Statement on the ” draft constitution of Iraqi Kurdistan region “

 
Qamshly (Syrian)- ADO– From the dawn of history the presence of our indigenous ChaldoAssyrian people in his home country Iraq has continued uninterrupted. Since time immemorial they have laid the foundation for the world’s first civilizations in Sumar , Akkad , Assyria and Nineveh , the ancient monuments of which are still clearly visible everywhere in Iraq whereas their priceless relics and treasures are the pride of prestigious museums all over the world . In spite of the proportion of population decline and the demographic changes , due to massacres deportations and repression , our people kept on struggling for its survival and legitimate national rights in its historical homeland side by side with its partners the Arabs , Kurds , Armenians ,Turkmen and others.

They have realized that their national aspirations can not come true unless there is a real democratic system that recognizes all the components comprising their common homeland , that is why they fought a bitter struggle against dictatorships and oppressions alongside all Iraqi national forces with their various political and national spectrum and has made many sacrifices and martyrs to the cause of liberty. After the downfall of the former Iraqi dictator , our people had high hopes that they would attain their national legitimate rights in the new Iraq , but regrettably , the constitution of federal unified Iraq , issued last year , did nor take into consideration the unity of our people’s national identity with its various designations , and further , did not stipulate an autonomous region for them.This led to a great deal of frustration and disappointment amongst our people and it was further worsened by sectarian violence in the middle and the South , as well as by the atrocities , displacement , and bombing of their churches by “Takfiri” rejections groups .

All these , in addition to the fact that the constitution amendment is drawing nearer , have prompted our people , with all its political social organizational and ecclesiastical forces to renew their call for the establishment of an autonomous region in the Nineveh Plain that would provide them with a safe haven and better opportunities for progress and development in both national and human terms . As a matter of fact , the call for autonomy for our people is not a new one , it goes back to the beginning of the last century and the creation of modern Iraq , when delegates raised this question in Paris Conference in 1920 and later through recommendations by International Committee of League of Nations that dealt with what was then called “problem of al-Musol districts ” in 1925 .

For the sake of all these , and for the sake of guaranteeing its national rights in Iraq since its establishment in 1921 , our people has made many sacrifices and was subjected to massacres in Simel in 1933 and at Suriana village in 1969 , and to all kinds of repression , discrimination and fusion which led to their mass immigrations . Nevertheless , our people has never abandoned their legitimate national rights in Iraq in establishing an autonomous region in their historical homes in the Nineveh Plain , this has been clearly demonstrated in the First General Asyrian Chaldean Syriac Conference held in Baghdad in October , 2003 whose foremost demand was establishing an autonomous region in Ninevah Plain which represents the heart of historic Assyria .

Now , this call has gathered momentum in concurrence with the general discussions going on on the draft constitution of Iraqi Kurdistan which has annexed Ninevah Plain – consisting of AlHamadanie’s two provinces “Bakhdida ” , “TalKeif ” and the “Baashika” area – to the administrative borders of the region which enjoys peace and stability , unlike the other parts of Iraq ravaged by chaos violence and disturbances . Moreover , it has called upon our people’s organizations , parties and individuals to include the demand for autonomy in the region’s constitution as well as in the Iraqi’s federal constitution . Our people has reacted positively and open-mindedly to the draft constitution due to the constructive and good points it included which ranks it not only ahead of Iraqi Federal Constitution but also many other constitutions of the neighboring countries , particularly , in terms of secularism , general freedoms , human and women rights , education and others .

But , regrettably , the drafting committee has repeated the same mistakes made by the Iraqi Constitution with regards to , our people’s national identity , the disregard for its historic role , its sacrifices , grievances and the massacres it has went through ; concentrating , unjustly , only on the injustices that were done to the Kurds to the exclusion of others . This , in addition to the ambiguity involving the articles concerning the possibility of establishing administrative entities for other nationalities . In order the constitution to be fair concerning our people’s rights , we think it should be amended and the following remarks be taken into consideration :

1- The preamble should include the grievances our people had undergone on the hands of Iraqi dictatorial regimes : all sorts of oppression , discrimination , arabization , demolition of villages , appropriation of lands , particularly , the massacres of Simel 1933 , and Suriana 1969 , alongside grievances the Kurds and other people in the region have gone through. This will do justice and equity for all and build a future based on trust and security.

