Summary of Committees’ recent meetings – 13 September 2019
Summary of Kurdistan Parliament committees’ recent meetings and activities:
Health, Environment and Consumer Rights Committee
11 September - The committee held their usual meeting, led by committee chair Dr. Sabah Zebari (KDP). The committee discussed the environment in Kurdistan and the ways to improve it in the future. They also discussed the notes, requests, and complaints submitted to the committee, and decided to follow up on all the submissions as quickly as possible.
Energy, Natural Resources, Commerce and Industry Committee
11 September - The committee, led by committee chair Mr. Balen Ismael (Change Movement), met with Dr. Hallo Askari, the Head of Kurdistan Environmental Protection and Improvement Board, and discussed the environmental conditions in Kurdistan, the causes of pollution, and ways to reduce it. The committee also mentioned that oil refineries are the main causes of pollution in Kurdistan. The committee said that they will focus on drafting bills to reduce environmental pollution. The committee asked Dr. Askari to report to them all the factors that are causing pollution.
Peshmerga, Interior, Security and Local Councils Committee
10 September - The committee visited the Ministry of Martyrs and Anfal Affairs and met with the Minister Abdullah Haji Mahmood. They discussed with Minister Mahmood martyrs’ families living conditions and how to improve their well-being. They agreed on increasing coordination to better assist families of martyrs and victims of Anfal.
On the same day, the committee visited the Ministry of Peshmerga and met with Minister Shoresh Ismael. They discussed equalizing Peshmerga soldiers’ working hours and shifts, and their other demands. They also discussed ways to draft a bill to bring the 70th and 80th brigades under the Ministry. They both agreed to coordinate more in the future. The meeting was led by the committee chair Reving Heruri (KDP).
Martyrs’ Affairs, Genocide and Political Prisoners Committee
10 September - The committee held a meeting to discuss the demands and rights of former political prisoners in Kurdistan. The committee decided to call Mr. Ahmad Mam Rasul, General Director for Political Prisoners, to discuss more about their issues. The chair, Ms. Sawsan Mirkhan (KDP), urged the committee to respond more quickly to their demands.
The committee discussed all requests, complaints, and notes submitted by the public and responded to them in detail.
Culture, Civil Society, Sports and Youth Committee
10 September - The committee met with the staff members of Chawi Zanko NGO (Eyes of Universities organization). The organization met with the committee to discuss how to strengthen the role of students in public life and at universities, regardless of their political membership.
The committee’s chair Mr. Luqman Wardy (PUK) pointed to the importance of NGOs in introducing and promoting a nation’s culture. He promised to support their recommendations.
Integrity, Parliament Affairs and Complaints Committee, and Municipalities, Transport, Communication, Travel, Tourism, Reconstruction and Investment Committee
10 September - The two committees met to discuss the public’s complaints about water meters. The MPs decided to direct the complaints and demands to Parliament’s Presidency and to summon the KRG Minister of Municipalities and other relevant parties to waive fines for those who have not installed meters before the deadline of 1st September 2019.
The committees also decided that they will ask for the water meter installations to be suspended until they finish their investigations into problem. They also formed a joint subcommittee to follow up on the issue and to call the Minister of Municipalities to answer questions in Parliament.