• Sayyid Ammar Al Hakim Describes the Pact of Honor as Being a “Correct Step” and Calls on the Signatories to Assume their Historical Responsibilities

    2013/ 09 /19 

    Sayyid Ammar Al Hakim Describes the Pact of Honor as Being a “Correct Step” and Calls on the Signatories to Assume their Historical Responsibilities

    The Head of the Islamic Supreme Council of Iraq, Sayyid Ammar Al Hakim, called on the political forces and leaders who will sign the national pact of honor to be honest with themselves and with their public and expected that their signature be the result of the rooted conviction that there is no alternative to common action and dialogue to solve problems. His Eminence underlined that the signatories need to bear their historical and moral responsibilities for each step they make and each agreement their sign, considering that the leaders’ meeting and signature on a pact of honor is a step to drive away from the tension and rupture and to work through the principle of “freezing of problems” he had earlier called to adopt. He reiterated his support of each this step made in this direction, coming from any source. He also explained that the aim of “freezing the problems” is uniting the political forces in the face of the challenges confronting Iraq, highlighting the preparedness to weather all the storms that hit the country. Through love, we build the country, through fight, we cause harm, he added, praising the vital role played by the Vice-President Mr. Khudeir Al Khuzai.
    This came during the weekly cultural meeting held in His Eminence’s office in Baghdad on Wednesday, 18/9/2013.
     
    What the Shabak People are Undergoing is “a Stigma on the Forehead” of Authorities in Charge of Their Security 

    His Eminence indicated that terrorism is still targeting the district of Tuz Khormato populated by Turks from the followers of Ahl Al Bayt (AS) and the regions where the Shabak who are also followers of Ahl Al Bayt (AS) reside in the province of Ninawa. He stressed the need to protect the Shabak people in Mosul after the number of refugees and displaced from the region reached 1000 families, underlining that what the Shabak people are going through cannot be overlooked or kept in silence. He described the happenings as “a stigma on the forehead” of all parties in charge of the security of that region, and expressed his regret for the indifference of security apparatuses in Ninawa regarding what the Shabak are experiencing. He called on the federal government to send a force to protect the Shabak or to recruit the Shabak people to defend themselves, explaining that no more massacres of the Shabak can be accepted. If need be, citizens of the South will go defend them, he added, since all options are open except for that of accepting their massacre. His Eminence wondered whether the Shabak were targeted because of their strategic location, because of their affiliation to the followers of Ahl Al Bayt (AS) or because their region represents a golden link with the Kurdistan region. His Eminence condemned what some decent families are subject to in the provinces of Basra and Dhi Qar, and asked the governors of these two provinces and security apparatuses not to allow the practice any act of violence against these families no matter what the pretexts, for they are our family, our loved ones, and equal to us as described by the religious authority.

     A Call to Hold a National Education Conference for an Educational Strategic Plan
     
    The Head of the Islamic Supreme Council of Iraq called on the Ministry of Education to organize a national education conference that would lead to specific recommendations for the adoption of an educational strategic plan, starting from kindergarten through final secondary year. His Eminence considered that the enrollment of 8 million students in the beginning of the school year is a source of hope for a good educational future in Iraq. He explained that Iraqi students are in need of modern schools and developed laboratories and equipment and that teachers need trainings on modern teaching methods, highlighting the lack of school buildings and the issue of double school hours (a.m. and p.m.). His Eminence stressed that the educational process is not merely about “chalk-and-talk”, but it is rather an integrated process that starts with the mandatory aspect of education and the availability of modern education institutions and competent teaching staff. He finally underlined that the country cannot progress while still behind in education. An educational process that uses obsolete and routine systems cannot achieve the desired ambition.
     
     Even- and Odd-Numbered Plates, Hopeless Procedure and Tiresome for Baghdad Citizens
    Sayyid Ammar al-Hakim called on the Prime Minister to personally intervene and reverse the decision playing the even- and odd-numbered plates, describing such procedure as hopeless and tiresome for Baghdad citizens since it does not bring solutions to problems, saying he is well sure that the Prime Minister will punish those who come up with such clumsy solutions. His Eminence also maintained that old and obsolete solutions is well illustrative of the lack of solutions and hopelessness, stating that if solutions could have been creative, they would be effective, but rather they are temporary and outdated. "Citizens have enough problems to think about, and they don't need this even and odd number system especially with the beginning of the school year", he commented. To him, this decision about using even- and odd-numbered plates confuses the citizens and makes things worse, explaining that it is not about restricting traffic since it is applied during holidays where there is no traffic jam, not during the rush hours and in the environs of the city where there is no overcrowding. He added that there is no need for practical and theoretical experiences to assess the minds controlling the people and its destiny, and it is only enough that people assess the solutions brought up by these minds.
     
    Kurdish People Are the First Winners in Elections
    His Eminence pointed out to the elections of the region of Kurdistan, considering that reinforcing the democratic practice is one of the most important aspects of the new Iraq and will contribute to an aware, free generation that appreciates the national value of its choices. He maintained that the next stage in the region of Kurdistan will be different because it is the product of many experiences the Kurdish people went through no matter who wins or loses, because the winner in the first place is the Kurdish people, adding that whoever wins will be the choice of the people who will decide whom to leave in the back. Moreover, he said that the cities and villages of Kurdistan have a real chance to speak up their opinions and evaluate the performance of their political movements.
     
    It Is Important to Reanimate the Relation between Iraq and the Region and Put an End to the Cold Relations
    His Eminence stated that the visit of Usama al-Nujayfi, the Speaker of Council of Representatives, to Turkey and the Islamic Republic of Iran is important and right in time, stressing the importance of reanimating the relation between Iraq and the region and putting an end to the cold relations with these states, explaining that the regional environments are tense and perplexed, and the dossiers are interlocked, but the communication principle is a good  sign in the regional relations in terms of common frontiers and common history with the neighboring countries. His Eminence considered the communication as means to exchange points of view and familiarize with the vision of each party and its position regarding the different issues, saying the political tension is not in the interest in the peoples of the region, especially that their region are exposed internationally and the international intersections overlap, which links the regional intersection to the international equation and puts it right in the heart of the world conflict game, wishing that al Nujayfi has been able to express the viewpoint of Iraq in the controversial issues, bridge the gaps with those countries and put an end to crises and differences.   
      
     The Fact that the Syrian Crisis Is Back to a Win-win Game Indicates the International Rationality
     
    His Eminence considered that the fact that the Syrian crisis is back to a win-win game indicates the international rationality in this stage, explaining that the provocative declarations cooled down once the Russian initiative has been launched, which clearly shows that everybody was locked in the pronounced positions and was finding a way out, describing the Russian initiative as life buoy for all. He also added that the region today is witnessing international understandings for a local regional issue, and the next days will be a chance to experience how strong such understandings are and to find out the new direction of the complicate thorny conflict, saying that Syria and its people are paying dearly whether such understandings yielded or not.