Parliament Presidency’s message on 28th anniversary of Kurdistan’s first parliamentary election
Kurdistan Parliament’s Speaker Dr. Rewas Faiq and Deputy Speaker Hemin Hawrami on 18 May conveyed the following messages on the 28th anniversary of Kurdistan’s first parliamentary election.
Speaker Rewas Faiq’s message
Kurdistan’s political leadership in 1992 made the courageous decision to hold Kurdistan’s first ever democratic parliamentary election, in extremely challenging conditions after the Kurdish Uprising, and showed that the will of the Kurdish people to form their own government was a legitimate right.
The people of Kurdistan’s determination showed our strong will to achieve democracy and our political, civil, and cultural rights.
Today, the Kurdistan Parliament, as a constitutional institution, is responsible for achieving the goals of the people of Kurdistan.
Parliament must represent the views of all people, regardless of religion, ethnicity or political affiliation.
My best wishes to all the people of Kurdistan on this anniversary, and my deepest respect to the memory of Kurdistan’s martyrs.
Deputy Speaker Hemin Hawrami’s message
The first pledge that the leadership of Kurdistan’s Uprising made to the people was to transfer the revolution to the ballot box. We congratulate the people of Kurdistan on the anniversary of the start of the new era.
In its first experiment as a nation, Kurdistan chose democracy to decide the people’s rights and duties, leadership and administration and to establish a government and separation of authority. It was our response to our opponents and naysayers.
We were told that the people of Kurdistan were not fit to govern ourselves, lacked progress and were incapable of administration, but our democracy has proven to both friends and enemies that the people of Kurdistan are not only capable, but have become an example of freedom and democracy in the region.
Parliament is now in its fifth term, and political participation and representation will always be the system we must choose for resolving problems and challenges. Parliament must continue to develop our democracy, and Parliament should put the interests of our homeland above all else, should represent Kurdistan’s original ethnic and religious communities, and should protect peace and fraternity.
Democracy, the rule of law and legislation are our chosen tools for resolving challenges and conflict. Today we face the multiple challenges of the Coronavirus pandemic, a global economic recession and increased ISIS attacks which pose a great threat to the people and governments of Kurdistan Region and Iraq.
My deepest respects to the martyrs and fallen Peshmerga of Kurdistan who have made our democracy possible.