baklawa
New member
Up to fifteen million Iraqi citizens will vote in governorate council elections taking place next Saturday 31st January, in the hope of proving that democracy can be established in the country. The UNPO are assisting the realization of this significant milestone by embarking upon an electoral poll monitoring mission, led by Mr Andrew Swan and assisted by Ms Maggie Murphy.
Almost 14 500 candidates have registered including around 4000 women, each fighting for one of 444 seats. Fourteen of the 18 provinces are holding elections: governorate elections have been postponed in the three provinces of Kurdistan and in Kirkuk.
The security in the region has improved dramatically since the last provincial elections in 2005, and so for the first time, candidates are campaigning using their own name. Previously, national and governorate elections were run under a ?closed list? system where voters chose a party or coalition rather than a person. Posters with photos of the individuals, who come from more than 400 political entities, have been plastered all over towns and cities throughout Iraq.
Despite the commendable progress, some groups have voiced concerns that the process will not adequately represent minority groups or women. Article 50 of the draft of the Elections Law included a 12 seat quota for minority groups, but this had been removed by the time the law was ratified in October 2008. Following a series of protests, a six seat quota was reintroduced into the law in November 2008. The UNPO is undertaking the mission at the invitation of the Assyrian Council of Europe and the Assyrian Democratic Movement in Iraq :clap: who have cited cases of marginalization of the largely Christian ethnic group, and have voiced concerns that they will not be adequately represented. (insert whiny voice -- "ooohh, oooohh, what has Zowaa ever done for us?!" here is just but ONE of many examples. Why didn't any of the other Assyrian groups request this?)
The UNPO mission will involve key discussions with minority and regional representatives as well as monitoring of around 10 polling stations on the 31st January. The UNPO sincerely hope that a vital and long awaited step will be made to establish and maintain democracy in a fair, peaceful and non-violent manner.
http://www.unpo.org/content/view/9142/81/
Almost 14 500 candidates have registered including around 4000 women, each fighting for one of 444 seats. Fourteen of the 18 provinces are holding elections: governorate elections have been postponed in the three provinces of Kurdistan and in Kirkuk.
The security in the region has improved dramatically since the last provincial elections in 2005, and so for the first time, candidates are campaigning using their own name. Previously, national and governorate elections were run under a ?closed list? system where voters chose a party or coalition rather than a person. Posters with photos of the individuals, who come from more than 400 political entities, have been plastered all over towns and cities throughout Iraq.
Despite the commendable progress, some groups have voiced concerns that the process will not adequately represent minority groups or women. Article 50 of the draft of the Elections Law included a 12 seat quota for minority groups, but this had been removed by the time the law was ratified in October 2008. Following a series of protests, a six seat quota was reintroduced into the law in November 2008. The UNPO is undertaking the mission at the invitation of the Assyrian Council of Europe and the Assyrian Democratic Movement in Iraq :clap: who have cited cases of marginalization of the largely Christian ethnic group, and have voiced concerns that they will not be adequately represented. (insert whiny voice -- "ooohh, oooohh, what has Zowaa ever done for us?!" here is just but ONE of many examples. Why didn't any of the other Assyrian groups request this?)
The UNPO mission will involve key discussions with minority and regional representatives as well as monitoring of around 10 polling stations on the 31st January. The UNPO sincerely hope that a vital and long awaited step will be made to establish and maintain democracy in a fair, peaceful and non-violent manner.
http://www.unpo.org/content/view/9142/81/
