Assyrian Democratic Organization ADO
Arbel, Iraq – Voices of Iraq — A Christian minister in Kurdistan’s regional government on Friday lashed out the provincial elections law lately endorsed by the parliament for marginalising his religious denomination.
“The version of the law reached by the parliament’s legal committee along with regions and provinces committee was a setback for democracy progress in the country and a flagrant violation for the constitution article second forbidding the legislation of any law breaking democracy principles,” George Mansoor, minister of civil society affairs in Kurdistan’s regional government, told Aswat al-Iraq. Iraq’s parliament passed a provincial elections law Wednesday after months of arguing between Arabs and Kurds, and called for the vote to be held before January 31 next year.
MPs agreed to postpone the polls in Kirkuk and three northern provinces that already form part of the autonomous Kurdish region. The law was criticised by minorities including Christians for cancelling an item ensuring seats for their representatives.
“The current version of the law contravenes article 14 of the constitution stipulating Iraqis are equal regardless of gender, ethnicity, colour or religion,” Mansoor emphasized. On Wednesday, Chritian MP Yonadim Kanna said enacting this law is considered a retreat from the democratic principles, and the principles of partnership and brotherhood in this country.
While UN envoy Staffan Di Mistura conceded minorities were marginalised in the law, but he vowed to support their demands representation through negotiations with the independent High Electoral Commission (IHEC) administering the local polls.
