Committees' recent meetings - 21 December 2020
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Culture, Civil Society, Sports and Youth Committee condemns arrest of journalists
15 December - In the recent demonstrations many unfortunate tensions, incidents and acts of violence have taken place. Tragically some people have been killed and injured, and several members of media teams were arrested while covering the protests.
We reiterate our full support for the demonstrators' fair demands and the right to peaceful and civil demonstrations, in line with Law No. 11 of 2010. We oppose the closure of media channels and arrests of journalists and activists, and at the same time we condemn all violence, shooting and burning of offices and institutions, which causes chaos and insecurity, undermines institutions and the public interest, deprives the public of services, and ultimately does not serve the goals and demands of the demonstrators.
The Interior Ministry, governors, relevant government parties, security, police forces and civilian activists, in accordance with both the Journalism Law (No. 35 of 2007) and the Right to Information Law (No. 11 of 2013), must treat journalists responsibly, so that journalists and media channels can freely perform their duties without fear of violence and arrest. Media channels should deal responsibly with the situation and cover the news and information in a professional and objective way, and convey the truth to the people of Kurdistan.
Culture, Civil Society, Sports and Youth Committee
Kurdistan Parliament
15 December 2020
Culture, Civil Society, Sports and Youth Committee
15 December- the Committee, led by chair Salma Fatih (PUK), held their regular meeting.
The MPs discussed freedom of expression in Kurdistan Region particularly for journalists, and the need for press freedom.
They were also concerned about the closure of television channels by the KRG Ministry of Culture, which most of the committee members oppose, and they pointed out that there is no legal basis on which the channels can be closed. They decided to meet with the Ministry of Culture’s Director General for media, printing and publishing regarding the issue.
Energy, Natural Resources and Industry Committee
16 December – The committee, led by the chair Ali Hama Salih (Change), held their regular meeting.
The MPs had an in-depth discussion on how to review decreasing the costs of the oil pipeline, and they decided to write to the KRG about the matter.
Another point of discussion was to work on passing an Industrial Development Law, and the MPs considered it important to meet with the Head of the KRG Investment Board soon to tackle the problems in the industrial and commercial fields.
Endowments and Religious Affairs Committee
15 December – Members of the committee, led by the vice-chair Mala Ihsan Rekani (KDP), visited the new Yazidi Baba Sheikh (spiritual leader), Sheikh Ali Sheikh Elias Haji Naser.
The MPs congratulated Baba Sheikh and commended the role of the previous Baba Sheikh, the late Sheikh Khorto Haji Ismail, in promoting peaceful coexistence between all religions. The MPs said that the Yazidi Kurds are the original indigenous community of Kurdistan.
Baba Sheikh expressed his support for deepening the spirit of coexistence and protecting all humanity.
On the same day, the MPs also visited the Yazidi Mir (prince) of Kurdistan and Iraq, Mir Hazim Tahsin Beg, and Sheikh Alo, the well-known religious, cultural, and social figure among Yazidi Kurds.
16 December – Members of the committee, led by the vice-chair Mala Ihsan Rekani (KDP), visited government departments and religious figures in Duhok province.
The MPs visited the General Directorate of Endowments of Duhok Province and congratulated the new Director General Muhammad Khalid. They also visited Duhok Provincial Council to discussed religious affairs and the need to promote and focus more on peaceful coexistence between different religious communities. They met with the provincial directorates of Hajj and Umrah, Endowments, Yazidi and Christian affairs, and the Kidnapped Yazidis Rescue Office and commended them on their efforts.
The MPs met with several religious teachers and priests to discuss the state of religious affairs and coexistence and the future visit of Pope Francis to Kurdistan Region as part of his scheduled visit to Iraq in March 2021, describing it as a historic event for the Kurdish people, and hoped that Kurds would remain united. The MPs appreciated the role of priests and teachers of all religions in spreading the message of peaceful coexistence, forgiveness, and peace.
The Parliament committee plans to visit more religious authorities and institutions to hear their concerns and demands and to convey them to the relevant parties.
