Sayyid Ammar al-Hakim Defines the Priorities of the Stage Which are Dialogue, Effective Economic Policy, and Activation of Parliament’s Role
Sayyid Ammar al-Hakim, head of the Islamic Supreme Council of Iraq, defined the priorities of this stage through finding a dialogue mechanism for political, academic, and elite forces in Iraq in order to break the political deadlock, put a road map for future, activate more the role of the legislative institution, define the priorities of the laws to be legislated, make the legislative institution an active partner in reform and not just a party that grants legitimacy, as well as tracing out an effective and real financial and economic policy away from improvised procedure and conventionalism, choosing economic competencies that have expertise in managing the vital economic institutions away from the favoritism, bureaucracy, and narrow political calculations. Moreover, he indicated the importance of finding leaders able to take the initiative, to proceed from a clear vision, and to work on a specific project, calling to give them adequate space to grow and develop. Al-Hakim considered the participation in dialogues with academic and community elites the most important mechanism for the development of leadership. Besides, he called upon loyal elites to intensify their dialogues and interactions and to offer ideas and solutions, expressing his support for any mature idea and solution. Moreover, he asked for studying the changes in the region, including Russia’s entry on the front line against terrorism, calling upon the government to organize a conference for international donors to support Iraq in its war against terrorism.This came in the celebration of Eid al-Ghadeer in His Eminence office on Saturday October 3, 2015.
Finding a Mechanism for Dialogue that Defines the Paths of the Important Issues
His Eminence stressed the importance of the culture of listening in the political approach, recalling that Iraq paid a high price because of the single work strategy that is distant from the sincere and conscious consultation. He also noted that the Iraqi political arena is passing through a stumbled and stagnant stage in the real and effective communication channels and we are in the midst of so many challenges, which requires a dialogue among the political elites and this does not mean that the dialogue should be supreme and prophetic, but a scientific, realistic, and open one. Moreover, he warned that all Iraqis are at risk, which calls upon them to leave and overcome the disadvantages of the previous stage irretrievably because the developments on the ground are the result of misconceptions and distorted concepts of that stage, referring to the regional repercussions and their impacts on the inward, and that the events of the region are cross-border and overlapping with local events, and urging people to find a mechanism for dialogue that defines the paths of the important issues.
Iraq Needs an Effective Parliament at the Level of Challenges
His Eminence considered that an important and essential part of the reform process is the responsibility of the House of Representatives, noting that the legal structure of Iraq is overlapping, confused, and bureaucratic, encourages corruption, kills the spirituality of work and creativity and is far from justice, fairness, and equality. He also stressed the development of the role of the House of Representatives in line with the exceptional circumstances experienced by the country, underlining the need for the adoption of a lot of accumulated laws inincluding the legislative institution. Moreover, Sayyid Ammar al-Hakim urged the House of Representatives to switch to a giant machine in order to enact laws that contribute into the renewal of the Iraqi state structure and to develop a well thought out priority to the topics it discusses, “In fact, we are not in a position that lets us think about secondary subjects that are not considered a priority to the Iraqi people and their government”. Moreover, he pointed to the need for Iraq to an effective and interactive Parliament, and able to be up to the challenges it faces, noting that the financial crisis is real and there are no distant regions to go across, which requires intelligent and deep measures and solutions. Furthermore, he expressed his regret over the absence of a large and influential steps in this area, reminding his call upon the government to seek the help of expert and specialized people, reevaluate quickly the leaders of the relevant institutions in the state, and make the necessary adjustments in the required speed and wisdom. Last but not least, he mentioned the importance of having recourse to the successful experiences of the countries, searching for real, permanent, and continuous solutions and avoiding the traditional bureaucratic solutions that are inconclusive.
