Expressing his appreciation of the Marji`iyya's call on the voter to discern the candidate and the slate, Sayyid Ammar al-Hakim calls for continuing the dialogue in order to solve the points of contention in the budget.
Sayyid Ammar al-Hakim, head of the Islamic Supreme Council of Iraq (ISCI), has stressed the necessity of employing a mechanism agreed on by all partners that prevents the idling of the citizens' interests at the expense of the political concord which must take place in the basic issues, calling for continuing the dialogue in order to solve the points that cause contention in the general budget following the end of the pressures that result from delaying the budget. He regarded the passage of the budget as an important step which bears no delay, pointing out that its passage means the launching of service projects which benefit the citizen and makes him feel that the state system is working for him, stressing the necessity for the negotiations to continue in order to agree about the obligations of the federal government towards the oil companies that work in Kurdistan and the obligations of the government of Kurdistan towards the federal government. His Eminence lauded the call of the Marji`iyya (highest religious authority) to the Iraqi voter to discern the candidate and the slate, calling on the Iraqi voter to follow the advice of the revered religious authority and pointing out to the existence of exceptional circumstances in some governorates as an additional evidence for speeding up the elections rather than postponing them. This came up in the speech which His Eminence delivered at the cultural forum in Baghdad on Wednesday, March 13, 2013.
His Eminence explained that the remonstration by some partners regarding the passing of the budget by the majority, after it was not possible to reach an agreement among the political blocs, as evidence of love, explaining that the oil dossier in Kurdistan would provide $7 billion for Iraq. He stressed that the oil is a national wealth for all the Iraqi people, and that the study of the oil dossier in Kurdistan does not concern only the Kurdish people; rather, it concerns the entire people of Iraq. Its revenues belong to the coffers of the Iraqi state, whether the oil is in Kurdistan, Basra, Misan or Kirkuk. He stressed that Iraq is not administered by a sect, an ethnicity, a group or a party; rather, Iraq belongs to all Iraqis. He called on the greatest partner to bear the greatest responsibility by dealing with the partners, providing them with assurances and making them sense his own conduct of a true partnership that ensures the unity of the homeland. His Eminence explained that the Movement of the Marty of the Niche supports the shift to the majority principle which is represented by the basic components of the Iraqi people and not the majority of the one single color which cannot advance the country, and it will expose it to dangers. His eminence hoped that the ministers and members of parliament who boycotted the sessions of the ministerial council and of the parliament would go back to them in order to undertake their role in solving the problems and putting the assuring solutions for all Iraqis. His Eminence drew attention to the ministers and members of the parliament belonging to the Iraqi house, that the solutions do not come except from within the house. His eminence renewed his keenness about addressing the demonstrators' legitimate demands according to the constitution and law, wishing success in reaching the partnership and affinity in order to build Iraq from the political and development standpoints in atmospheres filled with love and brotherhood among its components.
The advice of the Marji`iyya must be followed in discerning the slate and the candidate
The head of the Islamic Supreme Council of Iraq expressed his sincere appreciation of the call of the religious Marji`iyya on the Iraqi citizen to discern the candidate and the slate, urging the Iraqi voter to follow the advice of the Marji`iyya to vote for the most competent and honest candidate who has the ability to do the job, regarding the candidates' movement and communication with the public as a step in the right direction. He justified this by the candidates moving and explaining their electoral programs to the public means a greater participation rate, which is desired, urging the candidates to exert their utmost effort to get down to the street and identify themselves, programs and ideas, expressing his appreciation of calls of the Marji`iyya that urge participation in the elections as an important prelude for firming the peaceful transfer of power and of plurality. He pointed out to the goodness of the elections is the decision of the Iraqi people, warning that non-participation would mean granting the opportunity to people who are not competent to flex their will. He called on the citizen to go to the polling box and to grant his vote of confidence to the competent people on the competent and harmonious slates that have harmonious teams, explaining that the governorate council elections firm the infrastructure of the democratic reality by electing the first line of authority in its capacity as the line that touches the citizens the most. The citizen, therefore, has to bear his responsibility for firming the features of the upcoming stage by forming the harmonious team in the governorate councils, then supporting it with the upcoming parliamentary elections, calling on the citizen to discern, examine and ask about who is the most knowledge and the one who follows the creed in order to identify the most competent and the most honest individual who is worthy of one's vote.
