Labour Friends of Iraq

The Iraqi Community Association and the Evelyn Oldfield Unit have great pleasure in inviting you to attend the Iraqi community exhibition as part of the Refugee Community Project on Thursday 22nd September 2005, 7-9 pm, at Manilowa Room, Polish Social & Cultural Association, 238 – 246 King Street, London, W6 0RF.
The Refugee Community History Project is documenting the history of selected individuals from 15 refugee communities in London, through the collection of oral testimony. The project is being run by the Evelyn Oldfield Unit and funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund and the Trust for London.
This exhibition will celebrate the achievements of the Iraqis and highlight their contribution to the life of London. Over ten personalities, representing all walks of life and reflecting the diversity of our community have taken part in this pioneering work. The exhibition aims to promote a good image of refugees and present positive role models for young people. The exhibition programme will also include Iraqi lute music (oud), ancient Mesopotamian storyteller and Iraqi food.

The Labour magazine Progress says that liberal left knee-jerk anti-Americanism is pushing it into the arms of those who oppose its cherished values of freedom and democracy

The BBC carries a full version of the latest version of the Iraqi constitution.

Article One
The Republic of Iraq is an independent state.
Article Two
The political system is republican, parliamentary, democratic and federal.
1. Islam is a main source for legislation.
a. No law may contradict Islamic standards.
b. No law may contradict democratic standards.
c. No law may contradict the essential rights and freedoms mentioned in this constitution.
2. This constitution guarantees the Islamic identity of the Iraqi people and guarantees all religious rights; all persons are free within their ideology and ideological practices.
3. Iraq is part of the Islamic world and the Arabs are part of the Arab nation.
4. Arabic and Kurdish are the two official languages and Iraqis have the right to teach their sons their mother language like the Turkomen and Assyrian in the government educational institutes.
Article Five
Power is transferred peacefully through democratic ways.
Article Seven
1. Any organisation that follow a racist, terrorist, extremist, sectarian-leaning ideology or circulates or justifies such beliefs is banned, especially Saddam’s Ba’ath Party in Iraq and its symbols under any name.
2. The government is committed to fighting terrorism in all its forms, and works to protect Iraqi soil from being a centre or passage for terrorist activities.
Article 35
a. Human freedom and dignity are guaranteed.
b. No person can be detained or interrogated without a judicial order.
c. All kinds of physical and psychological torture and inhumane treatment are prohibited.
Article 36
The State guarantees:
1. Freedom of expression by all means.
2. Freedom of the press, printing, advertising and publishing.
Article 37
Freedom to establish political groups and organisations.
Article 39
Iraqis are free to abide in their personal lives according to their religion, sects, beliefs or choice. This should be organised by law.
Article 66
A presidential candidate should:
1. Be Iraqi by birth and the offspring of two Iraqi parents.
2. Be no less than 40-years-old.
3. Have a good reputation and political experience and be known as honest and faithful to the nation.
Article 75
The prime minister should have all the same qualifications and should have a university degree or its equivalent and should not be less than 35- years-old.
Article 107
Federal authorities should preserve Iraq’s unity, security, independence and sovereignty and its democratic federal system.
Article 109
Oil and gas are the property of all the Iraqi people in regions and provinces.
Article 110
The central government administers oil and gas extracted from current wells, along with governments of the producing regions and provinces, on the condition that revenues are distributed in a way that suits population distribution around the country.
Article 135
This constitution guarantees the administrative, political, cultural and educational rights of different ethnic groups such as Turkomen, Chaldean, Assyrians and other groups.
Article 144
The Iraq Supreme Criminal Court continues its work as a legislative, independent commission to look into the crimes of the former dictatorial regime and its symbols, and the Council of Deputies has the right to annul it after it ends its duties.
Article 151
No less than 25 per cent of Council of Deputies seats go to women.

The Iraqi Communist Party newspaper reports a recent gathering in Baghdad.

Amir Taheri in the Times wonders if the current constitution-making in Iraq could become a litmus test of democratic success in the Middle East.

The IFTU here outlines its views on the new Iraqi constitution

The full report of the TUC Conference on solidarity with Iraqi workers is here.

Many commentators regard the London terror attacks as Tony Blair’s payback for Britain’s role in Iraq. Sami Zubaida assesses the evidence.

James Hider in the Times reports on the Iraqi women who fear that democracy will crush freedom and that oppression and inequality may be enshrined in the new constitution.