No consensus over census in Iraq

Kurdistan Region rejects postponement of National Census

Press statement by Kurdistan Region Presidency (KRP)

In response to unfounded fears and doubts, on 2 September 2009 the Iraqi cabinet decided to postpone the general census for one year, from October 2009 to October 2010. This decision is detrimental to the development of the political process in the new Iraq and to the best interests of the Iraqi people.

The Iraqi Council of Representatives (the parliament) that represents the majority of the Iraqi people approved a census to be conducted on 24 October 2009. The parliament called for a countrywide census no later than 31 December 2009 through a provision in the federal budget law No. 6 for 2009. This decision commanded the approval of not only the parliament but also the leadership of the Kurdistan Region, and even the support of Grand Ayatollah Ali Al-Sistani.

The postponement decision comes following repeated reassurances by the Iraqi Ministry of Planning that it is fully capable of conducting the census in October 2009. Over an extended period, the Planning Ministry has put in place comprehensive procedures for a first-of-its-kind census in Iraq that aims to meet the highest international standards. By forming monitoring teams composed of all political parties the Ministry has professionally taken into account the concerns of those who fear irregularities.

How can the federal Iraqi cabinet encroach its powers? Regrettably, those opposed to the census are those who oppose the Iraqi Constitution, the principle of national consensus, and the will of the Iraqi people. Unfortunately, these limited opposition voices have found support within the cabinet of the federal government.

The parliament, the federal government's own Ministry of Planning, all political parties, and even the UN Mission in Iraq do not favour postponing the census.

We would like to know the real reason behind this decision by the Iraqi Cabinet, especially when we consider baseless and unconvincing reasons, like the possibility of irregularities, or putting off the census until after amendments are made to the Constitution. Have unfounded concerns and demands of a few compelled the Iraqi Cabinet to postpone this momentous exercise that aims to benefit all citizens?

There are clearly political motives behind the decision to put off the census. These motives are related to efforts to abandon Article-140 of the Iraqi Constitution and to abort Article-20 of the federal budget law of the 2009 fiscal year.

Iraq urgently requires a census to promote the political process and to better plan its progress and economic development. Postponing the census will only do harm to Iraq’s social, economic, and political development. Indeed, the census is being taken hostage by the unfounded fears and political motives of a few who do not have the best interests of Iraq at heart.

We again reiterate that we want the rights of all sides to be respected and protected. We are against the fabricated trepidations of a few as a pretext to deny others their rights.

Together we fought for Iraq and for its people. We shall remain committed to the Iraqi Constitution as we shall remain committed to oppose all who stand in the way of Iraq striving toward prosperity and reclaiming its future.

We call on the Iraqi Cabinet to reconsider its decision to postpone the census. Only the parliament has such authority. We call on the Iraqi parliament to consider this matter seriously and act accordingly.

We further call on all sides to object to this disruptive action which will undoubtedly add another blow to the political and democratic process as well as to diminish Iraq’s constitutional gains. Unless reconsidered, this decision will inhibit efforts being made to move Iraq farther along on its way to social, economic, and political development from its current sad state.