Health, Environment and Consumer Rights Committee
15 December – The committee’s subcommittee on consumer rights, led by the chair Bakhtiyar Shukri Suleiman (KDP) visited the General Directorate of Regional Trade and met with Director General Nawzad Kamel.
The subcommittee and directorate discussed the prices of food and other goods, which the MPs stressed must be provided at reasonable prices to the public without monopolization, by increasing the follow-up and monitoring committees of the markets. The problem of smuggled goods should be solved and the offenders should be prosecuted, they said.
The MPs also stressed that the law on the protection of consumer rights should be properly enforced.
The committee and the general directorate agreed on more meetings and cooperation.
Protection of Women's Rights Committee
15 December - The committee, led by the chair Lanja Dizayee (KDP), held their regular meeting to discuss the draft report on the implementation and enforcement of laws that relate to the protection of women's rights in the Kurdistan Region.
The activities that were held during the 16-day campaign to combat violence against women were also discussed.
The committee met with the US non-profit consultancy, the Institute on International Law and Human Rights, and they hope to benefit from its expertise in analyzing and comparing laws and amending women's rights laws in light of international resolutions and agreements.
Education, Higher Education, and Scientific Research Committee
15 December - The committee, led by the chair Abdul Salam Dolamari (KDP), held their regular meeting.
The committee discussed the two bills on private universities and on education and study in the Kurdistan Region. It was decided that a workshop with private universities and relevant authorities would be beneficial to strengthen the bills.
The letters and the requests directed to the committee were given detailed replies.
Parliament Affairs and Complaints Committee
15 December- The Committee, led by the chair under Dr. Esmail Sgery (KIU), held their regular meeting.
The committee discussed several issues including Parliament‘s store rooms and loans made in the past to Parliament employees and MPs.
The committee decided to send the contents of their meeting officially to the Presidency of parliament for further investigation and to solve the problems.
Relations and Kurdish Diaspora Committee
15 December - To discuss the work of the KRG representative offices abroad and convey complaints from the Kurdish Diaspora, the committee, led by the chair Dr. Rebwar Babkayi, met with Minister Safeen Dizayee, the Head of the KRG Department of Foreign Relations (DFR).
The committee explained their monitoring of the DFR and KRG representative offices abroad, as well as the complaints they have received from the Kurdistani community abroad.
The MPs and Minister Dizayee also discussed preparing legislation on the DFR’s work, and the DFR is expected to prepare a draft bill which the committee will then work on.
The committee members gave their comments and suggestions on how to develop and improve the work carried out by the KRG representations abroad.
Dr. Babkayi and Minister Dizayee held a press conference after the meeting.
Agriculture and Irrigation Committee
15 December - The committee, led by the chair Abdulsatar Majeed (KIG), met with representatives of the districts of Sargaran and Palkana.
The committee learned of problems faced by the areas’ farmers, who claim that there was an attempt to seize their land.
The local representatives said that there has been forced Arabization of their areas and asked the committee to help them resolve these problems.
The committee promised to deliver their requests to the relevant authorities. In 1976 Iraq’s former Ba’ath regime isolated 42 villages from Sargaran district’s border area and placed them into Quds district, even though only 2 of those 42 villages had Arab residents.
The MPs also met with the KRG Trade Minister Kamal Muslim Saeed to brief him on the committee’s recent meetings with Iraq’s president and ministers in Baghdad, to try get payment for Kurdistan farmers’ unpaid wheat production for 2015 to 2017 and to demand farmers’ full financial rights.
Municipalities, Transport, Communication, Travel and Tourism Committee
15 December- The committee, led by the chair Luqman Wardi (PUK), held their weekly meeting.
The MPs discussed the problems with transport in the Kurdistan Region, and decided that they should visit the Ministry of Transport and Communications next week to look further into the issues.
The committee met with William Spencer, the executive director of the Institute for International Law and Human Rights (IILHR), a US non-profit consultancy, and discussed the Bill on the Management and Protection of Heritage in Kurdistan Region, which will be drafted, debated and passed by Parliament.
Mr. Wardy thanked the IILHR and asked for their continued cooperation and advice in drafting the bill.