Elections in Iraq…to what end?

This morning starting at 7:00 a.m. in Iraq, Provincial election centers across Iraq opened their doors to fifteen million voters. No movement was be permitted between governorates. Airports and national borders were closed, too.

Here are some reflections, collected in the run-up to the election by one Iraqi, speaking and thinking with other Iraqis. Below, I’d like to share a few different aspects of the election process: facts, stories, background, and views of several Iraqis, including my own.

Iraq has had other elections since the 2003 US invasion, but there is a striking difference between this election and the previous one in terms of the number of candidates and the number of people willing to participate in this democratic practice. And Sunni participation is the most important point: Many Sunni candidates and Sunni voters will participate fully in this election, unlike the previous election which was boycotted by 90 % of Sunnis – candidates as well as voters.

This election, in fact, is considered the largest election in Iraqi history, in terms of the number of candidates and the number of expected voters. 14,431 candidates – including 3,912 women – are competing. They represent 400 political entities and 36 coalitions. To handle and process the vote, 7000 election centers and 42,000 polling stations have been established. For displaced people in Iraq, who number some 2.8 million, there are twenty-one election centers and 100 polling stations. Displaced people want to return to their homes, and they want this election to help make that possible.

It is important to note that this election doesn’t include three governorates in the Kurdish north of Iraq: Dahouk, Suleimania, and Irbil. In a fourth governorate, Kirkuk, ongoing disputes among Arabic, Turkman, and Kurdish people has caused voting to be postponed due to ongoing concerns about the potential for violence between rival political groups tied to the various ethnic communities there. So this election will held in 14 governorates instead of 18.

This election is also the largest in terms of election campaign costs: campaign material was posted publicly across the country, in small towns and large cities, even written in the sky with balloons proclaiming candidates’ goals and plans for Iraq.

Another striking feature of this election is the major role television played in educating people about the importance of making their voices heard through voting and reminding people that this is a chance to participate in building Iraq’s future. In the days leading up to the vote, candidates weren’t safe from violence. At least 6 candidates were killed in different governorates. One notable point is that Iraq resistance forces  (some of the armed groups perceived as reputable by many Iraqis) put out statements saying they will stop their activities during the election period.

As you can imagine, a national election on this scale requires the implementation of careful procedures to prevent fraud. People are assigned to vote at a particular election center and polling station, and prohibited from voting at any other station. In addition, each voter’s ballot will have his/her fingerprints attached, using a long-lasting type of ink that will prevent people from voting more than once. This ink is difficult to remove even with chemical solvents and it takes 2 days or more to disappear from fingers. To prevent people from other countries from voting in this election, voters must provide proof of Iraqi nationality.

Candidates for office must present proof of citizenship and education certificates (completion of high school is required). Election officials are checking these carefully; they found 188 fraudulent education certificates.

I believe the last election wasn’t free or democratic. Iraqi Sunnis in many areas largely opted out of the election, and because of orders from powerful religious leaders (such as Grand Ayatollah Ali Al-Sistani), Shia people (at least 60% of Iraq’s population) were obligated to vote for a coalition Shia party slate of candidates. It was no surprise, given this, that the Al-Maliki slate won the election.

In the intervening years, bombings, assassinations, kidnappings, forced displacement, and many other crimes were carried out in the name of religion, despite the fact that Islam explicitly condemns them. This period of “sectarian violence” was a horrible and traumatic time, and Iraqis realized that politics and religion should be separate. A candidate’s qualifications, and demonstrated willingness to serve and help build Iraq are what should guide voters. In this election, as a result, many Iraqis say they will vote for people they think are the best candidates, without regard for their party affiliation or religion.

I want to mention at this point the very important role Iraqi tribes play in educating their people and influencing them regarding which political parties or candidates they should lend their voices to. This kind of process — being influenced by the opinions of groups and associations of which you’re a member, or by other members of your family — happens normally in a democratic environment ( a real democracy, not a “democracy” as presented by Bush and the occupation forces), where people would discuss about each candidate and who is the best to support, and from sharing their knowledge and beleifs they will make their decision on who to vote for. Among many tribes, this same process takes place. Generally people are under no obligation to vote for someone whose positions they don’t agree with, but the shaykh (leader) of the tribe is greatly respected and if he recommends someone most of the tribe’s members will vote as he suggests.

Now let’s have a look at what candidates are doing to win as many votes as possible, because 14,431 candidates is a huge number of people to fill only 440 seats.

Many alleged illegal acts have already taken place. There have been reports that people carried a Quran with them will campaigning, and asked people to swear on the holy book that they would vote for one party in front of their neighbors.  Others promised that voting for them would mean that the voter’s family member would be freed from jail — and since there are tens of thousands of detainees in Iraq, many held without charges and withou justification, this is a potent offer, or a potent threat.  Other candidates and parties have been giving cash bribes to buy votes, others have distributed blankets and heaters to those without them in the middle of winter. Voters in Mosul have received threatening messages… and so on.

