Al-Kazemi: Sectarianism in Iraq is a big lie and the Gulf states are our strategic depth
Al-Kazemi: Sectarianism in Iraq is a big lie and the Gulf states are our strategic depth
08/27/2020 15:04:20
{International: Al Furat News} Prime Minister Mustafa Al-Kazemi described the sectarian system in Iraq as a “big lie”, which he promised to fight and get rid of completely during his rule of the country.
In an interview with “The National” newspaper, Al-Kazemi said that sectarianism is the main reason for the spread of corruption in Iraq, since 2003, and that the idea of sectarianism, which provides the national balance, must be completely ended.
He added, “There has been a defect in the structure of some state institutions since 2003, as they were built in a wrong way based on sectarian and ethnic divisions, which led to political divisions.”
The Prime Minister added, “To say that the national balance is the result of sectarian divisions is a big lie. In fact, these sectarian divisions are political divisions that weaken the state and corrupt its institution.”
As part of his reform program, Al-Kazemi said, “We are working to secure state entities and fight non-national individuals within these entities.”
The Prime Minister had pledged to reinforce the security forces and bring those responsible for the recent killing of Iraqi activists to justice.
Al-Kazemi stressed that “groups that believe that they are above the law will soon witness serious moves by our security forces.”
He added, “Our government’s program is based on affirming the state’s sovereignty, including limiting the use of force to official security forces and prohibiting the use of weapons outside the law,” noting that in the past, “there were concerted efforts to curtail and corrupt the state security forces.”
He said, “We are working now to reconfigure these forces and purify them of all corrupt elements, and this will take time, but we will hold these people accountable for the crimes they committed.”
Al-Kazemi said: “Everyone must understand that state power applies to all of them. A prerequisite for any reform process is respecting and implementing the state’s decisions. There are those who will not accept state sovereignty easily, but we have ways to deal with them.”
A large number of Iraqi protesters and activists were subjected to assassinations by unknown gunmen during the past months, which prompted Al-Kazemi to open an investigation into these demands, with the increasing public pressure.
Al-Kazemi said, “We have drawn up a plan that we started last week, the first of which is to announce the names of the dead and wounded and their families, and to provide the support they need. We continue to investigate the victims’ cases.”
Al-Kazemi called for early elections next June, in which he would seek to provide fair elections in which Iraqis vote “without fear of those in power.”
The Prime Minister noted, “I am focusing on creating the conditions to allow free and fair elections, and to restore the confidence of the Iraqis in the electoral process. I am not thinking of anything else at this stage.”
“The corrupt forces are working at full force to ensure the persistence of sectarian divisions, because they can flourish under these conditions,” Al-Kazemi said.
He added, “The reform program will take a long time. We will use all the strength we have to push for the principles of patriotism and nationalism. We will support the national forces as much as possible.”
Al-Kazemi pointed out that the Middle East region needs a “new vision,” stressing that “economic and social development” should be the priority of relations between Arab countries, while respecting the sovereignty of each state and ensuring non-interference in its internal affairs.
“We have to stand up to the sectarian and ethnic divisions that have spread in the region,” Al-Kazemi said.
He added, “The Gulf countries represent our strategic depth, and we seek to develop our relations to the best possible level, because that serves stability in the region and puts an end to the divisions and sectarianism that tore us apart in wars, and this is the desire of most Iraqis.”
alforatnews.com
