Committees' recent meetings - 31 October 2020
A summary of Kurdistan Parliament committees' recent meetings and activities:
Endowments and Religious Affairs Committee
29 October - The committee put out the following message on Mawlood, the birthday of the Prophet Mohammad (PBUH) on 29 October:
In the name of God,
On the Prophet Muhammad’s Birthday (peace be upon him), warm congratulations to the Muslims of Kurdistan. We hope that this blessed occasion will be a launching pad for peace, harmony and progress, and that we will band together our collective abilities to solve crises and overcome the pandemic.
Interior, Security and Local Councils Committee
28 October - The committee held their regular meeting, led by the chair Shakhawan Rauf Mustafa (Gorran Movement).
After discussing their future plans, the committee decided to visit Duhok and Zakho to look into the work of the police directorate and focus on interior forces’ retirement.
After discussing promotions, the committee decided to look into promotions of both interior and Peshmerga forces
All of the reports and notes sent to the committee were read and received a response or were directed to the Parliament presidency for further work.
Agriculture and Irrigation Committee
27 October - The Committee, led by the chair Abdulsatar Majeed Qadir (KIG), held their usual meeting.
The MPs discussed making a visit to Baghdad to discuss money owed to farmers and their problems generally.
The committee formally asked for an explanation from the KRG Ministry of Finance and Economy on its agricultural lending strategy.
Martyrs’ Affairs, Genocide and Political Prisoners Committee
27 October - The committee, led by the chair Sawsan Muhammad Mirkhan (KDP), held their regular meeting.
The MPs discussed the process of exhuming mass graves of Yazidis killed by ISIS and gaining recognition of the crimes as genocide.
The committee sent an official letter through Parliament’s Presidency to the Ministry of Martyrs and Anfal Affairs asking for information on the exhumation of the graves and on the ministry’s work to gain recognition for the atrocities against the Yazidis as acts of genocide.
Reconstruction and Investment Committee
27 October - The committee, led by the chair Hawre Malastar (PUK), held their regular meeting. The MPs read and discussed all the notes and reports sent to the committee, replied to some and forwarded others to Parliament’s Presidency.
The MPs exchanged views on the committee’s future plans and work agenda.
Culture, Civil Society, Sports and Youth Committee
27 October - The committee, led by the chair Salma Fatih (PUK), held their regular meeting.
The MPs exchanged views on the arrest some 20 days ago of the journalist Sherwan Sherwani. The committee decided to write to the Ministry of Interior demanding an explanation, the charges and legal basis for Mr. Sherwani’s arrest.
The committee then discussed the KRG Ministry of Youth and Culture’s official decision to have experts read and evaluate any book before giving it approval. The MPs gave their views and decided to write to the Ministry asking it to halt and cancel the decision.
At the end of the meeting, all the requests sent to the committee by the public were discussed.
Education, Higher Education, and Scientific Research committee
27 October - The committee, led by the chair Abdusalam Dolamari (KDP) at their regular meeting discussed Salahaddin University lecturers’ and staff financial and salary problems, and problems facing students from families of martyrs and political prisoners.
The meeting started with a review of the committees’ monitoring of the education process, and the committee decided to write to Parliament’s Presidency on the subject.
To follow up on and help to resolve the issues, the MPs decided to visit Salahaddin University, the Ministry of Education, Higher Education and Scientific Research, and Ministry of Martyrs and Anfal Affairs.
All the requests and notes that were sent to the committee by the public were discussed and answered.