| IRAQ Republic of Iraq Al Jumhuriyah al Iraqiyah Joined United Nations: 21 December 1945 Human Rights as assured by their constitution Click here Updated 10/14/10 |
| CAPITAL |
| POPULATION |
| CHIEF OF STATE |
| SELECTION PROCESS |
Baghdad
28,945,569 (July 2010 est.)
Nuri al-Maliki
Prime Minister since 20 May 2006
Prime Minister since 20 May 2006
In April 2006, after the ratification of the new Iraqi Constitution in
2005, Jalal Talabani was elected as President of the Republic of Iraq
under the new Constitution, and thus became the first President of the
permanent Government established by the new constitutional order.
Next scheduled election: 2010 (following government formation)
2005, Jalal Talabani was elected as President of the Republic of Iraq
under the new Constitution, and thus became the first President of the
permanent Government established by the new constitutional order.
Next scheduled election: 2010 (following government formation)
HEAD OF GOVERNMENT
SELECTION PROCESS
Prime Minister chosen by parliamentary members of the
majority party following legislative elections; election last held 7
March 2010
Next scheduled election: 2014
majority party following legislative elections; election last held 7
March 2010
Next scheduled election: 2014
| DECLARATION OF HUMAN RIGHTS |
| ETHNIC GROUPS |
Arab 75%-80%, Kurdish 15%-20%, Turkmen, Assyrian, or other 5%
| RELIGIONS |
Muslim 97% (Shi'a 60%-65%, Sunni 32%-37%), Christian or other 3%
| GOVERNMENT STRUCTURE |
Parliamentary democracy with 18 governorates (muhafazat, singular - muhafazah); Legal system is based on European civil and Islamic
law under the framework outlined in the Iraqi Constitution; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Executive: The politics of Iraq takes place in a framework of a more or less federal parliamentary representative democratic republic,
whereby the Prime Minister of Iraq is the head of government, and of a pluriform multi-party system. Executive power is exercised by the
government; Last election held: 15 December 2005- Next election: 2010 (following formation of government)
Legislative: Bicameral Council of Representatives (consisting of 275 members elected by a closed-list, proportional representation
system) and a Federation Council (membership not established and authorities undefined)
elections: held 7 March 2010 for an enlarged 325-seat parliament; next election to be held in 2014
Judicial: he Iraq Constitution calls for the Federal Judicial Authority, comprised of the Higher Juridical Council, Supreme Federal
Court, Federal Court of Cassation, Public Prosecution Department, Judiciary Oversight Commission and other federal courts that
are regulated in accordance with the law
law under the framework outlined in the Iraqi Constitution; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Executive: The politics of Iraq takes place in a framework of a more or less federal parliamentary representative democratic republic,
whereby the Prime Minister of Iraq is the head of government, and of a pluriform multi-party system. Executive power is exercised by the
government; Last election held: 15 December 2005- Next election: 2010 (following formation of government)
Legislative: Bicameral Council of Representatives (consisting of 275 members elected by a closed-list, proportional representation
system) and a Federation Council (membership not established and authorities undefined)
elections: held 7 March 2010 for an enlarged 325-seat parliament; next election to be held in 2014
Judicial: he Iraq Constitution calls for the Federal Judicial Authority, comprised of the Higher Juridical Council, Supreme Federal
Court, Federal Court of Cassation, Public Prosecution Department, Judiciary Oversight Commission and other federal courts that
are regulated in accordance with the law
| LANGUAGES |
Arabic, Kurdish (official in Kurdish regions), Assyrian, Armenian
| BRIEF HISTORY |
It was in Mesopotamia about 3000 BC where the Sumerian culture flourished. The civilized life that emerged at Sumer was shaped
by two conflicting factors: the unpredictability of the Tigris and Euphrates rivers, which at any time could unleash devastating floods
that wiped out the entire populace, and the extreme richness of the river valleys, caused by centuries-old deposits of soil.
Eventually, the Sumerians had to battle other peoples. Some of the earliest of these wars were with the Elamites living in what is
now western Iran. In 2340 BC, the great Akkadian leader Sargon conquered Sumer and built the Akkadian Empire stretching over
most of the Sumerian city-states and extending as far away as Lebanon. After the later collapse of the Sumerian civilization, the
people were reunited in 1700 BC by King Hammurabi of Babylon (1792-1750 BC), and the country flourished under the name of
Babylonia. Babylonian rule encompassed a huge area covering most of the Tigris-Euphrates river valley from Sumer and the Persian
Gulf. The Assyrians, after they finally broke free of the Mitanni, were the next major power to assert themselves on Mesopotamia.
After defeating and virtually annexing Mitanni, the Assyrians challenged Babylonia. Eventually, during the 800s BC, one of the most
powerful tribes outside Babylon, the Chaldeans (Latin Chaldaeus, Greek Khaldaios, Assyrian Kaldu), gained prominence. Various
invaders conquered the land after Nebuchadrezzar's death, including Cyrus the Great in 539 BC and Alexander the Great in 331
BC, who died there in 323 BC. In the 6th century BC, it became part of the Persian Empire, then was conquered by Alexander the
Great and remained under Greek rule under the Seleucid dynasty for nearly two centuries. Babylon declined after the founding of
Seleucia on the Tigris, the new Seleucid Empire capital. A Central Asian tribe of Iranian peoples called Parthians then annexed the
region followed by the Sassanid Persians until the 7th century, when Arab Muslims captured it. The Arabic term "Iraq", a derivative
form of Persian Ērāk ("lower Iran") was not used at this time. The first organised conflict between local Bedouin Arab tribes and
Iranian forces seems to have been in 634, when the Arabs were defeated at the Battle of the Bridge. There was a force of some
5,000 Muslims under Abū `Ubayd ath-Thaqafī, which was routed by the Iranians. Around 636, a much larger Arab Muslim force
under Sa`d ibn Abī Waqqās defeated the main Iranian army at the Battle of al-Qādisiyyah and moved on to sack the capital of the
Iranian Empire, Ctesiphon. The Islamic conquest was followed by mass immigration of Arabs from eastern Arabia and Mazun
(Oman) to Khvarvārān. During the late 14th and early 15th centuries, the Black Sheep Turkmen ruled the area now known as Iraq.
In 1466, the White Sheep Turkmen defeated the Black Sheep and took control. In the 16th century, most of the territory of present-
day Iraq came under the control of Ottoman Empire as the pashalik of Baghdad. Throughout most of the period of Ottoman rule
(1533-1918) the territory of present-day Iraq was a battle zone between the rival regional empires and tribal alliances. The Safavid
dynasty of Iran briefly asserted their hegemony over Iraq in the periods of 1508-1533 and 1622-1638. During the years 1747-
1831 Iraq was ruled by the Mamluk officers of Georgian origin who succeeded in obtaining autonomy from the Sublime Porte,
suppressed tribal revolts, curbed the power of the Janissaries, restored order and introduced a program of modernization of
economy and military. In 1831, the Ottomans managed to overthrow the Mamluk regime and imposed their direct control over
Iraq. Ottoman rule over Iraq lasted until the Great War (World War I) when the Ottomans sided with Germany and the Central
Powers. British forces invaded the country and suffered a major defeat at the hands of the Turkish army during the Siege of Kut
(1915–16). British forces regrouped and captured Baghdad in 1917. An armistice was signed in 1918. Iraq was carved out of the
Ottoman Empire by the French and British as agreed in the Sykes-Picot Agreement. On 11 November 1920 it became a League of
Nations mandate under British control with the name "State of Iraq". Britain imposed a Hāshimite monarchy on Iraq and defined the
territorial limits of Iraq without taking into account the politics of the different ethnic and religious groups in the country, in particular
those of the Kurds to the north. During the British occupation, the Shi'ites and Kurds fought for independence. Britain used chemical
weapons (white phosphorus bombs) against Kurdish villagers in the revolt, an early application of aerial bombing. In the Mandate
period and beyond, the British supported the traditional, Sunni leadership (such as the tribal shaykhs) over the growing, urban-
based nationalist movement. Emir Faisal, leader of the Arab revolt against the Ottoman sultān during the Great War, and member of
the Sunni Hashimite family from Mecca, became the first king of the new state. He obtained the throne partly by the influence of T.