His Eminence expressed his regret about some candidates giving gifts and presents purchased with state funds, pointing out that there are projects the inauguration of which was timed with the elections, explaining that the Iraqi people are not deceived by such theatrical movements which they detest, stressing the need for the political manliness, for each candidate introducing himself and saying, "Here I am participating in an honest way distantly from taking advantage of the state resources," calling for making a distinction between those who got the chance but did not serve and those who got it and contributed, and there are those who look for an opportunity to provide their own vision about serving the homeland and the citizen. He expressed his high confidence in the Iraqi people making the right choice because the citizen has tested the political forces during the span of ten years and has a good storehouse about them.
Speeding up and participating in the elections rather than postponing and boycotting them
His Eminence explained that accepting the postponement of the elections in some governorates that witness some problems would provide a pretext to the official who did not serve the people by creating artificial rises as the elections approach in order to keep his job, urging everyone to adorn themselves with the spirit of speeding up and participating in the elections instead of postponing and boycotting them. He pointed out to the existence of some exceptional circumstances in some governorates is an additional evidence to speed up the holding of the elections instead of postponing them, and it will help provide the services and get rid of the exceptional circumstances, stressing that the democratic systems are changed from within, not from without, and there can be no thoughts entertained about changing the democratic system from outside it, drawing attention to the fact that when people are pleased, they renew the trust in those whom they elected; otherwise, they would choose competent and honest candidates.
Terrorism is not an Iraqi product, and people must bear their responsibility towards it
Regarding the terrorist attacks that hit various areas of Iraq, Sayyid Ammar al-Hakim stressed that terrorism is not an Iraqi product. Rather, terrorism crossed the borders (of Iraq) and made Iraq its home, pointing out that the personality of an Iraqi individual is distant from violence and seeks love and harmony. He explained that terrorism would never find a foothold in Iraq, stressing that terrorism has political roots and backgrounds, and everyone must bear his responsibilities towards it, particularly those in charge of the security dossier who must put an end to the bloodletting in Iraq.
Halabja is a crime which even Nazis did not commit
His Eminence brought to memory the Halabja tragedy the anniversary for which will coincide on the 16th of March, explaining that Halabja is a crime which even the Nazis did not commit when Iraq's tyrant targeted his own people with chemical bombs. He brought to memory how the Marty of the Niche was the first to visit the area after the incident, pointing out that the visit by the Marty of the Niche (may his soul be sanctified) stemmed from his concern about all members of the Iraqi people. He explained that the Martyr of the Niche undertook on himself to support Halabja and its martyrs, explaining that the committee for tallying the wounded at hospitals of the Islamic Republic was the responsibility of Sayyid Ammar al-Hakim. His Eminence added that Iraq's Aziz (may his soul be sanctified) undertook on himself to support Halabja and the mass graves, and he used to mention them quite often at international lobbies and human rights organizations, stressing that the sons of Kurdistan suffered just as the people of the south and of the rest of areas did, and they are partners in being wronged, sharing the same blood and standing to build the homeland on bases that assure everyone and put the guarantees that such a tragedy will never happen again.
His Eminence wondered about the absence of museums for mass graves that document the reality of the crime which was committed against them, pointing out that the Halabja Museum makes one who enters it amazed and gets to know through it the extent of that catastrophe.
"My City: My Home": March 15th: Arab City Day
His Eminence called for employing the culture of "My city is my home," pointing out to the necessity of looking after cities, taking care of their cleanliness and emphasizing their heritage identity by taking care of their green areas, especially since we live Spring times, calling on the city sons to cooperate to improve the reality of their cities.
