Al-Siyada Party in Kirkuk to Boycott Provincial Council Meeting
Shafaq News/ The Sovereignty (Al-Siyada) Party in Kirkuk announced on Thursday that it will boycott the upcoming Provincial Council meeting scheduled for Saturday. The Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) and the Turkmen Front will join the boycott.
Khalid al-Mafraji, spokesperson for Al-Siyada, told Shafaq News Agency that the party is committed to safeguarding the rights of the Arab community in Kirkuk. "We have decided to boycott the Provincial Council session that was called by some forces. We assure the Arab public in Kirkuk that we will not tolerate marginalization and reject the actions of some partners who have violated prior political agreements to ensure all rights without excluding anyone," al-Mafraji said.
He emphasized the party's insistence on the Arab community's entitlement to the position of Governor of Kirkuk, which led to their decision to decline the invitation to the upcoming session. "We refuse to compromise or negotiate the rights of our people," he added.
Al-Mafraji noted that their partners, the KDP and the Turkmen Front, are also participating in the boycott as a legitimate right to defend the interests of their constituents. "Together, we will strive to reclaim our rights and reject exclusion and marginalization."
"The boycott is a clear indication of complete rejection of the legitimacy of the local government formation and the leadership of the Provincial Council…The procedures they followed contradict the law and our agreements with our political partners, which were intended to serve all the people of Kirkuk, regardless of their sects and ethnicities," he concluded.
Earlier today, a source told Shafaq News that the Kirkuk Provincial Council will hold a session early next Saturday to address committee matters, and their formation will be reported on Thursday.
The source said, "Council Chairman Muhammad Ibrahim Hafiz has called for the meeting on Saturday to allocate committee roles and discuss related issues."
"The session will include an invitation for the Turkmen component to submit names for positions in committees designated for them."
On August 10, the Arab Coalition (three seats) and the Turkmen Front (two seats) boycotted the Baghdad meeting at Al-Rasheed Hotel, where Rebwar Taha was elected governor, and Hafiz was chosen as council chairman.
In turn, Hassan Turan, head of the Iraqi Turkmen Front, has expressed concerns about the session, accusing the council of "targeting the Turkmen component" and criticizing "the scheduling of the session on a public holiday."
"It is an attempt to continue violations from a prior agreement at Al-Rasheed Hotel."