E. Lawrence. Although the monarch was legitimized and proclaimed King by a plebiscite in 1921, nominal independence was only
achieved in 1932, when the British Mandate officially ended. In 1945, Iraq joined the United Nations and became a founding
member of the Arab League. In 1948, Iraq and five other Arab countries fought a war against the newly-declared State of Israel. In
February 1958, King Hussein of Jordan and `Abd al-Ilāh proposed a union of Hāshimite monarchies to counter the recently formed
Egyptian-Syrian union. The prime minister Nuri as-Said wanted Kuwait to be part of the proposed Arab-Hāshimite Union. Shaykh
`Abd-Allāh as-Salīm, the ruler of Kuwait, was invited to Baghdad to discuss Kuwait's future. This policy brought the government of
Iraq into direct conflict with Britain, which did not want to grant independence to Kuwait. Inspired by Nasser, officers from the
Nineteenth Brigade known as "Free Officers", under the leadership of Brigadier Abd al-Karīm Qāsim (known as "az-Za`īm", 'the
leader') and Colonel Abdul Salam Arif overthrew the Hashimite monarchy on 14 July 1958. King Faisal II and `Abd al-Ilāh were
executed in the gardens of ar-Rihāb Palace. In 1961, Kuwait gained independence from Britain and Iraq claimed sovereignty over
Kuwait. During the 1970s, border disputes with Iran and Kuwait caused many problems. Kuwait's refusal to allow Iraq to build a
harbour in the Shatt al-Arab delta strengthened Iraq's belief that conservative powers in the region were trying to control the Persian
Gulf. Iran's occupation of numerous islands in the Strait of Hormuz didn't help alter Iraq's fears. In July 1979, president Ahmed
Hassan Al-Bakr resigned, and his chosen successor, Saddam Hussein, assumed the offices of both President and Chairman of the
Revolutionary Command Council. He was the de facto ruler of Iraq for some years before he formally came to power. Territorial
disputes with Iran led to an inconclusive and costly eight-year war, the Iran-Iraq War (1980 – 1988, termed Qādisiyyat-Saddām –
'Saddam's Qādisiyyah'), which devastated the economy. Iraq declared victory in 1988 but actually achieved a weary return to the
status quo ante bellum. The war left Iraq with the largest military establishment in the Persian Gulf region but with huge debts and an
ongoing rebellion by Kurdish elements in the northern mountains. A long-standing territorial dispute led to the invasion of Kuwait in
1990. In November 1990, the UN Security Council adopted Resolution 678, permitting member states to use all necessary means,
authorising military action against the Iraqi forces occupying Kuwait and demanded a complete withdrawal by 15 January 1991.
When Saddam Hussein failed to comply with this demand, the Persian Gulf War (Operation "Desert Storm") ensued on January 17,
1991. With allied troops of 28 countries, led by the US launching an aerial bombardment on Baghdad. The war, which proved
disastrous for Iraq, lasted only six weeks. On 6 August 1990, after the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait, the U.N. Security Council adopted
Resolution 661 which imposed economic sanctions on Iraq, providing for a full trade embargo, excluding medical supplies, food and
other items of humanitarian necessity, these to be determined by the Security Council sanctions committee. After the terrorist
attacks by the group formed by the multi-millionaire Saudi Osama bin Laden on New York and Washington in the United States in
2001, American foreign policy began to call for the removal of the Ba'ath government in Iraq. In March 2003 the United States and
the United Kingdom, with military aid from other nations, invaded Iraq. In 2003, after the American and British invasion, Iraq was
occupied by Coalition forces. On 23 May 2003, the UN Security Council unanimously approved a resolution lifting all economic
sanctions against Iraq. On 28 June 2004, the occupation was formally ended by the U.S.-led coalition, which transferred power to
an interim Iraqi government led by Prime Minister Iyad Allawi. The Iraqi government has officially requested the assistance of (at
least) American troops until further notice. On January 30, 2005, the transitional parliamentary elections took place.
Source: Wikipedia: History of Iraq
by two conflicting factors: the unpredictability of the Tigris and Euphrates rivers, which at any time could unleash devastating floods
that wiped out the entire populace, and the extreme richness of the river valleys, caused by centuries-old deposits of soil.
Eventually, the Sumerians had to battle other peoples. Some of the earliest of these wars were with the Elamites living in what is
now western Iran. In 2340 BC, the great Akkadian leader Sargon conquered Sumer and built the Akkadian Empire stretching over
most of the Sumerian city-states and extending as far away as Lebanon. After the later collapse of the Sumerian civilization, the
people were reunited in 1700 BC by King Hammurabi of Babylon (1792-1750 BC), and the country flourished under the name of
Babylonia. Babylonian rule encompassed a huge area covering most of the Tigris-Euphrates river valley from Sumer and the Persian
Gulf. The Assyrians, after they finally broke free of the Mitanni, were the next major power to assert themselves on Mesopotamia.
After defeating and virtually annexing Mitanni, the Assyrians challenged Babylonia. Eventually, during the 800s BC, one of the most
powerful tribes outside Babylon, the Chaldeans (Latin Chaldaeus, Greek Khaldaios, Assyrian Kaldu), gained prominence. Various
invaders conquered the land after Nebuchadrezzar's death, including Cyrus the Great in 539 BC and Alexander the Great in 331
BC, who died there in 323 BC. In the 6th century BC, it became part of the Persian Empire, then was conquered by Alexander the
Great and remained under Greek rule under the Seleucid dynasty for nearly two centuries. Babylon declined after the founding of
Seleucia on the Tigris, the new Seleucid Empire capital. A Central Asian tribe of Iranian peoples called Parthians then annexed the
region followed by the Sassanid Persians until the 7th century, when Arab Muslims captured it. The Arabic term "Iraq", a derivative
form of Persian Ērāk ("lower Iran") was not used at this time. The first organised conflict between local Bedouin Arab tribes and
Iranian forces seems to have been in 634, when the Arabs were defeated at the Battle of the Bridge. There was a force of some
5,000 Muslims under Abū `Ubayd ath-Thaqafī, which was routed by the Iranians. Around 636, a much larger Arab Muslim force
under Sa`d ibn Abī Waqqās defeated the main Iranian army at the Battle of al-Qādisiyyah and moved on to sack the capital of the
Iranian Empire, Ctesiphon. The Islamic conquest was followed by mass immigration of Arabs from eastern Arabia and Mazun
(Oman) to Khvarvārān. During the late 14th and early 15th centuries, the Black Sheep Turkmen ruled the area now known as Iraq.
In 1466, the White Sheep Turkmen defeated the Black Sheep and took control. In the 16th century, most of the territory of present-
day Iraq came under the control of Ottoman Empire as the pashalik of Baghdad. Throughout most of the period of Ottoman rule
(1533-1918) the territory of present-day Iraq was a battle zone between the rival regional empires and tribal alliances. The Safavid
dynasty of Iran briefly asserted their hegemony over Iraq in the periods of 1508-1533 and 1622-1638. During the years 1747-
1831 Iraq was ruled by the Mamluk officers of Georgian origin who succeeded in obtaining autonomy from the Sublime Porte,
suppressed tribal revolts, curbed the power of the Janissaries, restored order and introduced a program of modernization of
economy and military. In 1831, the Ottomans managed to overthrow the Mamluk regime and imposed their direct control over
Iraq. Ottoman rule over Iraq lasted until the Great War (World War I) when the Ottomans sided with Germany and the Central
Powers. British forces invaded the country and suffered a major defeat at the hands of the Turkish army during the Siege of Kut
(1915–16). British forces regrouped and captured Baghdad in 1917. An armistice was signed in 1918. Iraq was carved out of the
Ottoman Empire by the French and British as agreed in the Sykes-Picot Agreement. On 11 November 1920 it became a League of
Nations mandate under British control with the name "State of Iraq". Britain imposed a Hāshimite monarchy on Iraq and defined the
territorial limits of Iraq without taking into account the politics of the different ethnic and religious groups in the country, in particular
those of the Kurds to the north. During the British occupation, the Shi'ites and Kurds fought for independence. Britain used chemical
weapons (white phosphorus bombs) against Kurdish villagers in the revolt, an early application of aerial bombing. In the Mandate
period and beyond, the British supported the traditional, Sunni leadership (such as the tribal shaykhs) over the growing, urban-
based nationalist movement. Emir Faisal, leader of the Arab revolt against the Ottoman sultān during the Great War, and member of
the Sunni Hashimite family from Mecca, became the first king of the new state. He obtained the throne partly by the influence of T.
