The Kurdistan Democratic Party is likely to return its headquarters to Article 140 areas at the end of this year
The Kurdistan Democratic Party is likely to return its headquarters to Article 140 areas at the end of this year
2021-09-17 09:03
Shafaq News / The Kurdistan Democratic Party suggested, on Friday, the return of its party and political headquarters to the disputed areas before the end of this year, while confirming the existence of full agreements and understandings for the gradual return of the party’s headquarters to those areas.
The Kurdistan Democratic Party was forced to leave its headquarters in the disputed areas covered by Article 140 of the Constitution after the military campaign launched by the Iraqi forces backed by the Popular Mobilization following the independence referendum held by the Kurdistan Region in September 2017.
Article 140 provides for the removal of demographic policies conducted by Saddam Hussein’s regime in the disputed areas in favor of the Arabs at the expense of the Kurds, and then census the population before the last step, which is to hold a referendum according to which the population will determine whether they wish to join the Kurdistan Region or remain under the administration of Baghdad .
It was scheduled to complete the implementation stages of the article until the end of 2007, but security and political problems prevented that.
The Federal Supreme Court ruled in 2019 that Article (140) of the Constitution of the Republic of Iraq should remain in force, stressing that this will continue until its requirements are implemented and the objective of its legislation is achieved.
The official of the 22nd branch of the Kurdistan Democratic Party – Garmian (Kalar, Kifri, Darbandikhan, Tuz Khurmatu and its affiliated districts), Akram Salih, said that “the return of the Democratic Party’s headquarters to Kirkuk, Tuz Khurmatu, Makhmour and Diyala regions is agreed upon according to gradual stages.”
Saleh added, to Shafaq News Agency, that “the agreements and understandings with the government authorities have reached advanced stages,” suggesting that the party will return to its areas “before the end of this year.”
He added that “many of the Democratic Party’s headquarters in the conflict areas are occupied by security forces and government departments and require rehabilitation and restoration work that takes some time, but the return of the party’s activity to its areas before as it was before 2017 is definitive.”
Salih announced the opening of a headquarters for the Democratic Party in Kirkuk for the electoral campaigns of the candidates, and the party’s headquarters in Kirkuk have not yet opened, reiterating that “negotiations and understandings for the return of the Democrat are progressing in advanced stages.”
The Kurdish official denied the existence of any harassment or impediments facing the Democratic Party candidates in the regions of Kirkuk, Tuz and other regions, pointing out that “electoral campaigns are proceeding normally.”
shafaq.com
