• Sayyid Ammar al-Hakim calls for putting an end to the boycott culture and advocates a shift to the participation culture according to the ceiling of the Iraqi house and state institutions

    2013/ 03 /27 

    Sayyid Ammar al-Hakim calls for putting an end to the boycott culture and advocates a shift to the participation culture according to the ceiling of the Iraqi house and state institutions

    Sayyid Ammar al-Hakim, head of the Islamic Supreme Council of Iraq (ISCI), has regarded the boycott of some political blocs of sessions of the parliament and of the cabinet as a forfeiting by the member of parliament or minister of his right and of that of his bloc as well as of the people who voted for him in the participation in decision making. He stressed that the boycotting blocs will marginalize themselves and their constituents, pointing out to the boycotts mean getting further from the constitutional right and the vacating of the field for the other view to go ahead with what he believes to be serving Iraq's interest. His Eminence explained that the crises are not tackled by paralyzing the government, if such is the purpose of a boycott. Rather, they are treated through dialogue. He expressed his confidence that the partners' boycott is not intended to paralyze the government but to send a message of objection, calling for putting an end to the boycott culture and to shift to the culture of participation, urging everyone to determine the political principles in their political conduct and to adhere to them, including insistence on participating in the parliament and in the ministerial council. He called for issuing strict instructions that assure staffs of the security authorities to vote for whoever they want without any pressure from their officers and directors to vote for this slate or that, regarding tampering with the electoral posters by others as evidence of the latter's moral bankruptcy and not only the political one. This came up in the cultural forum in Baghdad on Wednesday, March 27, 2013.
    The head of the Islamic Supreme council of Iraq explained that it is the right of any member of parliament or cabinet minister to raise his voice and to say what he believes to be in the interest of Iraq, to argue with others via evidence and logic, and to prove to them what he believes to be in harmony with the country's interest, pointing out to the necessity of accepting the processes which the constitution has put in place, that is, following the majority of votes rather than transcending any political entity.

     

    The right choice is choosing the competent and honest candidate in the competent and honest slate
    His Eminence explained that the electoral process and acquainting everyone with their candidates and programs is the object of pride, inviting the Iraqi citizen to let his options be right by choosing the competent and honest element in the strong and honest slate that achieves what the Iraqi people hope for and that pushes the governorates forward. He pointed out to the talk about the elections is a talk about the importance of change, explaining that the elections represent the legitimate means for change, calling for firming democracy via elections in their capacity as a sacred process and a red line which must not be tampered with, stressing the necessity of safeguarding the electoral votes and emphasizing that the citizen's disappointment with his past choices is an additional evidence for the importance of participation so that such disappointment may be removed from the citizen. His Eminence pleaded to the Iraqi people in general and to the youths in particular to prove their role and to say their word, explaining that the elections are for four years; therefore, the youths must not risk their future. He stressed the necessity of undertaking the right step to place the trust in the one who deserves it. His Eminence pleaded to the Iraqi woman in her capacity as the basic element and the main pillar in building the democratic experiment to strengthen the conviction in the active role of woman in as far as going out to elect is concerned. He stressed that the rights and roles are taken and not given. His Eminence stressed that the Iraqi people are like the nail: The more it is hammered, the more firm it becomes, a reference to the terrorists' threats to the Iraqi people not to come out for the elections. His Eminence pointed out to the necessity of the honesty of the electoral process, calling for safeguarding the Iraqi voter's vote and will, explaining that the concerned authorities are committed to undertaking the measures that prevent rigging. His Eminence pointed out that the talk about pressures by officers on staffs of the security authorities to vote for this slate or that, stressing that such a pressure means interfering in the will of the voter. He explained that when voting, a soldier or a policeman expresses his will as a citizen, stressing that the honest elections mean victory for the political process and serve the interest of all patriotic political forces, stressing that respect for the posters of the other candidate is evidence of awareness and of the electoral culture. He described those who tamper with the other's posters as being a mistaken individual who does not know the Iraqi people, explaining that the people will look at the injustice meted to this assaulted entity and will vote for it, regarding this assault as the assailant's fear of the one whom he assaults, emphasizing the necessity of the blocs controlling their candidates.

