5-02-05, 9:05 am

Iraqi Communist Party: Statement on Political Impasse

The Central Committee of the Iraqi Communist Party has issued a statement dealing with recent political developments in the country, especially regarding the current political impasse.

A meeting of the party's Central Committee, held on 22 April 2005, 'dealt with the situation caused by the delay in forming the transitional government, and the negative impact on the situation. It has given rise to feelings of disappointment and bitterness among the people who went to elections (on 30th January) looking forward to a secure life and stability, an improvement in their living conditions, alleviating their suffering and achieving progress in the face of enemies of democracy; the supporters of the dictatorial regime and the dark forces allied with them, who want to drag the country back to the nightmare of dictatorship'.

The statement said: 'The meeting noted that the stalemate in forming the government has significant meanings, as it continues under two contradictions: with the occupation forces, on one hand, and with the anti-people and anti-democratic forces, on the other hand. Two years after the fall of Saddam's regime, our country is still in a state of seeking an alternative. It is an alternative that our party, along with all the forces that truly aspire to liberation and a free dignified life, strive to be the national democratic alternative: a democratic, federal, pluralistic alternative, and state institutions based on justice and the rule of law'. 

'The struggle is currently taking place between competing forces and groups, against a background of the negative dimension of elections, manifested in sectarian-nationalist polarization and lack of political and election awareness. This struggle is about visions for Iraq's political future. This is taking place under an unstable balance of forces caused by the lack of participation of broad sections of the population in elections due to the deteriorating security situation in some areas and the refusal by some forces to take part. This indicates a potential re-alignment of forces in the forthcoming phase of the political process'.
'Increasing numbers of the electorate now realize, amid feelings of frustration and bitterness, that the bickering between the winners is over the distribution of positions and cabinet posts, in accordance with the infamous rule of dividing up these positions along sectarian-nationalist lines. This rule should have been brought to an end by the elections, rather than being reinforced, in a stark sign of utter disregard for the people's interests, their needs and aspirations. This sectarian-nationalist tendency has dominated the process of forming the government, along with tendencies to monopolize political power, despite repeated declarations claiming support for setting up 'a national unity government'. Political and social formations are meanwhile deliberately ignored. This situation has opened the door for the escalation of interference by international and regional quarters in the country's affairs, thus undermining the performance of state institutions and governmental bodies. As a result, forces of terror, that had received a severe blow in elections on 30th January, were given a boost'.

'… In the face of the political impasse and continuing stalemate in forming the government, despite electing the presidential council and the presidency of National Assembly, and with mounting dangers threatening the political process, the Central Committee called for speeding up the formation of a government that would comply with the aspirations of millions of Iraqis who defied terror and went to ballot boxes, expressing their desire to get rid of the legacy of dictatorship and occupation, and to live in security and peace, in a prosperous democratic Iraq'.

Baghdad – Iraq