Committees’ recent meetings – 7 January 2023
A summary of Kurdistan Parliament’s committees’ recent work and meetings:
Relations and Kurdish Diaspora Committee
9 November 2022 - The committee discussed the boat that sank recently near Greece. The boat was carrying around 70 passengers. Nine people drowned, 25 were rescued and most of the passengers are missing. The committee decided to ask the Greek Consulate General and other relevant organizations and authorities to help discover the fate of the Kurdistan Region migrants who were on the boat.
The committee also discussed the murder of Bashar Fayeq Ahmad, a 21-year old Kurdistan Region citizen from Bardarash district who was a second year medical student at Ahvaz University in Iran. He was stabbed in Iran by unknown assailants and died after four days in hospital. The committee considered it necessary to follow up on the case and demand that Bashar Fayek’s killers be brought to justice and punished, and compensation given to his family.
20 December 2022 – The committee discussed the case of Kurdistan Region citizen Muhammad Abdullah Hamad who while attempting to migrate to Europe was detained in Turkey and wrongly deported to Azaz in Syria. The young man's family asked the committee to help him.
The committee decided to raise the case with Turkey’s Consulate General in Erbil in a meeting the new Consul General.
The MPs also discussed the high fee charged for Turkish visas.
Education and Legislative committees
9 November 2022 – Chaired by Speaker Dr. Rewaz Faiq, the two committees reviewed all the comments and suggestions that MPs made at the second reading of the Bill on Education and Learning, and incorporated them into the bill’s voting report. The KRG Minister of Education Alan Hama Saeed participated in the meeting.
Finance and Economic Affairs Committee
14 November 2022 – The committee had previously visited the KRG Ministry of Finance and Economy to discuss the issue of unpaid dues to farmers for their wheat production from Kurdistan Region’s banks, and is waiting for the ministry’s response.
The meeting also discussed the problems facing contractors and decided to follow up.
The committee decided to write to the Ministry of Finance and Economy regarding the 2023 budget bill.
The committee complained about the Ministry’s failure to respond to their report and decided to write to the KRG to ask the government to be present at a Parliament sitting for deliberations about the report. They said that all the topics covered in their comprehensive report are crucial for the citizens of the Kurdistan Region.
The committee replied to and forwarded correspondence.
5 December 2022 – The committee discussed the recent decision by the KRG Council of Ministers, No. 178 at meeting number No. 95 of 26 October 2022, to change the terms of public employee promotions. The KRG decided that public employees’ promotions will no longer be based on years of service, but on merit. Parliament’s Presidency asked the committee to look into the decision. The committee compiled a detailed report of their findings and views.
The committee replied to and forwarded correspondence.
Social Affairs and Human Rights Committee
14 November 2022 – The committee discussed their recent visits to Erbil’s Security Forces (Asayish), prisons, care homes and social services.
28 November 2022 – The committee discussed their visits to Kurdistan Region’s sub-districts’ and districts’ prisons and general directorates of social welfare and development.
They also discussed their meetings with the head of the Judicial Council and the head of the general prosecution service, regarding obstacles to implementing laws.
The committee replied to correspondence.
12 December 2022 - The committee discussed a legislative proposal on general amnesties, and the committee wrote to Parliament’s presidency about the latest progress on the bill.
The committee made plans for their work agenda in 2023 on how to strengthen cooperation with the relevant authorities, civil society organizations and communities.
The MPs discussed how to work with the human rights committees of Kurdistan Region’s provincial councils.
The committee replied to correspondence.
Parliament Affairs and Complaints Committee
14 November 2022 – The committee discussed all the letters sent to them and raised them with relevant authorities for investigation and resolution.
They also reviewed all the previous notes sent to the committee that have not been answered and which have created a backlog and obstacles to their work. They emphasized the need to respond to the requests and complaints.
28 November 2022 – The committee met with the Chief of the Diwan (Administration) of Parliament Ardalan Muhammad Sarspi and the Deputy Chief Hiwa Nusraddin to discuss Parliament internal and administrative issues. After a thorough discussion, the Chief and Deputy Chief of the Diwan gave a full explanation and said they will look for appropriate solutions.
The committee discussed their counterpart in the Iraqi House of Representatives and decided to visit them in Baghdad to establish a good relationship.
13 December 2022 – The committee met with the Chief of the Diwan (Administration) of Parliament Ardalan Muhammad Sarspi, the Deputy Chief Hiwa Nusraddin and departmental heads to discuss Parliament’s internal budget for 2023 and job appointments.
