Diyala residents fear Hashd retaliation for participating in referendum
ERBIL, Kurdistan Region – Locals report Shiite Hashd al-Shaabi members have threatened residents in Diyala province if they cast a ballot in the upcoming independence referendum for the Kurdistan Region, so in order to vote they are having to register and stay in Kurdish-controlled Khanaqin.
“They know everything. If a Kurd returns to Saadia, they know it is for the subject of voting and the subject of the referendum,” said a resident of Saadia after registering his name to cast a ballot in Khanaqin.
Diyala province’s Khanaqin has been secured by Kurdish forces, while some surrounding areas are still controlled by Hashd al-Shaabi paramilitary units.
The resident said if they insisted on returning to the towns of Saadia and Mandali “either their house will end up burned down or make them [disappear] as you know Saadia is in their hands."
Saadia and other areas in Diyala province are so-called “disputed territories” which are claimed both by Baghdad and Erbil.
In the Saadia Township Council, 9 of 12 members voted in favor of holding the referendum, although the election commission says it cannot hold the vote there due to lack of security.
“Saadia [voting] stations and centers are put inside Khanaqin town,” said Masoud Dara Khan, the head of Khanaqin's Independent High Elections and Referendum Commission (IHERC) office, adding they “cannot put ballot stations inside Saadia due to security threats.”
Khan explained that if residents’ names are registered and want to cast a ballot, they could do it in Khanaqin.
Authorities in the region, notably associates of the Shiite Hashd, have shown opposition to the decision, describing council members as having served past their term in office.
“Legally, those members of Saadia council who have voted for referendum to be held in the town also have their ‘work permit period already outdated,’” said Anwar Hussein, a local Hashd official.
Hussein said Hashd aren’t deterring the holding of the referendum, but do not consider it good “to be held in our area as it is defined a prohibited war zone.”
After Khanaqin, Saadia and Jalawla (also called Golala), Qara Tapa town’s local council also has decided to take part in the September 25 vote.
Kurdish local officials in Khanaqin are working to allow the Saadia people to go to the polls.
“The Hashd al-Shaabi has overwhelmingly pressured them by spreading rumors and trying to make them not vote,” said Adnan Mansour, in charge of the Article 140 office in Khanaqin.
Article 140 of the Iraqi constitution calls for normalization of areas it refers to as disputed, to be followed by a referendum on whether or not those regions want to be part of the Kurdistan Region.
According to the constitution, the article should have been implemented by the end of 2007, and so far no referendum has been conducted on this issue.
The September 25 referendum aims to provide the opportunity for people in these areas to decide their future.
Mansour added that they will not allow their vote to be wasted and desire “to take part in voting for the referendum of Kurdistan independence.”
Kurdistan President Masoud Barzani, who also chairs the High Referendum Council, has said the IHREC will hold the referendum in those “Kurdistani” areas if local authorities desire to do so, and Kurdistan will respect the outcome.
Since Saadia was reclaimed from ISIS in November 2014, only 20 percent of its inhabitants have so far returned home, the rest have stayed at refugee camps under Peshmerga and Hashd controlled territories.
The Kirkuk Provincial Council earlier on Tuesday also voted in favor of taking part in the referendum vote.
“They know everything. If a Kurd returns to Saadia, they know it is for the subject of voting and the subject of the referendum,” said a resident of Saadia after registering his name to cast a ballot in Khanaqin.
Diyala province’s Khanaqin has been secured by Kurdish forces, while some surrounding areas are still controlled by Hashd al-Shaabi paramilitary units.
The resident said if they insisted on returning to the towns of Saadia and Mandali “either their house will end up burned down or make them [disappear] as you know Saadia is in their hands."
Saadia and other areas in Diyala province are so-called “disputed territories” which are claimed both by Baghdad and Erbil.
In the Saadia Township Council, 9 of 12 members voted in favor of holding the referendum, although the election commission says it cannot hold the vote there due to lack of security.
“Saadia [voting] stations and centers are put inside Khanaqin town,” said Masoud Dara Khan, the head of Khanaqin's Independent High Elections and Referendum Commission (IHERC) office, adding they “cannot put ballot stations inside Saadia due to security threats.”
Khan explained that if residents’ names are registered and want to cast a ballot, they could do it in Khanaqin.
Authorities in the region, notably associates of the Shiite Hashd, have shown opposition to the decision, describing council members as having served past their term in office.
“Legally, those members of Saadia council who have voted for referendum to be held in the town also have their ‘work permit period already outdated,’” said Anwar Hussein, a local Hashd official.
Hussein said Hashd aren’t deterring the holding of the referendum, but do not consider it good “to be held in our area as it is defined a prohibited war zone.”
After Khanaqin, Saadia and Jalawla (also called Golala), Qara Tapa town’s local council also has decided to take part in the September 25 vote.
Kurdish local officials in Khanaqin are working to allow the Saadia people to go to the polls.
“The Hashd al-Shaabi has overwhelmingly pressured them by spreading rumors and trying to make them not vote,” said Adnan Mansour, in charge of the Article 140 office in Khanaqin.
Article 140 of the Iraqi constitution calls for normalization of areas it refers to as disputed, to be followed by a referendum on whether or not those regions want to be part of the Kurdistan Region.
According to the constitution, the article should have been implemented by the end of 2007, and so far no referendum has been conducted on this issue.
The September 25 referendum aims to provide the opportunity for people in these areas to decide their future.
Mansour added that they will not allow their vote to be wasted and desire “to take part in voting for the referendum of Kurdistan independence.”
Kurdistan President Masoud Barzani, who also chairs the High Referendum Council, has said the IHREC will hold the referendum in those “Kurdistani” areas if local authorities desire to do so, and Kurdistan will respect the outcome.
Since Saadia was reclaimed from ISIS in November 2014, only 20 percent of its inhabitants have so far returned home, the rest have stayed at refugee camps under Peshmerga and Hashd controlled territories.
The Kirkuk Provincial Council earlier on Tuesday also voted in favor of taking part in the referendum vote.