PUK vows the party wont be 'falling from the inside' amid purges

SULAIMANI, Kurdistan Region — The PUK met in the party’s politburo office in Sulaimani on Friday to discuss upcoming election campaigning, as the party is purging party members working for Barham Salih’s Coalition for Democracy and Justice, and politburo Spokesperson Saadi Pira vowing the party won’t be “falling from the inside.”

“All those who are cadres of PUK but are candidates for another list … their membership has been revoked," said Pira after the meeting in a press conference, explaining the dismissals are being addressed step by step.

The meeting was between Patriotic Union of Kurdistan’s Central Council and the party’s Supreme Election Commission. It was headed by Kosrat Rasul, the deputy secretary-general who was previously-appointed the party's decision maker until they can hold their next congress.

High-level PUK leaders running on other lists will be dealt with at the next congress, for which no date has been set.

“Anyone who is the member of leadership but runs for another Kurdish or Kurdistani list will have their membership frozen as well. Only the congress can dismiss them,” said Pira.

Latif Nerweyi, the spokesperson for PUK's Central Council called the meeting "successful."

"All the comrades expressed their support for the policy, message, and efforts of the central council," he said.

Nerweyi revealed technical aspects of how the PUK will campaign were discussed.

"Today's meeting was for the Central Council, alongside the comrades of the Leadership [Council] to be divided into circles, the borders of PUK's offices, the provinces of the Kurdistan Region and the provinces falling in the disputed territories,” he explained.

Nerweyi underscored that the meeting illustrated that PUK is united now and that the party, including its media, is ready for the election campaigning. 

"We do not use harsh language. We believe that, following elections, Kurds have to defend Kurdish rights unitedly in Baghdad. But if we are attacked, then we are forced to defend ourselves,” he said.

Lists in the Kurdistan Region can begin campaigning on Sunday for Iraq’s parliamentary elections set for May 12.

Nerweyi revealed that those working explicitly and publicly for another party for election campaigning, no matter the position of the individual, whether senior or junior, do not have a place in PUK. He said a list has been prepared for those suspected of working for other parties. 

This meeting came amid purges against party members in different cities in PUK’s offices following their support and work for Barham Salih’s Coalition for Justice and Democracy. They have purged 13 deputy heads and members over the last few days.
 
Barham Salih was a senior PUK Politburo member. The former KRG prime minister split from the party to form CDJ last year.
 
"Based on the by-laws of any party, no member is allowed to work for another party through the resources of the party. Nowhere in the world, not in any organization does such thing exist,” Nerweyi told Rudaw before the meeting.
 
He lamented that those working for CDJ had not resigned and that they had to purge them. He said it is the tolerance of the PUK that leads to individuals to split from it and then start attacking PUK with their new parties.
 
"The list of the names published includes some of the founders of the Coalition. They are high-ranking members, either in the general council or the other councils. They have already resigned," Rebwar Karim, spokesperson for the CDJ, told Rudaw before the meeting.  
 
Karim added that some of those mentioned in the list have resigned from 2013, and that those who have readied the list seem not to have seen the resignation letters.
 
"The Leadership Council made the decision — in the Leadership Council meeting — that those comrades supporting another party are free. We don't have a problem with that, but they have to make up their mind. Are they PUK and working for the List 162 or will they work for other lists? Those who have made up their minds are free," Blessa Jabar Farman, a member of PUK's Leadership Council, told Rudaw before the meeting.
 
Earlier, Latif Sheikh Omer, the head of PUK’s 1st Office in Sulaimani told Rudaw that he had resigned from the party on March 26.
 
“There are no political factors behind my resignation. It is only that I have been the head of Patriotic Union of Kurdistan’s 1st office in Sulaimani, and I want to be one of those officials resigning on their own,” Omer told Rudaw.
 
He added that he has sent his resignation letter, and he will leave his post regardless whether the resignation will be accepted or not.
 
The party has formed a committee composed of senior members of the Politburo such as Omer Fatah, Hakim Qadir Hamajan, and Arsalan Bayiz in order to investigate the members, cadres and officials thought to be working for the CDJ.
 
The party will also retrieve PUK’s holdings and properties, including cars and houses from those members found to be working for CDJ, according to the politburo spokesperson Pira.

Mala Bakhtiyar, influential and senior member of PUK, lashed out Salih in a conference organized for him, saying he cannot do better than PUK in the government.
 
He also confirmed that the party would be purging those working for Salih’s party from the PUK.

Is the PUK weakened?

Ahead of Iraqi and Kurdish elections this year, the political scene in Sulaimani is at a crossroads. PUK founder and leader Jalal Talabani died last year and the party is yet to hold a congress so it can elect a new leader. The PUK also lacks the influence it once had after Kurdish forces left the PUK stronghold of Kirkuk in October 2017.

In previous elections, the Change Movement (Gorran) was the PUK’s primary local competition; however they too appear to be recovering after the death last year of founder and leader Nawshirwan Mustafa. With the CDJ and the establishment of businessman Shaswar Abdulqadir’s New Generation, voters will have more options at the ballot boxes.

"Those who founded their hopes on PUK falling from the inside have to take the hope with them to the grave,” reassured Pira.

Pira said that maybe a seat is lost or gained there and there, but that is normal and the PUK will retain its strong posture.

Pira said that the rumor of efforts to strip PUK of the positions of Kirkuk's governorship and Iraqi presidency was "a dream.”