by joining parties.
We are also looking ahead to local elections within the upcoming Iraqi elections in about six months. These elections will have a more decisive influence on future developments of Gorran in the Behdinan area. In Zakho and Duhok we will work for making a difference, a change, for the Behdinan which have for too long been neglected by the KRG.
We are also discussing how to proceed with legal actions concerning the election fraud. We will not let this pass and have had our lawyers look into our options.
Furthermore, we are having talks with the 4PartyList (Sevice and Reform List) about forming a joint opposition in parliament. They can choose inclusion in government or staying in opposition. The governing parties, KDP/PUK, have made it clear that they will not tolerate any criticism of the government by joining parties.
We are also looking ahead to local elections within the upcoming Iraqi elections in about six months. These elections will have a more decisive influence on future developments of Gorran in the Behdinan area. In Zakho and Duhok we will work for making a difference, a change, for the Behdinan which have for too long been neglected by the KRG.
July 30, 2009
The Kurdish Election - a Triumph for Gorran
If anyone has won these elections, it is Gorran - the Change List. We are not an established political party, but an assembly of independent and neutral people who saw the need for change for the people of Kurdistan. We are a political organisation only two months old. And still we managed to get 25% of the votes in Iraqi Kurdistan.
Even though the governing parties have tried to hinder us in any way they could, we cracked their ruling power. We came through even though they have prevented us from campaigning by not letting us set up offices, hold meetings, set up flags and posters, or use media freely. Even though they have harassed, threatened, cheated, bribed, and used violence against us, we now are in the parliament to prevent any further misuse of power by the KDP and PUK.
Because we have the support of our people. These crimes against us and terrorism by the KDP/PUK, did not pass unnoticed by the people. If we had been given a fair, democratic and free election we would have won the bigger part of the votes. But instead of being the number one, we are the second biggest party in parliament. That is still a remarkable triumph for Gorran!
We will continue to fight for the democratic rights of our people and will take our complaints to court all the way to the Supreme Court of Iraq. We will do this even though we do not expect fair trials or independent judges. We will not let us be intimidated because we know we are doing the right thing.
I am asking all Gorran supporters to be happy for Gorran's achievement and to be proud over the people that relentlessly kept on working for your rights in Erbil and Dohuk even though their lives were at risk.
Even though the governing parties have tried to hinder us in any way they could, we cracked their ruling power. We came through even though they have prevented us from campaigning by not letting us set up offices, hold meetings, set up flags and posters, or use media freely. Even though they have harassed, threatened, cheated, bribed, and used violence against us, we now are in the parliament to prevent any further misuse of power by the KDP and PUK.
Because we have the support of our people. These crimes against us and terrorism by the KDP/PUK, did not pass unnoticed by the people. If we had been given a fair, democratic and free election we would have won the bigger part of the votes. But instead of being the number one, we are the second biggest party in parliament. That is still a remarkable triumph for Gorran!
We will continue to fight for the democratic rights of our people and will take our complaints to court all the way to the Supreme Court of Iraq. We will do this even though we do not expect fair trials or independent judges. We will not let us be intimidated because we know we are doing the right thing.
I am asking all Gorran supporters to be happy for Gorran's achievement and to be proud over the people that relentlessly kept on working for your rights in Erbil and Dohuk even though their lives were at risk.
July 29, 2009
Mixed feelings about Kurdish election
Tonight after final results being announced, I was walking the streets of Sulaymaniya. My heart was filled with joy when I saw Gorran supporters celebrating side by side with Kurdistani List supporters and no conflicts are anywhere to be seen. People in Sulaymaniya are experiencing democracy and freedom for the first time and they are happy. They respect the opinion of each other and understand that we are going to work together as brothers for the people of Kurdistan.
On the other side my heart hurts for the Behdinan. There the KDP celebrate by attacking the opposition parties. Even last night the offices of Gorran and 4partylist were attacked by armed KDP supporters though they had all left two days ago in fear for their lives. The governing parties, the KDP and PUK, have committed a crime against our people in Duhok governate, Behdinan. They have systematically cheated our people of their democratic rights. They have used violence, harrased, threatened, intimidated, bribed, cheated, their own people. Why? When are they going to enjoy the same freedom as their brothers in Sulaymaniya?
The result of the election is unfair due to foul play. The Independent High Electoral Commission (IHEC) have broken everyone of their own rules in Behdinan. Yet, the head of IHEC Farij al-Haidari in his speech today talks about a successful, democratic and transparent election. The IHEC saw the fraud, participated in it, and disregarded our complaints.
We in the Behdinan area will set our hope to our brothers in the other provinces that they will include us in their work building our society and in their achieving a democratic and free Kurdistan.