E. Lawrence. Although the monarch was legitimized and proclaimed King by a plebiscite in 1921, nominal independence was only
achieved in 1932, when the British Mandate officially ended. In 1945, Iraq joined the United Nations and became a founding
member of the Arab League. In 1948, Iraq and five other Arab countries fought a war against the newly-declared State of Israel. In
February 1958, King Hussein of Jordan and `Abd al-Ilāh proposed a union of Hāshimite monarchies to counter the recently formed
Egyptian-Syrian union. The prime minister Nuri as-Said wanted Kuwait to be part of the proposed Arab-Hāshimite Union. Shaykh
`Abd-Allāh as-Salīm, the ruler of Kuwait, was invited to Baghdad to discuss Kuwait's future. This policy brought the government of
Iraq into direct conflict with Britain, which did not want to grant independence to Kuwait. Inspired by Nasser, officers from the
Nineteenth Brigade known as "Free Officers", under the leadership of Brigadier Abd al-Karīm Qāsim (known as "az-Za`īm", 'the
leader') and Colonel Abdul Salam Arif overthrew the Hashimite monarchy on 14 July 1958. King Faisal II and `Abd al-Ilāh were
executed in the gardens of ar-Rihāb Palace. In 1961, Kuwait gained independence from Britain and Iraq claimed sovereignty over
Kuwait. During the 1970s, border disputes with Iran and Kuwait caused many problems. Kuwait's refusal to allow Iraq to build a
harbour in the Shatt al-Arab delta strengthened Iraq's belief that conservative powers in the region were trying to control the Persian
Gulf. Iran's occupation of numerous islands in the Strait of Hormuz didn't help alter Iraq's fears. In July 1979, president Ahmed
Hassan Al-Bakr resigned, and his chosen successor, Saddam Hussein, assumed the offices of both President and Chairman of the
Revolutionary Command Council. He was the de facto ruler of Iraq for some years before he formally came to power. Territorial
disputes with Iran led to an inconclusive and costly eight-year war, the Iran-Iraq War (1980 – 1988, termed Qādisiyyat-Saddām –
'Saddam's Qādisiyyah'), which devastated the economy. Iraq declared victory in 1988 but actually achieved a weary return to the
status quo ante bellum. The war left Iraq with the largest military establishment in the Persian Gulf region but with huge debts and an
ongoing rebellion by Kurdish elements in the northern mountains. A long-standing territorial dispute led to the invasion of Kuwait in
1990. In November 1990, the UN Security Council adopted Resolution 678, permitting member states to use all necessary means,
authorising military action against the Iraqi forces occupying Kuwait and demanded a complete withdrawal by 15 January 1991.
When Saddam Hussein failed to comply with this demand, the Persian Gulf War (Operation "Desert Storm") ensued on January 17,
1991. With allied troops of 28 countries, led by the US launching an aerial bombardment on Baghdad. The war, which proved
disastrous for Iraq, lasted only six weeks. On 6 August 1990, after the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait, the U.N. Security Council adopted
Resolution 661 which imposed economic sanctions on Iraq, providing for a full trade embargo, excluding medical supplies, food and
other items of humanitarian necessity, these to be determined by the Security Council sanctions committee. After the terrorist
attacks by the group formed by the multi-millionaire Saudi Osama bin Laden on New York and Washington in the United States in
2001, American foreign policy began to call for the removal of the Ba'ath government in Iraq. In March 2003 the United States and
the United Kingdom, with military aid from other nations, invaded Iraq. In 2003, after the American and British invasion, Iraq was
occupied by Coalition forces. On 23 May 2003, the UN Security Council unanimously approved a resolution lifting all economic
sanctions against Iraq. On 28 June 2004, the occupation was formally ended by the U.S.-led coalition, which transferred power to
an interim Iraqi government led by Prime Minister Iyad Allawi. The Iraqi government has officially requested the assistance of (at
least) American troops until further notice. On January 30, 2005, the transitional parliamentary elections took place.
Source: Wikipedia: History of Iraq
| ECONOMIC OVERVIEW |
Decreased insurgent attacks and an improved security environment are helping to spur economic activity, particularly in the retail
sector. Broader economic improvement, long-term fiscal health, and sustained increases in standard of living still depend on the
government passing major policy reforms and developing Iraq's massive oil reserves. Potential foreign investors viewed Iraq with
much more interest in 2009, but are still hampered by difficulties in acquiring land for projects and other regulatory impediments.
Iraq's economy is dominated by the oil sector, which provides over 90% of government revenue and 80% of foreign exchange
earnings. Oil exports have returned to levels seen before Operation Iraqi Freedom and government revenues have rebounded along
with global oil prices since mid-2009. Iraq is making modest progress in building the institutions needed to implement economic
policy. Iraq has held serious discussions with both the IMF and World Bank for new programs that would help further strengthen
Iraq's economic institutions. Some reform-minded leaders within the Iraqi government are seeking to pass laws to strengthen the
economy. This legislation includes a package of laws to establish a modern legal framework for the oil sector and a mechanism to
equitably divide oil revenues within the nation, although these and other important reforms are still under contentious and sporadic
negotiation. Iraq's recent contracts with major oil companies have the potential to greatly expand oil revenues, but Iraq will need to
upgrade its refinery and export infrastructure to enable these deals to reach their potential. The Government of Iraq is pursuing a
strategy to gain foreign investment in Iraq's economy. This includes an amendment to the National Investment Law, multiple
international trade and investment events, as well as potential participation in joint ventures with state-owned enterprises. Provincial
Councils also are using their own budgets to promote and facilitate investment at the local level. The Central Bank has successfully
held the exchange rate at approximately 1170 Iraqi dinar/US dollar since January 2009. Inflation has decreased consistently since
2006 as the security situation has improved. However, Iraqi leaders remain hard pressed to translate macroeconomic gains into
improved lives for ordinary Iraqis. Unemployment remains a problem throughout the country. Reducing corruption and implementing
structural reforms, such as bank restructuring and developing the private sector, would be important steps in this direction.
Source: CIA World Factbook (select Iraq)
sector. Broader economic improvement, long-term fiscal health, and sustained increases in standard of living still depend on the
government passing major policy reforms and developing Iraq's massive oil reserves. Potential foreign investors viewed Iraq with
much more interest in 2009, but are still hampered by difficulties in acquiring land for projects and other regulatory impediments.
Iraq's economy is dominated by the oil sector, which provides over 90% of government revenue and 80% of foreign exchange
earnings. Oil exports have returned to levels seen before Operation Iraqi Freedom and government revenues have rebounded along
with global oil prices since mid-2009. Iraq is making modest progress in building the institutions needed to implement economic
policy. Iraq has held serious discussions with both the IMF and World Bank for new programs that would help further strengthen
Iraq's economic institutions. Some reform-minded leaders within the Iraqi government are seeking to pass laws to strengthen the
economy. This legislation includes a package of laws to establish a modern legal framework for the oil sector and a mechanism to
equitably divide oil revenues within the nation, although these and other important reforms are still under contentious and sporadic
negotiation. Iraq's recent contracts with major oil companies have the potential to greatly expand oil revenues, but Iraq will need to
upgrade its refinery and export infrastructure to enable these deals to reach their potential. The Government of Iraq is pursuing a
strategy to gain foreign investment in Iraq's economy. This includes an amendment to the National Investment Law, multiple
international trade and investment events, as well as potential participation in joint ventures with state-owned enterprises. Provincial
Councils also are using their own budgets to promote and facilitate investment at the local level. The Central Bank has successfully
held the exchange rate at approximately 1170 Iraqi dinar/US dollar since January 2009. Inflation has decreased consistently since
2006 as the security situation has improved. However, Iraqi leaders remain hard pressed to translate macroeconomic gains into
improved lives for ordinary Iraqis. Unemployment remains a problem throughout the country. Reducing corruption and implementing
structural reforms, such as bank restructuring and developing the private sector, would be important steps in this direction.
Source: CIA World Factbook (select Iraq)
| POLITICAL CLIMATE |
Under the Iraqi transitional constitution, signed March 2004, the country's executive branch is now led by a three-person
presidential council. The election system for the council effectively ensures that all three of Iraq's major ethnic groups are
represented. The constitution also includes basic freedoms like freedom of religion, speech, and assembly, and is perceived by some
to be more progressive than the U.S. Constitution. Controversially, however, it states that all laws that were in effect on the transfer
date cannot be repealed. Furthermore, since the coalition forces are currently working to maintain order and create a stable society
under the United Nations, coalition troops can remain in control of the country indefinitely despite the transfer of sovereignty. Since
Iraqi forces are currently considered not fully trained and equipped to police and secure their country, it is expected that coalition
troops will remain until Iraqi forces no longer require their support. However, these rules will be set aside once the Transitional
National Assembly is seated.
On 5 April 2005, the Iraqi National Assembly appointed Jalal Talabani, a prominent Kurdish leader, President. It also appointed
Adel Abdul Mehdi, a Shiite Arab, and Ghazi al-Yawar, the former Interim President and a Sunni Arab, as Vice Presidents. Ibrahim
al-Jaafari a Shiite, whose United Iraq Alliance Party won the largest share of the vote, was appointed the new Prime Minister of
Iraq. Most power is vested in him. The new government was faced with two major tasks. The first is to attempt to rein in a violent
insurgency, which has blighted the country in recent months, killing many Iraqi civilians and officials as well as a number of U.S.
troops. (As of mid-2005, approximately 135,000 American troops remain in Iraq with 2,214 U.S. soldiers killed.) The second
major task was to re-engage in the writing of a new Iraqi constitution, as outlined above, to replace the Iraqi transitional constitution
of 2004.
A parliamentary election was held in Iraq on 7 March 2010. The election decided the 325 members of the Council of
Representatives of Iraq who will elect the Iraqi Prime Minister and President. The election resulted in a partial victory for the Iraqi
National Movement, led by former Interim Prime Minister Ayad Allawi, which won a total of 91 seats, making it the largest alliance
in the Council. The State of Law Coalition, led by incumbent Prime Minister Nouri Al-Maliki, was the second largest grouping with
89 seats.
