Leader Explains Declining Power of Islamic Parties in Kurdistan

By Mahmoud Yasin Kurdi

Irfan Ali Abdulaziz, leader of the Islamic Movement in Kurdistan (IMK), spoke to Rudaw about the recent elections, and the declining popularity of the Islamic parties among the new generation of Kurds. The IMK was founded in the mid 1980s in Iran and is considered the mother of many Islamic groups in Kurdistan. Until the mid 1990s the IMK was the third-strongest party in the Kurdistan Region, to the extent that it imposed its conditions on the Kurdish government at will. It fought a bloody war with the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) in the early 1990s, but towards the end of the decade, and as a result of several splits, the group weakened and lost all influence. Here is an edited transcript of Rudaw’s interview with Abdulaziz:

Rudaw: Have the results of these elections shocked you, or were they expected?

Irfan Abdulaziz: These two elections took place right after the convention of the Kurdistan Islamic Movement (IMK), so we weren’t well prepared for them. Some of our members suggested withdrawing from the elections, but we decided to participate in the political process. A withdrawal from the election would have been more harmful.  The situation was obvious after the parliamentary election of Kurdistan, especially after the deepening crises between the Kurdistan Region and Baghdad and withholding the salaries of the employees of Kurdistan Region by Baghdad, which impacted us as well, because our party was without a budget for five months. We were financially weak at the time of the election campaign. Our party was morally and financially weak.

Rudaw: Why did you not create a joint Islamic list before the elections?

Irfan Abdulaziz: Taking part in the elections separately was a reason the Islamic parties got fewer votes. We preferred a joint Islamic list, but we saw the other two Islamic parties on TV stating that it would be better to run in the elections separately.

Rudaw: What are some of the reasons that stop people – the new generation -- from voting for Islamic parties?

Irfan Abdulaziz: Up to 1987, the Muslim Brotherhood had no reaction to all the atrocities committed against the Kurds, and secular groups came forward and adopted this cause. Unlike the Arab countries, the Kurds have existential problems. The Islamic groups were late in joining the struggle for the Kurdish cause. Therefore, today they cannot achieve 20 percent of the votes in elections.

Rudaw: But the Islamic parties cannot persuade the younger generations to vote for them?

Irfan Abdulaziz: When two political parties control the livelihood, power, money, wealth, and every foreign and local organization, then surely they can convince the young, the old, men and women. This imbalance started in 1992. These two parties were becoming stronger day after day, while we got weaker and smaller.

Rudaw: Then why did Komal and the Islamic Union (Yekgirtu) also fail to win many votes?

Irfan Abdulaziz: There are two types of voters in Kurdistan: One type votes for the two secular parties, because those two control wealth and power of employment. The other type votes for another secular party, which is the Movement for Change (Gorran), in order to reclaim the wealth and the power taken from them by the two ruling parties. Those who vote for the Islamic parties are not doing so for their political agenda or reform, but rather for spiritual and religious reasons. Therefore, those who get the most votes among the Islamic candidates are the preachers who provide the Muslims with spiritual needs.

Rudaw: Do the Islamic parties have a political agenda?

Irfan Abdulaziz: They have political agendas, but people do no expect political and economic projects from the Islamists. They expect them to lead them towards piety. That’s why Islamic academics and politicians get fewer votes than the Islamic preachers in the elections.

Rudaw: Do you support preachers as political candidates?

Irfan Abdulaziz: I never support them, because creating such an expectation for the public is a great betrayal. The job of the preacher is not to practice politics, but to be among the people and in the mosques to provide them with spiritual guidance. Politics is for politicians and the experts in that field. We were negligent and played a role in creating such a false expectation by letting preachers run in the elections only to gather votes. Political parties must have economic, political and cultural projects, and preachers must not get involved in political and partisan activities.

Rudaw: People and voters ask about the differences between the three Islamic parties in Kurdistan.

Irfan Abdulaziz: After the disappearance of the socialist camp, differences among the political parties disappeared as well. There are three secular parties in Kurdistan that look all the same. So, it is normal to have three Islamic parties in the same manner. Our party was created on 1987, and we did not split from another party to pursue having differences. You should direct this question to the other Islamic party that split from ours.

Rudaw: So are you still hopeful that people will return to the IMK instead of unification with the other Islamic parties?