     

    Targeting the Citizen Bloc will not lessen the resolve of the members of the Movement of the Martyr of the Niche
    Sayyid Ammar al-Hakim pointed out to the targeting to which the Citizen Bloc is exposed will not lessen the resolve of the members of the Movement of the Martyr of the Niche and will increase their strength and firmness in serving the homeland and the citizen. His Eminence wondered how a candidate who cannot bear the picture of the other can provide a service to people, bear the burdens of the responsibility and become honest in bearing it, expressing his sincere appreciation of the sons and daughters of the Movement of the Martyr of the Niche who move about in all governorates to acquaint people with the candidates and with their electoral program, emphasizing that serving the homeland and the citizen is the motto of the Movement of the Martyr of the Niche and his way in obeying Allah.

     

    In their criminal operations, terrorists express their hatred and animosity towards the Iraqi people
    The head of the Islamic Supreme Council of Iraq explained that the continuous terrorist operations spell out the hatred and animosity of the terrorists towards Iraq and its people, explaining that there is no way to compare these agents of the dark and who those who opposed the bloody dictatorial regime which annihilated the Iraqi people without limits, stressing that the dictatorship used all means against the strugglers who were buried at mass graves, in Halabja, and in the Anfal, but the opposition at the time upheld fighting the dictatorship within the legitimate means. He explained that the strugglers in the marshes were few meters from oil pipes, storage tanks and export terminals, but they did not harm them due to their conviction that they are the property of the people. He pointed out to the strugglers making a thousand calculations for each operation lest one single innocent person would fall in it, stopping many of their operations so that no innocent blood would be spilt. His Eminence wondered where the logic of the strugglers who love Iraq and its people are compared with the logic of these agents of the dark who target everyone and kill people everywhere, targeting oil pipes, etc. He regarded their hatred towards the people as being stronger than that against the government and the influential parties in it, calling on the people to be united in all their ethnicities and sects in facing terrorism. He pointed out to the stance vis-à-vis terrorism is a subject which accepts no haggling, stressing the necessity of supporting everyone who is innocent and, at the same time, there should be strictness in seeing that no criminal who shed Iraqi blood leaves the prison, calling on the specialized authorities to assure the citizens that there is no leniency towards those who shed Iraqi blood.

     

    Activities of "Baghdad: Capital of Arab Culture" could have been advanced for a day or two so they may not coincide with the anniversary of the martyrdom of al-Zahraa (peace with her)
    His Eminence underscored his support for and encouragement of the activity of "Baghdad: Capital of Arab Culture" since Baghdad embraces culture, stressing that "culture" is a word which is connected to the awareness of peoples that have to return to their religious and national commitments, stressing that Baghdad cannot be a cultural capital without looking into the moral system of the culture of its people. He remonstrated with those who are in charge of these celebrations for not paying attention to the timing of the activities and appearances of elation in it and its coinciding with the anniversary of the martyrdom of Lady al-Zahraa (peace with her), explaining that the activity could have been advanced for a day or two or similarly delayed. His Eminence stressed the necessity of not summing up the cultural effort in one color. His Eminence wondered about the reason for not referring to the holy shrines in these activities since they represent an important cultural station, calling on the ministry of culture to focus the ten cultural seasons for which they planned this year in sketching a healthy status for the Iraqi culture.

     

    Resolution 119 keeps floating, and the general secretariat of the council of ministers should take the time to circulate it
    His Eminence regarded the dissociation from the electricity debts as a fifth document which the citizen demands as a decision that will open big administrative complexes and will cause the citizen to get lost in the lobbies of offices and in officials' own interpretations, regarding it as a floating resolution which does not explain what the document is, from whom it must be taken, what guarantee there is for not forging it, whether it will be attached to issuing verification, etc. His Eminence wondered: Where is electricity? Have we reached the exemplary status in providing this service?! He explained that the debts can be paid in installments, or those who cannot pay them must be exempted from so doing, calling on the general secretariat to reconsider its issuing Resolution No. 119, and that it must take its time in circulating it to the offices till a defined plan is put in place that prevents confusing the citizen.

     

    Partial lifting of the ban on playing at Iraqi stadiums is a step in the right direction
    His Eminence regarded the partial lifting of the ban on playing in Iraqi stadiums as a step in the right direction, expressing his hope that Iraq will witness a total lifting of the imposed ban and will host official matches so that the Iraqi stadiums may go back to embracing matches with brotherly and friendly teams, calling for the removal of confusion, good management and not opening the doors of the stadiums so they would absorb more than their capacity.