Statement of Federation of Workers’ Councils and Unions in Iraq on: the upcoming election in Iraq.

The Iraqi authorities backed by the occupation forces in Iraq declared January 30, 2005 a date to hold the elections in Iraq, insisting that these elections would be the fist elections in over half a century.

Holding election is one of the basic rights of people to elect their representatives. Nevertheless, election is to choose among different alternatives, therefore people participating in election should be well informed about all alternatives and familiar with their political programmes and perspectives. This has not happened in Iraq. Moreover many territories in Iraq are under the control of various militias, which prevent their political opponents from practicing any apolitical activity. This means that people are unable to know the agenda and political programmes of each party. Above all, most of the political parties and organizations involved in this election have not presented any agendas or programmes but some slogans and promises only.

On the other hand, the lists of candidates submitted by various political forces are based on dividing the population on basis of language, religion, sect and ethnicity and thus the sectarian, ethnic and linguistic differences are to be incorporated in constitution and become part of human beings’ identity. Thus, the Iraqi society is pushed toward ever deepening religious and ethnic divisions.

Most important is the fact that this election is to take place in a country where there is no constitutional and legal system and the assembly, which would be elected, is to enact the constitution. This means that the constitution will be determined according to current balance of power based on chaos, lack of security, occupation and absence of civility.

The mass of people are marginalized in the whole political process in the society and therefore workers have no political forces which directly represent them in this election independent of the forces which divide workers under the name of sect and ethnicity.

Workers in Iraq should gather around their own objectives and perspectives and not participate in an election where they have no representative but forces, which pose as defenders of masses of people and use the deprivation of people to achieve objectives and goals completely irrelevant to the objectives of people.

Let’s stand in the forefront of the civil resistance to end the occupation in Iraq and impose the willpower of the Iraqi people to elect their real representatives outside the political equation dictated by occupation and pro- occupation forces.

The objectives of workers will only be achieved by the progressive movement of workers who stand in the forefront of the protest movement of the civility, freedom and equality-seeking masses of people in Iraq.

Long live workers’ willpower



Federation of Workers’ Councils and Unions in Iraq

26.12.04