Pre-election information from IHEC was false

We have talked to IHEC representatives today about our complaints and wanted information about what actions they are going to take. IHEC had before the election given us the information that we had three days to file our complaints after the election and that the votes will be sorted and counted at polling stations, then be taken to Dohuk where the results would be registered over a computor system. Then the ballots were to be flown to Bagdad where IHEC would recount the votes and check with the registered counts in Duhok.

Now they told us that the complaints had to be in Baghdad by 6 PM today if they were to be reviewed! But that is not the information we had and our complaints sent today will not be there in time. We called head quarters in Sulaymaniya and they reasoned with IHEC. They referred to the IHEC rules, which say 3 days after election. Then they gave us time until tomorrow 6 PM.

We then asked about the recounting in Baghdad. We were told that they are not going to recount any votes or check any bundles of votes! Why? "It costs us time and personnel and we do not need to according to our rules." But we need you to check because not any of our observers were allowed to be present when they sorted and counted the votes in any of the polling stations in Zakho! IHEC then said we should choose a few polling stations and they will recount only those ballots. We in Gorran (Change List) and the 4partylist (Service and Reform List) are asking IHEC to recount all votes from Dohuk Governate, 550 000 registered voters. This because of the massive fraud we have witnessed during the election. The complaints made by both Gorran and 4partylist should point to the need to recount.

Among our complaints besides what we previously have told you about, are also that those who voted on the special vote before the election day have been allowed to vote again. Also dead people and people living abroad have casted their votes.

The extended hour on election day also was not needed for the voters. There were no lines at all at any of the polling stations in Zakho at 5 PM when they said they were going to extend one hour. All party observers said we do not need to extend and this have also been reported to the IHEC. IHEC should check with people who did not go to vote if their votes have been casted without them being there.

KDP have influence over all who were working at the polling stations. That is why we needed all the observers. In my private opinion KDP have systematically cheated through this election in every way they could think of.

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.

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...