As a result of a disputed minority representation provision in the elections law, religious minorities like Christians, Sabians, Ezidis, and Shabak are entitled to 6 seats – it is widely believed that the rest will go to Sunni and Shia Arabs, who make up the majority of Iraq’s population. This law, while still ensuring only a tiny number of seats, was seen as important because of the way in which the US-sponsored policy of sectarianizing politics in Iraq has essentially excluded these communities from real participating in Iraqi politics.

A study conducted by an independent center in Iraq shows that in the 7^th Iraqi governorate, where Shia are a majority of the population, the approval for religious-based parties is decreasing and peopleoverwhelmingly support national political agendas, rather than religious ones. The percentages look like this:

44.71 support nationalist parties

21.14 oppose religious parties

19 .00 support religious parties

8.5 will choose not to vote

I’d like to leave you with comments taken from recent interviews with Iraqis, both in-peson and as televised in Iraq:

Baghdad:

• We want the election to happen in a free and democratic environment. Some parties are using illegal ways to buy votes, using threats or bribes.
  

• We should vote and hope there is a change – it’s all of our all responsibility to build the future of Iraq

• Election is a democratic practice, and I hope people will not hesitate to practice their democratic right in the election

• I expect the same results as the last election — the faces will change, but the politics will stay the same. People are tired, and I don’t believe that the future will be better. Some other voters believe in change but I don’t. Iraq is gone, and nothing can bring it back.

• I hope this election heals our wounds; we are all men able to work but there is no work for us. We hope that there is a hope for us.

• I’ll vote for whoever will lead to bringing peace and a stable life for us

• We know who will work for Iraq, and who won’t. I’ll choose the people I know will work for Iraq.

• I’ll vote –  in order to choose the right person to fill the right positions

• I listen to all of the news and keep my self updated, in order to select who will serve this community best. Now, after 5 years we haven’t gotten any good changes to our lives. No water, no electricity, no work. I’ll ask my family to elect the people they believe in.

• This is a new practice, and we want to help in choosing those who will serve all of Iraq

• We need an organized system, and honesty in our politics. This country is tired from all the suffering.I’d like to see a smile on each Iraqi child’s face. I want good education, and I want all to have access to a good level of education

• I don’t believe in change, as I have applied many times for work and got nowhere. I left my home in Dora (a Baghdad neighborhood), and I want to go back to my home again. Just for that, I’ll vote and hope change may happen.

• It’s difficult to tell… I won’t vote even if they have this democratic practice in shape, but still we need to feel as if there is some deomcracy inside us. But I still think tthe ones who always get power will win in the end, and nothing will change.

• It is painful — the politicians use Iraq’s money for their campaigns

• I’ll vote, but I don’t believe they will change anything. But let’s hope they will do something useful.

Basrah:

• This is Iraqis’ right, to elect the government. Many people in Basrah they won’t vote. But in the last days, many candidates visited those in need and distributed heaters or blankets. Why, I wonder, did they do this just now?

• Some candidates give money to buy votes. This is against God and the laws of Muslims.

• I’ll vote for someone who doesn’t belong to a political party — I support independents.

• We want anyone who is willing to serve good Iraqi people.

• The tribes in Basra are watching the candidates, and as tribe we know who is good and who wants to rebuild Iraq

• We need someone to rebuild Basrah, and we will thank those who do

• I‘d like to send message to all of the candidates:  Think about Iraq, and work to rebuild it – from North to South, and don’t work with the occupation.

Mosul:

• I hope that they will keep the promises they made; we want them to rebuild Mosul and remove the terrorists here

• I don’t know what to say. The previous election did nothing for Iraq. Iraqis are the victims, for more than 5 years.

• This is good chance for all Iraqis to defend their Iraq by voting.

• Last time I didn’t vote. This time I’ll will chose someone I know and trust, and vote for them
  

Kerbala and Najaf

• The election is civil, but it is not civil to tear down other candidates’ pictures. I’d like to ask them give you a chance to hear their positions, but don’t attack other candidates.

• I won’t elect  those who came to Iraq from overseas, from outside the countries, while having other nationalities.
  

• We need someone who will think about us, not about himself.

Now, one question is, is it healthy for Iraq to have such a large number of candidates for a small number of seats? I don’t think so. I believe there is a problem with trust among the Iraqi people — some of this is for very good reasons. Among the candidates, many of them treat politics like a business, and their focus is how to make money for their own pockets, not on how to serve the good of the people.

Iraq’s history has never – before these last few years – been governed by sectarian religious parties, and Iraqis want that history of secularism back. I hope if the Iraqi vote is under enough protection, there will be a big change in this election. If, however, the “hidden hands” of those now in power in Iraq manipulate the results for their own gain, then I fear there will be little change, and Iraq will face many more bloody years.