The election has been controversial. Prior to the election, the Supreme Court in Iraq ruled that the existing electoral law/rule was
unconstitutional, and a new elections law made major changes in the electoral system. On 15 January 2010 Iraq's electoral
commission banned 499 candidates from the election due to alleged links with the Ba'ath Party. Before the start of the campaign on
12 February 2010, the IHEC confirmed that the appeals by banned candidates had been rejected and thus all 456 banned
candidates would not be allowed to run for the election. The Supreme Court has not made a final ruling on the matter. A recount of
the votes in Baghdad was ordered on 19 April 2010. On 14 May IHEC announced that after 11,298 ballot boxes had been
recounted, there was no sign of fraud or violations.
The new parliament opened on 14 June 2010. As of mid-October, no government had been formed
Source: Wikipedia: Politics of Iraq
presidential council. The election system for the council effectively ensures that all three of Iraq's major ethnic groups are
represented. The constitution also includes basic freedoms like freedom of religion, speech, and assembly, and is perceived by some
to be more progressive than the U.S. Constitution. Controversially, however, it states that all laws that were in effect on the transfer
date cannot be repealed. Furthermore, since the coalition forces are currently working to maintain order and create a stable society
under the United Nations, coalition troops can remain in control of the country indefinitely despite the transfer of sovereignty. Since
Iraqi forces are currently considered not fully trained and equipped to police and secure their country, it is expected that coalition
troops will remain until Iraqi forces no longer require their support. However, these rules will be set aside once the Transitional
National Assembly is seated.
On 5 April 2005, the Iraqi National Assembly appointed Jalal Talabani, a prominent Kurdish leader, President. It also appointed
Adel Abdul Mehdi, a Shiite Arab, and Ghazi al-Yawar, the former Interim President and a Sunni Arab, as Vice Presidents. Ibrahim
al-Jaafari a Shiite, whose United Iraq Alliance Party won the largest share of the vote, was appointed the new Prime Minister of
Iraq. Most power is vested in him. The new government was faced with two major tasks. The first is to attempt to rein in a violent
insurgency, which has blighted the country in recent months, killing many Iraqi civilians and officials as well as a number of U.S.
troops. (As of mid-2005, approximately 135,000 American troops remain in Iraq with 2,214 U.S. soldiers killed.) The second
major task was to re-engage in the writing of a new Iraqi constitution, as outlined above, to replace the Iraqi transitional constitution
of 2004.
A parliamentary election was held in Iraq on 7 March 2010. The election decided the 325 members of the Council of
Representatives of Iraq who will elect the Iraqi Prime Minister and President. The election resulted in a partial victory for the Iraqi
National Movement, led by former Interim Prime Minister Ayad Allawi, which won a total of 91 seats, making it the largest alliance
in the Council. The State of Law Coalition, led by incumbent Prime Minister Nouri Al-Maliki, was the second largest grouping with
89 seats.
The election has been controversial. Prior to the election, the Supreme Court in Iraq ruled that the existing electoral law/rule was
unconstitutional, and a new elections law made major changes in the electoral system. On 15 January 2010 Iraq's electoral
commission banned 499 candidates from the election due to alleged links with the Ba'ath Party. Before the start of the campaign on
12 February 2010, the IHEC confirmed that the appeals by banned candidates had been rejected and thus all 456 banned
candidates would not be allowed to run for the election. The Supreme Court has not made a final ruling on the matter. A recount of
the votes in Baghdad was ordered on 19 April 2010. On 14 May IHEC announced that after 11,298 ballot boxes had been
recounted, there was no sign of fraud or violations.
The new parliament opened on 14 June 2010. As of mid-October, no government had been formed
Source: Wikipedia: Politics of Iraq
| INTERNATIONAL DISPUTES |
Coalition forces assist Iraqis in monitoring internal and cross-border security; approximately two million Iraqis have fled the conflict
in Iraq, with the majority taking refuge in Syria and Jordan, and lesser numbers to Egypt, Lebanon, Iran, and Turkey; Iraq's lack of
a maritime boundary with Iran prompts jurisdiction disputes beyond the mouth of the Shatt al Arab in the Persian Gulf; Turkey has
expressed concern over the autonomous status of Kurds in Iraq
in Iraq, with the majority taking refuge in Syria and Jordan, and lesser numbers to Egypt, Lebanon, Iran, and Turkey; Iraq's lack of
a maritime boundary with Iran prompts jurisdiction disputes beyond the mouth of the Shatt al Arab in the Persian Gulf; Turkey has
expressed concern over the autonomous status of Kurds in Iraq
| REFUGEES AND INTERNALLY DISPLACED PERSONS (IDPS) |
Refugees (country of origin): 10,000-15,000 (Palestinian Territories); 11,773 (Iran); 16,832 (Turkey)
IDPs: 2.4 million (ongoing US-led war and ethno-sectarian violence) (2007)
IDPs: 2.4 million (ongoing US-led war and ethno-sectarian violence) (2007)
| ILLICIT DRUGS |
None reported.
| HUMAN RIGHTS STATEMENTS, ANALYSIS AND CRITIQUES |
2009 Human Rights Report: Iraq
Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor
2009 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices
March 11, 2010
Iraq, with a population of approximately 29 million, is a republic with a freely elected government led by Prime Minister Nouri Jawad al-
Maliki. The current administration assumed office in 2006 after the Council of Representatives (COR) approved a unity government
composed of the major political parties. The 2005 COR elections establishing this government met internationally recognized electoral
standards for free and fair elections, and the results of the elections reflected the will of the voters, according to the final report of the
International Mission for Iraqi Elections.
During the year, the general security situation in the country improved substantially. Violence decreased to the lowest level since 2004,
although attacks on military, police, and civilians continued. Compared to the previous year, civilian deaths from violence during the year
fell 47 percent to an average of seven civilian deaths per day and Iraqi Security Forces (ISF) deaths from violence fell by 52 percent to
an average of 1.4 ISF deaths per day. Successful ISF operations contributed to decreasing violence by consolidating government control
of areas Shia special groups and other extremists previously dominated. Sectarian killing declined due to the continued observance,
except by some breakaway factions, of a series of unilateral ceasefires the Shia militia Jaysh al-Mahdi (JAM) first announced in 2007,
and the continued efforts of "Sons of Iraq" (SOI) neighborhood security forces –- initiated in 2007 and 2008 and mostly affiliated with
Sunni tribal groups –- to undermine the influence of the terrorist group Al-Qa'ida in Iraq (AQI) and other largely Sunni extremists.
During the year, the Ministry of Interior (MOI) and Ministry of Defense (MOD) increased the numbers of trained security forces to
more than 655,000, an increase of 65,000 from the 590,000 present at the end of 2008. The ISF assumed control of cities on June 30
from Multinational Force-Iraq (MNF-I) and, despite major coordinated terrorist attacks in August, October, and December, generally
maintained law and order effectively. Civilian authorities generally maintained control of the ISF. Continuing violence, corruption, and
organizational dysfunction undermined the government's ability to protect human rights.
During the year the following significant human rights problems were reported:
Insurgent and extremist violence, coupled with weak government performance in upholding the rule of law, resulted in widespread and
severe human rights abuses. Although their influence and ability to attack has significantly weakened since 2007, terrorist groups such as
AQI and other extremist elements continued to launch highly destructive attacks, attempting to fuel sectarian tensions and undermine the
government's ability to maintain law and order. Extremist and AQI attacks continued against ISF and government officials. AQI and
other extremists also conducted high-profile bombings targeting urban areas, particularly prominent government buildings, Shia markets,
and mosques, and killing Shia religious pilgrims. Religious minorities, sometimes labeled "anti-Islamic," were often targeted in the
violence. Insurgents also carried out a number of attacks against other civilians. During the year, despite some reconciliation and easing
of tensions in several provinces, the government's human rights performance consistently fell short of according citizens the protections
the law provides.
The constitution and law provide a strong framework for the free exercise of human rights. The country conducted credible and
legitimate provincial elections in 14 majority Arab provinces on January 31 and regional elections in the three provinces that make up the
Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) on July 25. The prime minister and minister of justice directed the MOD, in cooperation with
other government institutions, to transfer its civilian detainee population to Ministry of Justice (MOJ) custody. The passage of a new
electoral law on December 6 set the stage for national parliamentary elections in early 2010.
Click here to read more »
Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor
2009 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices
March 11, 2010
Iraq, with a population of approximately 29 million, is a republic with a freely elected government led by Prime Minister Nouri Jawad al-
Maliki. The current administration assumed office in 2006 after the Council of Representatives (COR) approved a unity government
composed of the major political parties. The 2005 COR elections establishing this government met internationally recognized electoral
standards for free and fair elections, and the results of the elections reflected the will of the voters, according to the final report of the
International Mission for Iraqi Elections.
