Komali Islami conference achieves "most of its goals"
IGK second conference increases leadership members and reelects Ali Bapir as leader.
The Islamic Group in Kurdistan (Komali Islami la Kurdistan in Kurdish) wrapped up its second conference in Erbil. One of its newly elected 31 members in the leadership is female, thus making her the first female leader of an Islamic party in Kurdistan Region.
The three-day conference revised programs and reelected leadership. It was attended by 700 members; among them, 111 members were nominated to run for leadership. "The conference achieved most of its goals. It can be described as successful," Zana Rustayee, head of the IGK Electoral Center, told the "Globe." He proudly referred to a seat that was for the first time allowed to a woman in leadership. The amendments also include a quota of 10 percent for women to share the party's political activities, said Rustayee, who is one of three former leaders not nominating themselves to the leadership.
Rustaiyee described changes as both "good" and "very good." He said that one-third of high-ranking officials in leadership have now changed; also, the party's flag changed from white to orange. "It is a symbol of reforms, and it is suitable for the party's current position," he added.
"The results of electing leadership members in the conference were accepted by all the sides as the unelected members reported to the media that they accept the consequence; that's also why it was a success," noted Muhammad Hakim, a reelected member of the leadership.
But Mushir Galali, a former leader who lost the election, spoke less confidently of the conference. "The conference only changed the white flag to an orange one; it didn't result in crucial changes," he said. Hakim responded: "Perhaps Galali had a personal problem when he stated such a thing. One-third of IGK leadership members were changed in the conference and it is a big achievement. If someone believes that all the leadership members should be changed in a party, then it is coup d'état--not change. Every party needs some experienced leaders as all the new ones know nothing about the past sufferings and experience when the party was first established."
Another reply by IGK spokesman and reelected member Abdulsattar Majid indicated a similar opinion. "Galali perhaps was not interested in the conference, and also simply because he was not elected in the conference to be a member of the leadership. Meanwhile, he is free to express his views."
Ali Bapir as leader
IGK leader (or Ameer) Ali Bapir suggested that someone else be elected to take his position. But there were no other nominees and Bapir was reelected by a majority of conference attendants. He has led the party since it was founded in 2001 following a split from the Kurdistan Islamic Movement. In the IGK's first conference held in Suleimaniya in 2005, Bapir become the elected leader unanimously.
Since his election as a member of Iraqi Parliament in the March elections, Bapir has spoken for medias that he will not nominee himself for leading the party once again. Rustaiyee noted: "He was elected by the members, and their opinions and choices are unchangeable. The members didn't allow him to leave his position, and no one else nominated himself for this post."
Leaders not nominated
In the conference, the three members who withdrew from reelection for leadership include Zana Rustaiyee, Su'ad Abdulkadir, and Aram Qadir. No reasons were given, but Hakim stated: "There were objective and subjective reasons. The personal reasons may not be stated to the media. As far as the objective reasons are concerned, it was a good thing to do because withdrawing from being elected within a party is to become a sample and political tradition. Concerning Abdulkadir's withdrawal, her decision was not well prepared by her as Ali Bapir said in the conference."
Rustaiyee said he withdrew from reelection as one of leadership members because he was "elected as a member of the leadership two times in the past. If I had been elected for the third time, it would be unacceptable due to my policy and political lifestyle. I wanted to be a sample for the others as well--not to nominate ourselves for another time and also to clear a path for others to take these positions. I was not allowed during the conference to explain this point."
Majid remarked: "Rustaiyee and Qadir already decided not to nominate themselves due to a number of reasons and excuses. Different interpretations were made concerning their opinions, and they were free to make their decisions. At the same time, these three people still remain members of the IGK--though we wanted them to nominate themselves. But as I said they already made up their minds to withdraw. Concerning Abdulkadir, she withdrew from being elected during the conference."
One of the conditions for someone to become a leadership member, according to the IGK agenda, is to accept the program and strategy of the party. As for how a member asks for amendment and change within the party in the future, Hakim stated: "Every political party has its own basic concepts and program of which all its members should be committed to; this doesn't only happen to IGK, but to other parties as well. It is not conditional that all changes are good; they might be negative and harmful or cause catastrophes. We know and agree to the existence of transparency within every party."
"Some [eight] articles within the Komali Islami agenda were amended during the conference. A special committee was established by the conference to negotiate and discuss other articles after the conference. The amended articles included but are not limited to: changing the logo of IGK to a simple one; increasing women's quota in leadership members," noted Rustaiyee.
By Hawjin Rashadaddin
© The Kurdish Globe 2010
