Kurdistan
Kurdistan Justice Group leader Ali Bapir. December 8, 2019. Photo: Bilind T. Abdullah / Rudaw
ERBIL, Kurdistan Region — Top Kurdistan Region officials on Saturday congratulated the leader of the Kurdistan Justice Group on his re-election as party head.
President of the Kurdistan Region Nechirvan Barzani expressed his “warmest congratulations” to party leader Ali Bapir on his re-election.
“On this occasion, once again, I reiterate the importance of maintaining unity and consensus among all political parties and communities in the Kurdistan Region,” read a statement from the presidency.
Bapir and his “prominent” party “can play a vital role in preserving unity and tolerance in the Kurdistan Region,” he added.
Prime Minister of the Kurdistan Region, Masrour Barzani, also congratulated Bapir and called for cross-party unity.
“I hope that the Kurdistan Justice Group as well as all the forces and parties in Kurdistan will unite in supporting and advocating for the constitutional framework of the Kurdistan Region and in providing the legitimate rights and demands of the people of Kurdistan,” said the prime minister.
Masoud Barzani, head of the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP), congratulated Bapir in a phone call.
The need for cooperation between parties was also emphasized by Bafel Talabani, the co-leader of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan, in his message of congratulations.
"We look on the role and position of the Kurdish parties and forces with respect and acknowledgement,” Talabani said. "We are for improving the region together, to put our political differences and different opinions at the service of our nation’s high interests.”
Kurdistan Justice Group, previously known as the Kurdistan Islamic Group, held its fourth party congress last week, where Bapir was re-elected as leader. He has held the position since the establishment of the party in May 2001. The party continues to go by the shorter name of Komal, the Kurdish word for group.
The political party, based in the Kurdistan Region with Islamic roots, also decided to drop the word “Islamic” from its name and change the title of its leader from “emir” to “president” during the congress. The former is associated with Islamic systems of rule.
Faruq Ali, a member of Komal’s leadership, told Rudaw the party was named during a very different time. Recently, a number of organizations have been formed with the name “Islam,” but these groups “defame Islam,” he said, referring to groups like the Islamic State (ISIS).
The party’s final statement from the two-day congress on Friday said they dropped the word “Islamic” in order to “be more open to society.”
“This shows Komal can become an effective force to bring change to the political and social reality of Kurdistan and the region,” read the statement.
The opposition party has seven seats in the Kurdistan parliament and two in the Iraqi parliament.
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