2-We think mention should be made to the return of our people’s appropriated lands and villages to their owners , as well as the rebuilding of destroyed villages , the right of the immigrants and the displaced people their children and grandchildren to return to their homes in the region , reclaim their Iraqi citizenship and exercise their rights as citizens ,having displaced as the result of injustices and oppressions.

3-Our people should be called by its unified name – agreed upon by all our organizations and forces – wherever it occurs in the constitution , that is Chaldo-Assyian-Syriac, which reflects its real national identity with all designations . Moreover, efforts should be made to introduce this amendment in the Iraqi Federal Constitution as well in order that to be in agreement with the reality of the united identity of our people.

4-The constitution should include an explicit clause stipulating the formation of an autonomous region for our people in the Ninevah Plain ,with the possibility of its becoming another governorate in the region that would administratively include our people’s concentrations centers , villages and towns situated in Arbil and Duhok “Nohadra ” governorates , within an integrated plan for a new administrative distribution on the region’s scope that would provide equal opportunities for the advancement of all the nationalities and would further consolidate the principle of complete partnership amongst all its components.

5-We think that the constitution’s preamble should refer to our people’s deep -rooted presence and civilized role in the history of Iraq and further to the fact that it is an indigenous people in the region and in Iraq.

6-Moreover , we think that our people’s religious and national days should be proclaimed official holidays in the region like the 1st of April “our national New Year ” , Christmas and Easter . Similarly , the feasts of other nationalities should become official holidays too.

7-We think that forming a “Council for Nationalities ” with equal representation from all nationalities , would be a complementary to the parliament . The responsibility of this body will be protection of the minorities and guaranteeing their rights by giving their representatives the right to reject any decision or law that would encroach upon their rights guarantied by the constitution . A council like this will provide an advanced model for resolving the nationalities issue in all the countries of the region far from the hegemony of the majority over the minority , especially that these nationalities have suffered a lot from injustice and repression.

8-Moreover , we think that the flag and the national anthem in the region should represent the reality , history , culture and symbols of all the national components in the region.

9-We think that article 74 should be amended to include : showing respect and reverence for the memory of leaders and martyrs of the national movements of all the region’s nationalities , it should not be confined only to those of the Kurdish movement as stipulated in the constitution.

10-We think that the constitution should stipulate that the region’s nationalities should have the right to elect their representatives to the parliament by themselves according to independent electoral constituencies for each nationality and their numerical proportion in the region, in addition to their fair representation in all the influential positions , security and diplomatic organizations and others.

11- We think that article 11 should be amended to include , the region’s government guarantees providing the necessary funding from the general budget for the protection and revival and education of nationalities’ languages in the region , Syriac , Armenian , Turkmen , and not only the right of education , as stipulated in the provision.

Based on a realist political approach , Assyrian Democratic Organization (ADO) is dealing positively with the available possibilities and probabilities , and further , envisages the claim for autonomy in Nineveh Plain supported by sufficient legal and constitutional guarantees and the approval of our people in a general referendum , as a realist and positive choice , even though lesser than the ceiling of our people’s ambitions and rights.

While blessing and supporting the choices of our people in Iraq , we call upon all organizations and forces of our people in the homeland and diaspora to shoulder their national responsibilities in this very difficult phase where our entire national existence in Iraq is at stake , and to deal realistically and open-mindedly with the options and demands of our people in Iraq, on top of all, the claim for autonomy and the constitutional guarantee of their rights , as a first step towards fulfilling the legitimate national rights in all the places of our people’s historical presence in the countries of the region . Justice and eternity to our cause.

ADO political bureau – Syria