During the year, the general security situation in the country improved substantially. Violence decreased to the lowest level since 2004,
although attacks on military, police, and civilians continued. Compared to the previous year, civilian deaths from violence during the year
fell 47 percent to an average of seven civilian deaths per day and Iraqi Security Forces (ISF) deaths from violence fell by 52 percent to
an average of 1.4 ISF deaths per day. Successful ISF operations contributed to decreasing violence by consolidating government control
of areas Shia special groups and other extremists previously dominated. Sectarian killing declined due to the continued observance,
except by some breakaway factions, of a series of unilateral ceasefires the Shia militia Jaysh al-Mahdi (JAM) first announced in 2007,
and the continued efforts of "Sons of Iraq" (SOI) neighborhood security forces –- initiated in 2007 and 2008 and mostly affiliated with
Sunni tribal groups –- to undermine the influence of the terrorist group Al-Qa'ida in Iraq (AQI) and other largely Sunni extremists.
During the year, the Ministry of Interior (MOI) and Ministry of Defense (MOD) increased the numbers of trained security forces to
more than 655,000, an increase of 65,000 from the 590,000 present at the end of 2008. The ISF assumed control of cities on June 30
from Multinational Force-Iraq (MNF-I) and, despite major coordinated terrorist attacks in August, October, and December, generally
maintained law and order effectively. Civilian authorities generally maintained control of the ISF. Continuing violence, corruption, and
organizational dysfunction undermined the government's ability to protect human rights.
During the year the following significant human rights problems were reported:
- arbitrary or unlawful killings; insurgent and terrorist bombings and executions;
- disruption of authority by sectarian, criminal, and extremist groups;
- arbitrary deprivation of life;
- disappearances;
- torture and other cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment or punishment;
- impunity;
- poor conditions in pretrial detention and prison facilities;
- denial of fair public trials;
- delays in resolving property restitution claims;
- immature judicial institutions lacking capacity;
- arbitrary arrest and detention;
- arbitrary interference with privacy and home;
- other abuses in internal conflicts;
- limits on freedoms of speech, press, assembly, and association due to sectarianism and extremist threats and violence;
- limits on religious freedom due to extremist threats and violence;
- restrictions on freedom of movement;
- large numbers of internally displaced persons (IDPs) and refugees;
- lack of protection of refugees and stateless persons;
- lack of transparency and significant widespread corruption at all levels of government;
- constraints on international organizations and nongovernmental organizations' (NGOs) investigations of alleged violations of
human rights; - discrimination against and societal abuses of women and ethnic and religious minorities;
- human trafficking;
- societal discrimination and violence against individuals based on sexual orientation;
- limited exercise of labor rights.
Insurgent and extremist violence, coupled with weak government performance in upholding the rule of law, resulted in widespread and
severe human rights abuses. Although their influence and ability to attack has significantly weakened since 2007, terrorist groups such as
AQI and other extremist elements continued to launch highly destructive attacks, attempting to fuel sectarian tensions and undermine the
government's ability to maintain law and order. Extremist and AQI attacks continued against ISF and government officials. AQI and
other extremists also conducted high-profile bombings targeting urban areas, particularly prominent government buildings, Shia markets,
and mosques, and killing Shia religious pilgrims. Religious minorities, sometimes labeled "anti-Islamic," were often targeted in the
violence. Insurgents also carried out a number of attacks against other civilians. During the year, despite some reconciliation and easing
of tensions in several provinces, the government's human rights performance consistently fell short of according citizens the protections
the law provides.
The constitution and law provide a strong framework for the free exercise of human rights. The country conducted credible and
legitimate provincial elections in 14 majority Arab provinces on January 31 and regional elections in the three provinces that make up the
Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) on July 25. The prime minister and minister of justice directed the MOD, in cooperation with
other government institutions, to transfer its civilian detainee population to Ministry of Justice (MOJ) custody. The passage of a new
electoral law on December 6 set the stage for national parliamentary elections in early 2010.
Click here to read more »
On World Habitat Day the United Nations and the Government of Iraq Reaffirm Commitment to Respond to Housing Needs
in Iraq
Baghdad, 4 October 2010
The Ministry of Construction and Housing (MoCH) in Iraq marked World Habitat Day by launching the Iraq National Housing Policy in a
ceremony held in Baghdad.
The policy will respond to housing needs in Iraq and ensure the right of housing and adequate shelter is granted to all people in Iraq.
Iraq’s housing shortages stand at approximately two million units affecting over three hundred thousand families throughout the country.
The current centralized system of housing delivery is unable to reach the growing housing demands resulting from population growth,
urbanization and deterioration of existing housing. By now 71% of Iraqis live in urban areas, 37% of urban houses have three or more
people per room. According to UN-HABITAT’s definition, 57% of the urban population experience one or more slum conditions.
Over the past 18 months the UN-HABITAT Iraq Programme has supported the MoCH to formulate this policy in consultation with a
range of ministries linked to the housing sector and non-Government stakeholders, as well as Iraqi and international housing experts. It is
built on analysis of key thematic areas in the housing sector: land management, housing production, housing finance, infrastructure for
housing, housing management and maintenance, construction materials and informal housing.
“I am very pleased this Policy is launched today as it will be a mile-stone in responding to housing and shelter needs and improving
access to basic services, a top priority for our work in Iraq.” said Doudou Mbye UN-Habitat Representative in Iraq. “However, this is
only a starting point and the real challenge will be in the implementation of the policy. UN-HABITAT is committed to work with the
different partners to make Iraq a country where everyone has decent housing and shelter. This is crucial in making a positive difference
in the lives of each and every Iraqi individual”, he concluded.
The ceremony was attended by Ministers and senior representatives of the Ministry of Construction and Housing, Ministry of
Municipalities and Public Works, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Office of the Prime Minister. The UN was represented by Dyfed
Aubrey of UN-HABITAT and Natsuko Yukawa of UNDP. UNDP will work alongside UN-HABITAT in support of the implementation of
the National Housing Policy in Phase 3 of the Strengthening the Capacity of the Housing Sector in Iraq Programme.
In her address, HE Mrs Bayan Dezayee, Minister of Construction and Housing, praised the housing policy, emphasizing that it is in line
with the National Development Plan and in line with the Government of Iraq’s approach to reconstructing Iraq. She also outlined
ongoing projects of the Ministry of Construction and Housing, admiring the efforts of the MoCH, foreign and national experts, and
especially the efforts of UN-HABITAT in developing Iraq’s National Housing Policy.
Click here to read more »
in Iraq
Baghdad, 4 October 2010
The Ministry of Construction and Housing (MoCH) in Iraq marked World Habitat Day by launching the Iraq National Housing Policy in a
ceremony held in Baghdad.
The policy will respond to housing needs in Iraq and ensure the right of housing and adequate shelter is granted to all people in Iraq.
Iraq’s housing shortages stand at approximately two million units affecting over three hundred thousand families throughout the country.
The current centralized system of housing delivery is unable to reach the growing housing demands resulting from population growth,
urbanization and deterioration of existing housing. By now 71% of Iraqis live in urban areas, 37% of urban houses have three or more
people per room. According to UN-HABITAT’s definition, 57% of the urban population experience one or more slum conditions.
Over the past 18 months the UN-HABITAT Iraq Programme has supported the MoCH to formulate this policy in consultation with a
range of ministries linked to the housing sector and non-Government stakeholders, as well as Iraqi and international housing experts. It is
built on analysis of key thematic areas in the housing sector: land management, housing production, housing finance, infrastructure for
housing, housing management and maintenance, construction materials and informal housing.
“I am very pleased this Policy is launched today as it will be a mile-stone in responding to housing and shelter needs and improving
access to basic services, a top priority for our work in Iraq.” said Doudou Mbye UN-Habitat Representative in Iraq. “However, this is
only a starting point and the real challenge will be in the implementation of the policy. UN-HABITAT is committed to work with the
different partners to make Iraq a country where everyone has decent housing and shelter. This is crucial in making a positive difference
in the lives of each and every Iraqi individual”, he concluded.
The ceremony was attended by Ministers and senior representatives of the Ministry of Construction and Housing, Ministry of
Municipalities and Public Works, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Office of the Prime Minister. The UN was represented by Dyfed
Aubrey of UN-HABITAT and Natsuko Yukawa of UNDP. UNDP will work alongside UN-HABITAT in support of the implementation of
the National Housing Policy in Phase 3 of the Strengthening the Capacity of the Housing Sector in Iraq Programme.
In her address, HE Mrs Bayan Dezayee, Minister of Construction and Housing, praised the housing policy, emphasizing that it is in line
with the National Development Plan and in line with the Government of Iraq’s approach to reconstructing Iraq. She also outlined
ongoing projects of the Ministry of Construction and Housing, admiring the efforts of the MoCH, foreign and national experts, and
especially the efforts of UN-HABITAT in developing Iraq’s National Housing Policy.
Click here to read more »
Freedom In The World 2010 Report
Political Rights Score: 5
Civil Liberties Score: 6
Status: Not Free
Ratings Change
Iraq’s political rights rating improved from 6 to 5 due to free and competitive provincial elections in early 2009 and an
increase in the Iraqi government’s autonomy as U.S. troops began their phased withdrawal.
