Constitutional Committee Discussed Postponing the Federation until after the Coming Elections

Baghdad- Al Sharq Al Awsat
Kamal Hamdoun, a lawyer and member of the constitutional committee, said that the dialogue council and the national forces, representing the Arab Sunnis, have nominated Sheikh Hassan Zidan Al Leheibi and Akram Al Watri, as two new members in the constitutional committee, which is derived from the Iraqi National Assembly, instead of Megbel Al Sheikh Issa and Dhamen Al Ebeidi, who have been murdered in an armed attack last week.

Dr. Saleh Al Mutlaq, member of the constitution rafting committee representing the Arab Sunnis, said, “The committee would discuss a suggestion of postponing the issue of the federation and regions until after the stage of the coming elections, as the issue is controversial and hard.” He expressed his optimism about the coming stage and the participation of everyone in the elections. He set a condition that the occupation forces do not interfere in the political process. Al Mutlaq noted that at the beginning, the constitution should be approved by all the parties in the constitutional committee. Then the Iraqi people should approve it. “We are now putting the final touches with regard to the judiciary competence and other issues. There is a suggestion to postpone the issue of the federation and the regions until the coming stage after the elections, “he said. Al Mutlaq confirmed, “60% of Iraqi people in the south and 20% in the north have conservations with regard to the federation. We are not authorized to draft a chapter in the constitution, or spend money, or exert efforts and time, in vain. The best solution is to approve a constitutional document annexed to the constitution, which would be discussed in the future, accompanied with an awareness process in villages and provinces to guarantee that the constitution would be approved on behalf of the people.” As for the naming of Federal Union of Iraq and other suggested names, Al Mutlaq said, “We are seeking that Iraq remains as it is, which is most probably (The Republic of Iraq”, as it has been in the known historical eras and stages.”

Within the same context, Abbas Al Bayati, representatives of the Turkmen in the Iraqi National Assembly (Parliament) said, “This week would witness the announcement for the readiness of the new constitution draft, after the return of the Arab Sunni members for powerful participation in the constitutional process.”

Al Bayati pointed out, “Our demands are specified in three fundamental matters. First, the Turkmen should be regarded as a basic nationalism in Iraq, or as a third nationalism. One of these two points should be stated in the constitution. The second issue is that in case the Arabic and Kurdish languages are approved as official languages, the Turkmani language should be considered as an official language in the regions of Turkmani majority, which extend from Tala’far to the city of Mandeli. As for the third issue, which is significant for us, it is relating to the city of Kirkuk, as according to Article 58 of the Iraqi state administration code, there is a road map. According to the rod map, deciding on the destiny of this city is the competence of its residents of Arabs, Turkmen, Kurds and Assyrians.”

Al Bayati noted that the city of Kirkuk “Can not be connected with any federation, against the will of its residents of various races. One of our demands is that Kirkuk becomes a separate state or region and is run by the residents of this city through understanding and mutual dialogue, so as to crystallize a form for administering this city. We have clarified these fundamental demands to the Arab Sunni, Shiite, and Kurdish brothers, and informed them that these three demands are very crucial for the Turkmen.”

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