Regarding the December 15 Election

On December 15 this year a national election will be held to form a national assembly and a government for 4 years according to the Iraq State Administration Law which is considered invalid after the referendum held in October 15, 2005.

After two years, the governing council, transitional and provisional government had not solved any of problems facing the Iraqi people such as occupation, insecurity, unemployment, and the total lack of social services. Iraq however and during these years has turned into regions where religious and ethnic militias are taking control, abduct, torture, and impose their own agenda, along with the crimes committed by the occupying troops. And recently the fiasco of the referendum has taken place as part of the occupation policy. This referendum witnessed a massive fraud of the people will who did not participate in an event where the result is plotted and known already.

The upcoming election is another round of conflict among the nationalist, sectarian, and religious powers to perpetuate the current scenario and deepen it.

For the US administration this election is vital to continue its occupation of Iraq. Also it is an attempt to contain the wide spread growing resentment against the war due to increasing number of casualties among the American troops, beside the uncertainty of making any progress on the military and political level in Iraq.

The upcoming election will not solve any of the problems raging the Iraqi society, especially the powers who control all financial resources had the opportunity to be in power however did not prove anything but its failure on all levels, such as security, economy, political. In addition they contributed in deepening the ethnic and religious tension and played a major role in regards to insecurity.

The Iraq Freedom Congress supports any democratic process that take the people interests into consideration, ending occupation, restoring civility and distance away the sectarian and ethnic war ghost. IFC supports any democratic process where conditions of free speech and decision making are met for people. However it views that under the current circumstances and according to the recent referendum, the election is not valid due to:

1.     The pro occupation ethnic and religious powers are taking control of all financial resources of the society which provide unequal opportunity for the other parties and powers to participate and compete. Especially the anti occupation powers who were disfranchised due to their stand to promote their agenda and policies.

2.     The ethnic and sectarian militias are taking control of the cities, oversee the polling stations and practice all kinds of pressure to gain or rig their votes, as what happened in the last election and referendum.

3.     the current security conditions, absence of international monitors to oversee the election, and absence of mass media to cover the election

Should these conditions change in favor of people interests without any suppression or pressure, IFC stand will change accordingly.

Samir Adil

Secretary General of Iraq Freedom Congress

October 2005