Kurds walk out of Iraq parliament session punishing referendum voters
ERBIL, Kurdistan Region – Kurdish members of the Iraqi parliament left Thursday’s session, causing the legislature to postpone a vote on punishing Kurdish MPs for participating in the independence referendum.
Parliament has sought to have Kurdish MPs stripped of their parliamentary immunity and put on trial in retaliation for voting for Kurdistan independence in the September 25 referendum.
The Iraqi parliament was to discuss the matter on Thursday, but most of the Kurdish MP’s left the legislature when the subject came up. Their absence meant quorum for the session was not met and the meeting had to be delayed.
An MP with the State of Law Coalition condemned the Kurdish lawmakers’ action.
“The parliament brought yet another failure on the people of Iraq. It was meant to punish wrongdoers. Voting on a parliamentary committee formed to punish separatist MPs was on the parliament agenda. These MPs were part of a big plot to undermine the security and stability of Iraq,” said Kazim Sayadi.
An MP from the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) said parliament was not the place to settle disputes over the referendum. Rebwar Taha noted that the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) had stated it respected a verdict from the Federal Court, ruling that the Iraqi constitution protects the country’s unity and prohibits secession of any part.
“Now we should turn a new page,” said Taha. “The people of Iraq are waiting for the politicians and leaders of the country. I call on you not to broach this subject. The question of lifting immunity shouldn’t be discussed. This matter should only be discussed by the Federal Court, which is the only place to settle this rivalry.”
The Federal Court had earlier refused to act on a request to hear a case against the Kurdish MPs, arguing that it does not fall under the court’s jurisdiction.
The proposal to punish the Kurdish MPs will be back on the agenda when parliament sits next week. The accused MPs will not attend parliament until the matter is settled.
While most of the Kurdish MPs walked out of Thursday’s session, two remained, drawing censure from some of their colleagues.
“All Kurdish MPs made the decision together in regard to leaving the parliament hall,” said PUK MP Nawzad Rasul.
“We as MPs with the Change Movement (Gorran) faction in the Iraqi parliament left the hall of the parliamentary meeting. But some PUK MPs remained,” Shirin Raza told Rudaw.
Rudaw has learned that the two who remained Alla Talabani and Shwan Dawdi.
Dawdi denied that the Kurdish lawmakers left. “All the Kurdish factions were in the meeting. They didn’t leave the parliamentary meeting,” he told Rudaw.
Parliament has sought to have Kurdish MPs stripped of their parliamentary immunity and put on trial in retaliation for voting for Kurdistan independence in the September 25 referendum.
The Iraqi parliament was to discuss the matter on Thursday, but most of the Kurdish MP’s left the legislature when the subject came up. Their absence meant quorum for the session was not met and the meeting had to be delayed.
An MP with the State of Law Coalition condemned the Kurdish lawmakers’ action.
“The parliament brought yet another failure on the people of Iraq. It was meant to punish wrongdoers. Voting on a parliamentary committee formed to punish separatist MPs was on the parliament agenda. These MPs were part of a big plot to undermine the security and stability of Iraq,” said Kazim Sayadi.
An MP from the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) said parliament was not the place to settle disputes over the referendum. Rebwar Taha noted that the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) had stated it respected a verdict from the Federal Court, ruling that the Iraqi constitution protects the country’s unity and prohibits secession of any part.
“Now we should turn a new page,” said Taha. “The people of Iraq are waiting for the politicians and leaders of the country. I call on you not to broach this subject. The question of lifting immunity shouldn’t be discussed. This matter should only be discussed by the Federal Court, which is the only place to settle this rivalry.”
The Federal Court had earlier refused to act on a request to hear a case against the Kurdish MPs, arguing that it does not fall under the court’s jurisdiction.
The proposal to punish the Kurdish MPs will be back on the agenda when parliament sits next week. The accused MPs will not attend parliament until the matter is settled.
While most of the Kurdish MPs walked out of Thursday’s session, two remained, drawing censure from some of their colleagues.
“All Kurdish MPs made the decision together in regard to leaving the parliament hall,” said PUK MP Nawzad Rasul.
“We as MPs with the Change Movement (Gorran) faction in the Iraqi parliament left the hall of the parliamentary meeting. But some PUK MPs remained,” Shirin Raza told Rudaw.
Rudaw has learned that the two who remained Alla Talabani and Shwan Dawdi.
Dawdi denied that the Kurdish lawmakers left. “All the Kurdish factions were in the meeting. They didn’t leave the parliamentary meeting,” he told Rudaw.