Overview
In January 2009, Iraq held provincial elections that were originally scheduled for October 2008. Under electoral legislation passed in late
2008, voters could choose candidates rather than party lists, the use of religious symbols in campaigning was restricted, a 25 percent
quota was set for female council members, and just six seats—down from 15 in an earlier draft—were set aside for Christians and other
small minorities out of a total of 440 provincial council seats. The voting was largely peaceful, and turnout in most provinces ranged
from 50 percent to 75 percent. On the whole, al-Maliki’s Da’wa party emerged as the winner, though it needed to form coalitions to
govern in most provinces. Sharp political and sectarian divisions remained, however; in five provinces the leading parties missed April
deadlines, delaying the formation of governments.
The January elections did not include the autonomous Kurdish region or the contested province of Kirkuk. A referendum to determine
whether Kirkuk would join the Kurdish region remained delayed, despite a constitutional provision that had required it before the end of
2007. In Ninewa—another province divided between Sunni Arabs and Kurds, as well as Turkmens and a number of smaller groups—the
Kurds lost representation due to greater participation by Sunni Arab and Turkmen voters, who had largely abstained from earlier
provincial balloting. Elections in July for the Kurdish regional parliament and presidency featured high turnout and a fairly strong
showing by a new opposition bloc called Gorran (Change), which took about a quarter of the parliamentary vote.Nevertheless, the ruling
PUK-KDP alliance maintained its dominance, and President Massoud Barzani of the KDP won reelection. Gorran alleged that many of its
supporters were subsequently fired from government jobs.
In November, the parliament passed a new election law to govern the 2010 national elections. However, it was vetoed by the presidency
council, as Vice President Tariq al-Hashimi, a Sunni, argued that it did not provide enough representation to Iraqis residing abroad. A
slightly revised law was finally passed in December. It called for an open-list, proportional-representation voting system, with
multimember districts corresponding to the 18 provinces. A total of eight seats were reserved for Christians and other small religious
minorities. Under an internationally brokered compromise on Kirkuk, Sunni Arab, Turkmen, and Kurdish factions agreed to use a 2009
voter registry rather than an older version, despite their suspicions about the legitimacy of a large influx of Kurdish residents since 2003;
however, the election results would be subject to a UN-led investigation if fraud was alleged.
Under a 2008 security agreement between Iraq and the United States, U.S. troops in 2009 completed a withdrawal from Iraqi cities and
transferred authority over security and combat operations to Iraqi forces. Iraqi officials also obtained authority over prisoners and the
power to prosecute U.S. personnel in some circumstances. About 140,000 U.S. troops were stationed in Iraq as of early 2009, and the U.
S. government planned to withdraw most from the country by late 2010, though up to 50,000 could remain through the end of 2011,
when all U.S. forces had to leave under the security pact. Despite the Iraqi government’s increased autonomy, it was unable to provide
basic services to its people; certain areas of Baghdad still received only six hours of electricity daily.
The U.S. withdrawal came in the context of apparently durable security improvements since 2007, when an additional 30,000 U.S.
troops had been deployed to help suppress rampant sectarian and insurgent violence. Sunni militias had also increasingly turned against
the insurgency and Al-Qaeda in those years. Between 379 and 677 Iraqi civilians and security personnel were killed monthly between
January and October 2009, a considerable decline from 2008 numbers. The violence that remained often had a sectarian character; 35
Shiite pilgrims were killed by a suicide bomber in February, as were another 140 in April, and Shiite mosques in Baghdad and Karbala
were bombed in September. There were almost daily attacks in the ethnically, religiously, and politically contested city of Mosul. A
coordinated series of bombings struck Christian sites in Baghdad and Mosul in July; other minorities, including Turkmens and Shabaks,
were also targets of periodic violence.
Other attacks during the year focused on Iraqi government sites. The police academy was bombed in March, as were the offices of the
Iraqi army. Insurgents attacked government food-distribution centers in April, and police officers at checkpoints across the country
were targeted immediately after Ramadan. In October, the deadliest bombing in two years struck the Justice Ministry and the Baghdad
provincial council complex, killing over 150 people and wounding more than 500.
Click here to read more »
Political Rights Score: 5
Civil Liberties Score: 6
Status: Not Free
Ratings Change
Iraq’s political rights rating improved from 6 to 5 due to free and competitive provincial elections in early 2009 and an
increase in the Iraqi government’s autonomy as U.S. troops began their phased withdrawal.
Overview
In January 2009, Iraq held provincial elections that were originally scheduled for October 2008. Under electoral legislation passed in late
2008, voters could choose candidates rather than party lists, the use of religious symbols in campaigning was restricted, a 25 percent
quota was set for female council members, and just six seats—down from 15 in an earlier draft—were set aside for Christians and other
small minorities out of a total of 440 provincial council seats. The voting was largely peaceful, and turnout in most provinces ranged
from 50 percent to 75 percent. On the whole, al-Maliki’s Da’wa party emerged as the winner, though it needed to form coalitions to
govern in most provinces. Sharp political and sectarian divisions remained, however; in five provinces the leading parties missed April
deadlines, delaying the formation of governments.
The January elections did not include the autonomous Kurdish region or the contested province of Kirkuk. A referendum to determine
whether Kirkuk would join the Kurdish region remained delayed, despite a constitutional provision that had required it before the end of
2007. In Ninewa—another province divided between Sunni Arabs and Kurds, as well as Turkmens and a number of smaller groups—the
Kurds lost representation due to greater participation by Sunni Arab and Turkmen voters, who had largely abstained from earlier
provincial balloting. Elections in July for the Kurdish regional parliament and presidency featured high turnout and a fairly strong
showing by a new opposition bloc called Gorran (Change), which took about a quarter of the parliamentary vote.Nevertheless, the ruling
PUK-KDP alliance maintained its dominance, and President Massoud Barzani of the KDP won reelection. Gorran alleged that many of its
supporters were subsequently fired from government jobs.
In November, the parliament passed a new election law to govern the 2010 national elections. However, it was vetoed by the presidency
council, as Vice President Tariq al-Hashimi, a Sunni, argued that it did not provide enough representation to Iraqis residing abroad. A
slightly revised law was finally passed in December. It called for an open-list, proportional-representation voting system, with
multimember districts corresponding to the 18 provinces. A total of eight seats were reserved for Christians and other small religious
minorities. Under an internationally brokered compromise on Kirkuk, Sunni Arab, Turkmen, and Kurdish factions agreed to use a 2009
voter registry rather than an older version, despite their suspicions about the legitimacy of a large influx of Kurdish residents since 2003;
however, the election results would be subject to a UN-led investigation if fraud was alleged.
Under a 2008 security agreement between Iraq and the United States, U.S. troops in 2009 completed a withdrawal from Iraqi cities and
transferred authority over security and combat operations to Iraqi forces. Iraqi officials also obtained authority over prisoners and the
power to prosecute U.S. personnel in some circumstances. About 140,000 U.S. troops were stationed in Iraq as of early 2009, and the U.
S. government planned to withdraw most from the country by late 2010, though up to 50,000 could remain through the end of 2011,
when all U.S. forces had to leave under the security pact. Despite the Iraqi government’s increased autonomy, it was unable to provide
basic services to its people; certain areas of Baghdad still received only six hours of electricity daily.
The U.S. withdrawal came in the context of apparently durable security improvements since 2007, when an additional 30,000 U.S.
troops had been deployed to help suppress rampant sectarian and insurgent violence. Sunni militias had also increasingly turned against
the insurgency and Al-Qaeda in those years. Between 379 and 677 Iraqi civilians and security personnel were killed monthly between
January and October 2009, a considerable decline from 2008 numbers. The violence that remained often had a sectarian character; 35
Shiite pilgrims were killed by a suicide bomber in February, as were another 140 in April, and Shiite mosques in Baghdad and Karbala
were bombed in September. There were almost daily attacks in the ethnically, religiously, and politically contested city of Mosul. A
coordinated series of bombings struck Christian sites in Baghdad and Mosul in July; other minorities, including Turkmens and Shabaks,
were also targets of periodic violence.
Other attacks during the year focused on Iraqi government sites. The police academy was bombed in March, as were the offices of the
Iraqi army. Insurgents attacked government food-distribution centers in April, and police officers at checkpoints across the country
were targeted immediately after Ramadan. In October, the deadliest bombing in two years struck the Justice Ministry and the Baghdad
provincial council complex, killing over 150 people and wounding more than 500.
Click here to read more »
23 September 2010
Health Professional Action
Iraq: Prisoner receives medical treatment
Amnesty International has received confirmation from the Belgian embassy in Jordan that Oussama Atar has been transferred to the
prison of Nasseriyah, a city in the south of the country. The prison is equipped with some of the most modern medical facilities of any
prison in Iraq. According to the latest information, the transfer happened this summer thanks to efforts by the Belgian embassy.
The Belgian embassy in Jordan has told Amnesty International that a fibroscopy conducted in August confirmed the presence of a
tumour in Oussama Atar’s kidney and that, according to the prison authorities, tests would be carried out at al-Hussein Hospital in
September 2010 and would be followed by surgery. This is likely to take place in the same hospital before the end of September.