Irfan Abdulaziz: Our doors have always been open. Ali Bapir, the leader of Komal, asked all the Islamic groups to join the IMK in 1999 when he was still a member of the IMK.

Rudaw: But you want unification under the leadership of your own dominion.

Irfan Abdulaziz: This is not true. During our unification with the Awakening Movement (Nahdtha) we overcame this issue. They were smaller than our party but we announced our unification, regardless. If the Islamic groups wanted to unite I would resign immediately so that others can lead.

Rudaw: How much progress has the joint coordination committee among the three Islamic parties achieved?

Irfan Abdulaziz: This is one of the problems. Honestly, the work of these committees is not clear and has become moody. They meet once and keep quiet for a long time. Unfortunately, the outcome was not pleasing. These committees must be reactivated and the Islamic parties must become closer.

Rudaw: Did your participation in the KRG’s sixth and seventh cabinet harm your party?

Irfan Abdulaziz: Yes, it has harmed us a lot. Our participation in the Ministry of Endowment and Religious Affairs was not through coordination with the government, and none of our projects was implemented. Our share of employment was constantly shrinking and the government was very hostile towards our party. We wanted to accomplish great work, but the government was hindering us and pushing us back.

Rudaw: Then why did you not withdraw from the government?

Irfan Abdulaziz: We wanted to withdraw, and we wrote a statement for that as well. But our time was wasted during our talks with the government. After our talk, a committee was formed, which became dysfunctional later on. I do not understand why they let you participate in the government when they want to fight you. We later became partners in all the corruptions and misconducts of the government, which we had no role in. But the opposition showed us as partners in the corruption of the government and that distorted the image of our party. For this reason, when Nechirvan Barzani visited our party, we told him that the IMK is not interested in participating in the government.

Rudaw: Did your cooperation with the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) negatively impact the performance of your party in the elections?

Irfan Abdulaziz: We are at the same distance from the two ruling parties, even from Gorran.  However, since we had conflicts and disagreements with the PUK during the civil war -- but not with the KDP -- people think that we have good relations with the KDP and that we get financial aid from them and have power to employ whoever we want and to distribute money among people. Such propaganda was harmful to our party.

Rudaw: What do you think about the new revival of the PUK in this election?

Irfan Abdulaziz: Political parties and the government are not separated. Therefore, a regional or international power might not desire the disappearance of the PUK and its institutions. No one, not even the PUK, was expecting the votes they received. It is difficult to erase a political party.

Rudaw: Which one is better for the Kurds, the post of the Iraqi president or speaker of parliament?

Irfan Abdulaziz: I believe the post of the speaker of parliament is more important. The powers of the Iraqi president are symbolic. Let’s be honest: It was the character of (Jalal) Talabani that added importance to that post. But I believe it is better for the Kurds to seek the post of the speaker of the Iraqi parliament, because most of the laws are legislated there.

Rudaw: How is your relation with Nouri al-Maliki, who is a friend of the IMK?

Irfan Abdulaziz: Maliki invited us for talks several times, but due to the ongoing issues with the Kurdistan Region we decided not to go alone. Last week, he sent a letter to us talking about a majority government. We were very close to the Islamic Sawa Party and the Islamic Supreme Council of Iraq (ISCI), but in the Kurdistan Region we have a number of strategic issues with Baghdad and we should not disregard these issues when dealing with Baghdad.

Rudaw: What about the issue of Mullah Krekar? Are you planning to bring him back?

Irfan Abdulaziz: The issue of Mullah Krekar is big and cannot be solved that easily. He has issues with the Norwegian and the American governments. They think he is linked to al-Qaeda. We have told them the truth about him, as we know it. We are aware about the statements of Mullah Krekar and the KRG regarding his return to Kurdistan and we are waiting to see what happens.

Rudaw: A senior committee of the IMK has visited the residence of Aso Hawleri, the leader of Ansar al-Islam. Are you planning to talk with the KDP for his release?

Irfan Abdulaziz: We are trying legal paths to release him. We are asking why he has been denied a trial? They told us a trial is not in his interest because execution is a possibility, because their case is related to Jund al-Islam and al-Ansar and they have been captured in the battlefield. They have not tried Aso because, according to the terror law, execution is the punishment. I hope the political situation in Kurdistan will change and they will be released so that they can return to their homes and become normal citizens.

Rudaw: Why is the IMK blamed for sending young Kurds to Syria for jihad?

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