Author: ericlee

His Excellency Mr Abdulmuhaimen Al-Oreibi Dear Mr Al-Oreibi Unjust punishment of Kareem Johi Sahan, Petrochemical Workers Union, Basra The TUC strongly protests the unjust punishment of Kareem Johi Sahan, a trade union leader of the Petrochemical Workers Union of Basra by the State Company for Petrochemical Industries (SCPI) – wholly owned by the Iraqi Government. We call on your government to drop the unjust disciplinary measures against him, and compensate him for any injuries suffered. As you may be aware, Kareem Johi led a peaceful workers’ protest in late January calling for SCPI to meet its pay obligations to workers. … Continue reading TUC protest to Iraqi Embassy

LFIQ Vice-President Harry Barnes highlights the plight of Iraqi widows on International Womens Day.

TUC calling for protests The TUC has called for protests to be aimed at the Iraqi Embassy in London over attempts by the Iraqi Government to seize control of the Iraqi Teachers Union (ITU). Urging trade union members to email their protest to the Iraqi Ambassador, the Chair of the TUC Iraq Solidarity Committee and Treasurer of teacher union NASUWT Sue Rogers said: ‘The Iraqi Government is acting like Saddam Hussein, treating unions as the property of the state. Iraqi trade unionists and teacher trade unions around the world are outraged at this latest attempt to seize control of our … Continue reading Iraqi Government tries to seize control of teacher union

Jeff Weintraub here discusses the provincial election results and differences on the future of Iraq between its different parties. He concludes that pluralist federalism in Iraq has to be recognized as a serious alternative to both partition and re-centralization, and I think we should all agree that for outsiders to try to force either of those alternatives on the Iraqis (including, let us not forget, that 20% Kurdish minority who are currently thriving in the northern provinces) would be a great mistake. Hat Tip: Normblog

Ranj Alaaldin and James Denselow debate progress in Iraq. Ranj Alaaldin argues that there is still room for improvement; public services, for example, are inadequate. However, the fact that success in Iraq is no longer being defined by the number of attacks the country suffers but by the standard of its services is a natural and welcome development, one that suggests Iraq has defied all the odds and is well on its way to becoming that flourishing, pluralistic state that few expected it to be, and one where the rule of law dictates over the rule of war.

This letter appears in the Guardian on 3rd March. Your reports indicate that Iraq provides both cause to celebrate and cause for concern as, for example, improvements in security coexist with corruption. Likewise, the growth of an independent labour movement is constrained by continuing restrictions from the Saddam era plus new curbs – their funds were frozen by the Iraqi government in 2005. We now understand that the leaders of the very large Iraqi Teachers’ Union are being threatened with jail if they don’t hand over their assets and membership lists. Longer term, there is great scope for increasing the … Continue reading Plea to help Iraqis escape their isolation

LFIQ Vice President Harry Barnes on his blog gives us the picture of the year from Iraq and quotes his favourite Iraqi blogger who says most people he knows were not voting based on sects, but on sense and hopes that a real democracy will be achieved in the land where the first laws of the human race were set.

Ranj Alaaldin examines what is at stake in the Iraqi provincial elections. He writes that millions of Iraqis will vote in elections that will select governing councils in 14 of Iraqs 18 provinces and play a critical role in determining the next direction the country takes. The electoral atmosphere is electric. Ordinary Iraqis find themselves part of an election frenzy that will culminate in a voting turnout that should eclipse those of previous elections. The elections could make a catalytic change to the political makeup of the country. They will set the stage for the national elections in December and … Continue reading Overview of Iraqi elections

Lord Judd – To ask Her Majestys Government what are their plans for extending support for the role of women in civil society in Iraq. Lord Brett: The UK supports a wide range of organisations and projects to develop the role of women in civil society in Iraq, including supporting the Iraqi Ministry of Human Rights and Women. As part of this, the Department for International Development’s (DfID) focus remains on the most vulnerable women through humanitarian contributions to the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), International Organisation for Migration (IoM), UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and the UN High … Continue reading Lords Question on women in Iraq

See here and here for two interesting reports on the election campaign in Iraq.