• Iraq
  • October 27, 2007
  • 3 minutes read

Al- Hashemi: We Still Seek “Real” Participation in Gov’t

Al- Hashemi: We Still Seek “Real” Participation in Gov’t

Iraqi veep, Tarek Al Hashemi, confirmed that there is still desire for participating in Iraqi government but after reforming the status quo on the ground and particularly with a “real” participation in power, respecting the constitution and respecting constitutional powers given to the presidency. We may also accept leaving the sectarian quota system and form a technocrat government. However, I see that forming the technocrats government should start in the first place from the Prime Minister not only from the ministers. this issue must be settled.
 
Al-Hashemi added that:” It isn”t a pleasure for us to be out of government. We are actually embarrassed as we are not in the government while we say at the same time that we are a part of the political process. I am still assume my position and my fellow comrades are still members of the House of Representatives. This duality hurts, worries, and embarrasses us in front of our people, especially after the progress we achieved in the ministries which we assumed. Nowadays, all this progress is at peril and nothing else. Every thing is under change after the two years of achievements which we made.
 
“The ministers of the Iraqi Accordance Front (IAF) were very professional and realized many achievements in their ministries. They have left their ministries for some reason and they will return to them if this reason is removed. The demands submitted by the IAF are mainly national and have no sectarian intentions. When the government addresses these demands, the IAF ministers will reconsider their stance and return to government. There is no personal rows between us and Iraqi government. The disagreements are on how to run the country”.
 
Al-Hashemi said the presidential council is the tasked with correcting the performance of the executive authority. This issue should not cause any worry for the Cabinet because the presidential council intervenes when there is something wrong. It is not a daily intervention in all measures and activities of the Cabinet.
 
Regarding the human rights issue and the violations committed in some prisons, Al-Hashemi said:” The government still has to many things to close this file and handle all disadvantages in this file. The best solution is that the Prime Minister offers a general pardon that does not include all those who committed legal violations.
 
“We speak about innocent people who have been detained for long periods of time in contravention to the constitution or those whose cases are still pending due to false allegations or claims”, Al-Hashemi added.