According to information received by Amnesty International, efforts by the Belgian embassy have been crucial in allowing Oussama to
obtain the medical treatment he is undergoing.
We will continue to follow the case closely and will update members of the outcome of the medical intervention.
Click here to read more »
Health Professional Action
Iraq: Prisoner receives medical treatment
Amnesty International has received confirmation from the Belgian embassy in Jordan that Oussama Atar has been transferred to the
prison of Nasseriyah, a city in the south of the country. The prison is equipped with some of the most modern medical facilities of any
prison in Iraq. According to the latest information, the transfer happened this summer thanks to efforts by the Belgian embassy.
The Belgian embassy in Jordan has told Amnesty International that a fibroscopy conducted in August confirmed the presence of a
tumour in Oussama Atar’s kidney and that, according to the prison authorities, tests would be carried out at al-Hussein Hospital in
September 2010 and would be followed by surgery. This is likely to take place in the same hospital before the end of September.
According to information received by Amnesty International, efforts by the Belgian embassy have been crucial in allowing Oussama to
obtain the medical treatment he is undergoing.
We will continue to follow the case closely and will update members of the outcome of the medical intervention.
Click here to read more »
A Fatwa on FGM is Only Part of the Solution
by Nadya Khalife
Published in: The Awene
September 18, 2010
The Kurdistan Islamic Scholars Union, the highest Muslim authority in Iraqi Kurdistan for religious pronouncements and rulings, issued a
fatwa or religious edict last month. This would not have been particularly newsworthy, except that this particular fatwa stated that
"female circumcision" is not an Islamic practice.
While the fatwa did not forbid the practice, known to the world as female genital mutilation, its clear and unequivocal statement that the
practice is not required by Islam was significant for women in Kurdistan, where the practice is widespread. The practice is not
mentioned in the Quran, and many other Muslim scholars have disassociated the practice from Islam. Until last month, the Kurdistan
Islamic Scholars Union had not joined those ranks.
Many women in Kurdistan told Human Rights Watch researchers that they believed they had a religious obligation to take their daughters
for genital cutting, as documented in the recent report, "They Took Me and Told Me Nothing." The fatwa will help dispel that belief and
should begin to lead to a reduction of the practice in the name of Islam.
But it's not all good news yet. The fatwa does not explicitly ban female genital mutilation, and the failure to prohibit it altogether remains
troubling because parents may still decide to subject their daughters to this practice. Female Genital Mutilation has been internationally
recognized as a harmful traditional practice that is medically unnecessary and irreversible, causing immediate and long-term health
consequences. These consequences may include immediate pain, trauma from undergoing the procedure, haemorrhaging, and numerous
other physical, mental, and sexual health effects later in life.
Mothers, grandmothers, aunts, and even older sisters make arrangements with the village midwife to cut the girls in the family. Fathers
often view genital cutting as a prerequisite for maintaining their girls' purity and honor, but they play a less active role in making these
preparations. Nevertheless a young woman told Human Rights Watch that she and her sisters are protecting their youngest sister. "Gola"
said that every time her father asks if his youngest daughter has been taken for genital cutting, they pretend that she has.
According to the 2006/2007 Iraqi Family Health Survey Report (IFHS) conducted by the World Health Organization (WHO), nearly 43.3
percent of women in Iraqi Kurdistan cannot read or write. The majority of women interviewed by Human Rights Watch in several
villages in northern Iraq only completed six years of primary school education. Our interviews revealed that some women were
completely unaware of the serious and sometimes deadly consequences associated with female genital mutilation.
Others told us that they found out about the dangers far too late. They told Human Rights Watch that had they been warned earlier, they
would have not forced their young girls to undergo this procedure. Other girls told us that their mothers still feel a sense of resentment
for having succumbed to social pressures to mutilate their girls, but at that time, they said, the mothers did not know the harm it could
cause.
Click here to read more »
by Nadya Khalife
Published in: The Awene
September 18, 2010
The Kurdistan Islamic Scholars Union, the highest Muslim authority in Iraqi Kurdistan for religious pronouncements and rulings, issued a
fatwa or religious edict last month. This would not have been particularly newsworthy, except that this particular fatwa stated that
"female circumcision" is not an Islamic practice.
While the fatwa did not forbid the practice, known to the world as female genital mutilation, its clear and unequivocal statement that the
practice is not required by Islam was significant for women in Kurdistan, where the practice is widespread. The practice is not
mentioned in the Quran, and many other Muslim scholars have disassociated the practice from Islam. Until last month, the Kurdistan
Islamic Scholars Union had not joined those ranks.
Many women in Kurdistan told Human Rights Watch researchers that they believed they had a religious obligation to take their daughters
for genital cutting, as documented in the recent report, "They Took Me and Told Me Nothing." The fatwa will help dispel that belief and
should begin to lead to a reduction of the practice in the name of Islam.
But it's not all good news yet. The fatwa does not explicitly ban female genital mutilation, and the failure to prohibit it altogether remains
troubling because parents may still decide to subject their daughters to this practice. Female Genital Mutilation has been internationally
recognized as a harmful traditional practice that is medically unnecessary and irreversible, causing immediate and long-term health
consequences. These consequences may include immediate pain, trauma from undergoing the procedure, haemorrhaging, and numerous
other physical, mental, and sexual health effects later in life.
Mothers, grandmothers, aunts, and even older sisters make arrangements with the village midwife to cut the girls in the family. Fathers
often view genital cutting as a prerequisite for maintaining their girls' purity and honor, but they play a less active role in making these
preparations. Nevertheless a young woman told Human Rights Watch that she and her sisters are protecting their youngest sister. "Gola"
said that every time her father asks if his youngest daughter has been taken for genital cutting, they pretend that she has.
According to the 2006/2007 Iraqi Family Health Survey Report (IFHS) conducted by the World Health Organization (WHO), nearly 43.3
percent of women in Iraqi Kurdistan cannot read or write. The majority of women interviewed by Human Rights Watch in several
villages in northern Iraq only completed six years of primary school education. Our interviews revealed that some women were
completely unaware of the serious and sometimes deadly consequences associated with female genital mutilation.
Others told us that they found out about the dangers far too late. They told Human Rights Watch that had they been warned earlier, they
would have not forced their young girls to undergo this procedure. Other girls told us that their mothers still feel a sense of resentment
for having succumbed to social pressures to mutilate their girls, but at that time, they said, the mothers did not know the harm it could
cause.
Click here to read more »
TRANSLATED FROM ARABIC BY GOOGLE TRANSLATE
President Jalal Talabani, Iraq speech before the General Assembly of the United Nations in its sixty-fifth
September 24, 2010
"In the name of God the Merciful
Madam President,
Have resulted in the ongoing political process since the collapse of the dictatorial regime in 2003 to radical political change in Iraq
reflected in the construction of a federal democratic, united and independent in light of constitutional institutions are respected and an
elected government under the Constitution. It was not the way to reaching this goal easy and a temple, but faced many challenges, and
was in the forefront of confronting the forces of extremism, sectarianism and factionalism, and respond to terrorism and the remnants
of the previous dictatorial regime which is trying to return Iraq to the era of darkness and mass graves and senseless wars and I have
used these powers various means, including the most heinous crimes, and allied with organized crime and global terrorist networks and
cross-regional countries in order to destabilize the security and stability of Iraq and to reach that goal. The main task of the Government
of Iraq is to provide security throughout Iraq and strengthen national unity and the rule of law.
Since I stood before you in the past year, there have been important developments in Iraq, I saw last year and this year, a significant
decrease in violence and a marked improvement in the security situation in Iraq, although there were some terrorist acts which targeted
innocent civilians here and there. To improve the security situation is the one who paved the way for the withdrawal of the United States
of America for its combat troops operating in Iraq and complete the pullout in the 31/08/2010, based on the agreement signed between
the two countries on the withdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraq and organizing activities during its temporary presence in which signed
between the parties as of 17 / 11/2008.
This year also saw the success of legislative elections held on 7 / March 2010 and caught the attention of Arab, regional and international
large. All the observers from the United Nations Mission for Assistance in Iraq and the Organization of Islamic Conference and the
League of Arab States in addition to international observers and civil society organizations expressed confidence that transparent and fair
elections and freedom.
Currently, the main political parties are in constant contact for a productive session of the newly elected Council of Representatives
elected the new Chairman of the Board and President of the Republic, and then asked the president-elect of the new prime minister to
form a government based on the provisions of the Constitution of Iraq. We hope to form this new government at the earliest possible
opportunity, since any delay in the formation affect negatively on the security situation, reconstruction and prosperity.
Click here to read more »
President Jalal Talabani, Iraq speech before the General Assembly of the United Nations in its sixty-fifth
September 24, 2010
"In the name of God the Merciful
Madam President,
Have resulted in the ongoing political process since the collapse of the dictatorial regime in 2003 to radical political change in Iraq
reflected in the construction of a federal democratic, united and independent in light of constitutional institutions are respected and an
elected government under the Constitution. It was not the way to reaching this goal easy and a temple, but faced many challenges, and
was in the forefront of confronting the forces of extremism, sectarianism and factionalism, and respond to terrorism and the remnants
of the previous dictatorial regime which is trying to return Iraq to the era of darkness and mass graves and senseless wars and I have
used these powers various means, including the most heinous crimes, and allied with organized crime and global terrorist networks and
cross-regional countries in order to destabilize the security and stability of Iraq and to reach that goal. The main task of the Government
of Iraq is to provide security throughout Iraq and strengthen national unity and the rule of law.