Idris Sheranshi
On the other side my heart hurts for the Behdinan. There the KDP celebrate by attacking the opposition parties. Even last night the offices of Gorran and 4partylist were attacked by armed KDP supporters though they had all left two days ago in fear for their lives. The governing parties, the KDP and PUK, have committed a crime against our people in Duhok governate, Behdinan. They have systematically cheated our people of their democratic rights. They have used violence, harrased, threatened, intimidated, bribed, cheated, their own people. Why? When are they going to enjoy the same freedom as their brothers in Sulaymaniya?
The result of the election is unfair due to foul play. The Independent High Electoral Commission (IHEC) have broken everyone of their own rules in Behdinan. Yet, the head of IHEC Farij al-Haidari in his speech today talks about a successful, democratic and transparent election. The IHEC saw the fraud, participated in it, and disregarded our complaints.
We in the Behdinan area will set our hope to our brothers in the other provinces that they will include us in their work building our society and in their achieving a democratic and free Kurdistan.
Idris Sheranshi
July 27, 2009
Uncertain election results due to fraud
We believe the preliminary numbers reported drastically will be changed. That is if IHEC does its work right. What we heard now is that Gorran (Change List) have 26 000 votes in Duhok governate. But these numbers are unsure and can change. If these numbers are correct Gorran will fill 23 Parliament seats in Sulaymaniya, 7 seats for Erbil, and 1 seat for Duhok.
But these numbers are very unsure. We have filed our complaints of fraud to the IHEC and these will be reviewed in the next few days.
We have heard from a source in IHEC that Gorran votes have been found in the Kurdistani List bundles. When they count they sort votes in bundles of 50 or 100. Maybe they hoped that the IHEC in Baghdad only would count the bundles without opening them and check each vote...
Last night we gathered all complaints from our observers and also wrote those that we had not been able to write directly due to polling station officials refusing to give us the form. We have written statements from witnesses. We had to get new forms from Duhok to be able to write them down. The complaint forms are sent to IHEC Baghdad today.
After all violence that have already begun to spread we plead to our supporters to stay calm and await the IHEC verdict. But if the IHEC disregards all our complaints there will be protests for sure.
But these numbers are very unsure. We have filed our complaints of fraud to the IHEC and these will be reviewed in the next few days.
We have heard from a source in IHEC that Gorran votes have been found in the Kurdistani List bundles. When they count they sort votes in bundles of 50 or 100. Maybe they hoped that the IHEC in Baghdad only would count the bundles without opening them and check each vote...
Last night we gathered all complaints from our observers and also wrote those that we had not been able to write directly due to polling station officials refusing to give us the form. We have written statements from witnesses. We had to get new forms from Duhok to be able to write them down. The complaint forms are sent to IHEC Baghdad today.
After all violence that have already begun to spread we plead to our supporters to stay calm and await the IHEC verdict. But if the IHEC disregards all our complaints there will be protests for sure.
July 26, 2009
Waiting for official results
While waiting for official results we can give you the preliminary results on participation ratio: For Kurdistan 78%. In the three provinces: Sulaymaniya 74.5%, Duhok 85.2% and Erbil 79%.
Preliminary counts on votes for Gorran (Change List) in Behdinan area: 14600 in Duhok province. Of these Zakho, with 115 000 registered voters, Gorran counts for 2605.
We are very disappointed of the results in Duhok governate, Behdinan area. We are collecting all complaints which are being sent to IHEC. We are then going to wait for IHEC to analyze these and also wait for official results of the polls. In my personal view, not speaking for Gorran, I belive that Gorran would have reached 65-75% if the election would have been executed free and in democratic order. This I say through experiencing this election from the inside and through seeing what I have seen.
We are happy for the preliminary results in Sulaymaniya which will be 54-60% giving Gorran 25-30 seats in parliament. Preliminary results for Kurdistan from KurdistanOnLine: 50% for the Kurdistani List, 28% for Gorran and 21% for the 4 Party List. We in the Change List are now in the position of making a change for Kurdistan.
Preliminary counts on votes for Gorran (Change List) in Behdinan area: 14600 in Duhok province. Of these Zakho, with 115 000 registered voters, Gorran counts for 2605.
We are very disappointed of the results in Duhok governate, Behdinan area. We are collecting all complaints which are being sent to IHEC. We are then going to wait for IHEC to analyze these and also wait for official results of the polls. In my personal view, not speaking for Gorran, I belive that Gorran would have reached 65-75% if the election would have been executed free and in democratic order. This I say through experiencing this election from the inside and through seeing what I have seen.
We are happy for the preliminary results in Sulaymaniya which will be 54-60% giving Gorran 25-30 seats in parliament. Preliminary results for Kurdistan from KurdistanOnLine: 50% for the Kurdistani List, 28% for Gorran and 21% for the 4 Party List. We in the Change List are now in the position of making a change for Kurdistan.
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