Since I stood before you in the past year, there have been important developments in Iraq, I saw last year and this year, a significant
decrease in violence and a marked improvement in the security situation in Iraq, although there were some terrorist acts which targeted
innocent civilians here and there. To improve the security situation is the one who paved the way for the withdrawal of the United States
of America for its combat troops operating in Iraq and complete the pullout in the 31/08/2010, based on the agreement signed between
the two countries on the withdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraq and organizing activities during its temporary presence in which signed
between the parties as of 17 / 11/2008.
This year also saw the success of legislative elections held on 7 / March 2010 and caught the attention of Arab, regional and international
large. All the observers from the United Nations Mission for Assistance in Iraq and the Organization of Islamic Conference and the
League of Arab States in addition to international observers and civil society organizations expressed confidence that transparent and fair
elections and freedom.
Currently, the main political parties are in constant contact for a productive session of the newly elected Council of Representatives
elected the new Chairman of the Board and President of the Republic, and then asked the president-elect of the new prime minister to
form a government based on the provisions of the Constitution of Iraq. We hope to form this new government at the earliest possible
opportunity, since any delay in the formation affect negatively on the security situation, reconstruction and prosperity.
Click here to read more »
Iraq Human Rights Ministry: Human rights file is not a priority now
Posted: September 17, 2010
(17 September 2010) Announced the Iraqi Human Rights Ministry, said Friday that a file of personal freedoms is not its priorities now,
given the vast amount of the violations in Iraq, saying it would be serious in dealing with this file with political stability and security.
The general director of performance and follow-up in the Ministry of Human Rights Kamel Amin Hashim said in an interview for
“Alsumaria News”, “The issue of freedoms of Iraq is not a priority of his ministry at the moment, given what he inherited a huge amount
of violations of human rights conditions, and the security situation and terrorism issues, as well as follow-up to the rights of women and
children and the disabled. “
Hashem added that “the Ministry of Human Rights has given priority to those files, and, if treated with a stable political and security
ministry will be serious open a file of personal freedoms guaranteed by the Constitution of Iraq.”
The United Nations representative in Iraq Ed Mlkrt expressed in the report presented on the fourth of August last session of the United
Nations in New York and received a “Alsumaria News” copy of, concern about the deteriorating human rights situation in Iraq.
The general manager of performance and follow-up to “The ministry is waiting to see the country’s political stability and security, and to
form the government and parliament is meeting for the purpose of activating some of the constitutional articles that need to enact laws,”
referring to “a lot of the constitutional articles that need to enact laws to activate and organize to be binding, even to the government
such as laws of freedom of expression and peaceful assembly and freedom of information, as well as the Personal Status Law and
Article 41 different constitutionally. “
The Secretary of the Iraqi Human Rights outgoing Wajdan stated for “Alsumaria News”, the end of the year, 2009, that the ministry was
able to reduce the size of human rights violations in Iraq sharply during 2008 and 2009.
The Amnesty International said on Sunday 13 September, for there are at least thirty thousand detainees in Iraqi prisons were not
indicted after court rulings, as expected of torture and ill-treatment, in addition to the death of some detainees during their detention.
The director of Amnesty International’s Middle East and North Africa, Malcolm Smart said in a report about the organization and
received “Alsumaria News”, a copy of it, “The estimates confirm the existence of thirty thousand detainees in Iraq without trial, did not
provide the Iraqi authorities precise figures on the numbers,” noting that “About ten thousand of these detainees were handed over to the
Iraqis, the United States in the recent period with the end of the tasks of combat forces in Iraq.”
Click here to read more »
Posted: September 17, 2010
(17 September 2010) Announced the Iraqi Human Rights Ministry, said Friday that a file of personal freedoms is not its priorities now,
given the vast amount of the violations in Iraq, saying it would be serious in dealing with this file with political stability and security.
The general director of performance and follow-up in the Ministry of Human Rights Kamel Amin Hashim said in an interview for
“Alsumaria News”, “The issue of freedoms of Iraq is not a priority of his ministry at the moment, given what he inherited a huge amount
of violations of human rights conditions, and the security situation and terrorism issues, as well as follow-up to the rights of women and
children and the disabled. “
Hashem added that “the Ministry of Human Rights has given priority to those files, and, if treated with a stable political and security
ministry will be serious open a file of personal freedoms guaranteed by the Constitution of Iraq.”
The United Nations representative in Iraq Ed Mlkrt expressed in the report presented on the fourth of August last session of the United
Nations in New York and received a “Alsumaria News” copy of, concern about the deteriorating human rights situation in Iraq.
The general manager of performance and follow-up to “The ministry is waiting to see the country’s political stability and security, and to
form the government and parliament is meeting for the purpose of activating some of the constitutional articles that need to enact laws,”
referring to “a lot of the constitutional articles that need to enact laws to activate and organize to be binding, even to the government
such as laws of freedom of expression and peaceful assembly and freedom of information, as well as the Personal Status Law and
Article 41 different constitutionally. “
The Secretary of the Iraqi Human Rights outgoing Wajdan stated for “Alsumaria News”, the end of the year, 2009, that the ministry was
able to reduce the size of human rights violations in Iraq sharply during 2008 and 2009.
The Amnesty International said on Sunday 13 September, for there are at least thirty thousand detainees in Iraqi prisons were not
indicted after court rulings, as expected of torture and ill-treatment, in addition to the death of some detainees during their detention.
The director of Amnesty International’s Middle East and North Africa, Malcolm Smart said in a report about the organization and
received “Alsumaria News”, a copy of it, “The estimates confirm the existence of thirty thousand detainees in Iraq without trial, did not
provide the Iraqi authorities precise figures on the numbers,” noting that “About ten thousand of these detainees were handed over to the
Iraqis, the United States in the recent period with the end of the tasks of combat forces in Iraq.”
Click here to read more »
August 2010 Activities,
Issue 48
IF's Integrity Monitoring Groups Fight Corruption in Iraq
During the month of August, IF Staff worked hard to promote transparency and accountability in Iraq. As part of the Provincial
Accountability and Transparency Project (PAG), IF formed 15 Integrity Monitoring Groups (IMGs) to promote a dialogue on
transparency, identify areas that need improvement, and work with local officials to implement an agreed upon Agenda for Change. To
facilitate the IMGs’ work, IF arranged meetings in each of the 15 province to discuss difficulties encountered, work updates, and
coordinate with local provincial councils. In addition, the IMGs conducted visits to their local provincial council to discuss the draft
Agenda for Change in their provinces. Each IMG also conducted a local radio talk show with provincial council officials. During these
programs, IMGs described the steps that need to be taken to fight corruption in their local province.
In addition to this exciting work, IF PAG staff in Baghdad met with new U.S. Embassy anti-corruption officials on August 9th. The next
day, IF staff in Baghdad participated in a U.S. Embassy strategy meeting to discuss Iraqis anti-corruption policy.
Click here to read more>>
Issue 48
IF's Integrity Monitoring Groups Fight Corruption in Iraq
During the month of August, IF Staff worked hard to promote transparency and accountability in Iraq. As part of the Provincial
Accountability and Transparency Project (PAG), IF formed 15 Integrity Monitoring Groups (IMGs) to promote a dialogue on
transparency, identify areas that need improvement, and work with local officials to implement an agreed upon Agenda for Change. To
facilitate the IMGs’ work, IF arranged meetings in each of the 15 province to discuss difficulties encountered, work updates, and
coordinate with local provincial councils. In addition, the IMGs conducted visits to their local provincial council to discuss the draft
Agenda for Change in their provinces. Each IMG also conducted a local radio talk show with provincial council officials. During these
programs, IMGs described the steps that need to be taken to fight corruption in their local province.
In addition to this exciting work, IF PAG staff in Baghdad met with new U.S. Embassy anti-corruption officials on August 9th. The next
day, IF staff in Baghdad participated in a U.S. Embassy strategy meeting to discuss Iraqis anti-corruption policy.
Click here to read more>>
| Click map for larger view |
| Click flag for Country Report |
Jalal Talabani
President since 6 April 2005
President since 6 April 2005
Adil Abd al-Mahdi
Vice President since 22 April 2006
Vice President since 22 April 2006
| TRAFFICKING IN PERSONS |
None reported.
Tariq al-Hashimi
Vice President since 22 April 2006
Vice President since 22 April 2006
Rafi al-Issawi
Deputy Prime Minister since 19 July 2008
Deputy Prime Minister since 19 July 2008
Rowsch Nuri Shaways
Deputy Prime Minister since 11 January 2010
Deputy Prime Minister since 11 January 2010