The committee asked for more coordination so that they can more effectively monitor Parliament’s administrative and financial issues.
18 December 2022 - The committee met with the Deputy Chief of the Diwan (Administration) of Parliament Hiwa Nusraddin and several departmental heads to discuss the Diwan’s draft report on how Parliament’s internal budget was spent and the amount allocated for the 2023 budget.
The committee gave their comments and suggestions to Parliament’s administration about how to improve the report, which will be submitted to Parliament’s Presidency.
The committee asked Parliament’s Diwan for continued cooperation to monitor and reorganize Parliament’s administration and finances.
Peshmerga Committee
16 November 2022 - The committee decided to meet with the Peshmerga Affairs and Interior ministers and the director general of the Kurdistan Region's retirement directorate, to look further into and resolve problems facing Peshmerga forces in terms of their promotion, retirement and other issues.
The committee replied to correspondence.
30 November 2022 - The committee discussed several issues including officers’ promotions and the rights and financial entitlements of officers and soldiers, and decided to meet with the Peshmerga Ministry to follow up on them.
The committee replied to correspondence.
20 December 2022 – The committee reviewed their recent meetings with the Ministry of Peshmerga and Ministry of Finance regarding several Peshmerga forces’ issues including promotions, financial allowances and retirement bonuses. They decided to hold another meeting on these matters with the Ministry of Peshmerga and the Presidency of the Region.
The committee replied to correspondence.
Interior, Security and Local Councils Committee
21 November 2022 - The committee decided to meet with the KRG Interior Ministry to discuss the problems facing local security forces and guards and help find solutions.
The committee also discussed the killing of Hawkar Jaff in Erbil and decided to form a subcommittee to investigate further.
The committee reviewed and replied to correspondence.
20 December 2022 – The committee discussed problems facing security forces and guards and stressed that the KRG Council of Ministers should send to Parliament the bill on retirement of internal and security forces.
The committee decided to visit the Interior Ministry to discuss monitoring and organizing checkpoints, as well as the opening of courses authorized by the Interior Ministry.
The committee replied to correspondence.
Legislative Committee
21 November 2022 – The committee discussed in detail the articles of the Labour Bill in order to prepare their report for the bill’s second reading.
7 December 2022 – The committee discussed four bills and one draft resolution, the latter being about the burial of martyrs.
Three of the bills were related to academic and scientific fields in the Kurdistan Region and included the bills on a Centre for Translation of Scientific Resources, a Syriac Academy, and on anti-plagiarism.
The fourth bill was on prohibiting torture and degrading treatment in the Kurdistan Region.
The MPs discussed the details of the bills and submitted them to Parliament’s Presidency to consider them for first readings.
Energy, Natural Resources, Commerce and Industry Committee
23 November 2022 - The committee began the meeting by holding a minute’s silence for those killed in two recent household gas accidents in Slemani and Duhok. The committee wrote to the Ministry of Natural Resources about the household gas heating systems, to look into the precise areas of negligence that caused the tragic accidents.
The committee decided to prepare a report on the problems with household gas heating systems in Kurdistan Region, and to review the Ministry of Interior’s guidelines on the systems in coordination with the ministries of natural resources and of commerce and industry.
The committee requested that the issue be put on the agenda for discussion at a Parliament sitting soon.
Integrity Committee
23 November 2022 - The committee met with staff of the German International Cooperation Agency GIZ.
The GIZ representatives explained their remit of private sector development and job creation projects (PSD). They also work to develop individuals’ and the public and private sectors’ capacity to fight corruption, in partnership with Transparency International, in the Kurdistan Region and Iraq. Every four years they prepare a study on corruption in Iraq and develop a national anti-corruption strategy.
The committee asked GIZ several questions and asked to coordinate with them to fight corruption.
28 November 2022 - The committee met with the NGO ‘Stop’ and thanked them for preparing their sixth report on monitoring and evaluating the Kurdistan Regional Government’s reform measures. The committee said that they will continue to support the NGO’s efforts.
The committee replied to and forwarded correspondence.
Martyrs, Genocide and Political Prisoners Committee
27 November 2022 – The committee decided to meet with the foreign consular representatives in Kurdistan Region regarding achieving greater international recognition of the genocide against the Kurds.
They also discussed public sector employment for families of martyrs and families of those who disappeared in the war against ISIS terrorists.
The committee decided to meet with the monuments director to look into the needs and problems.
18 December 2022 – The committee met with Minister Abdullah Haji Mahmoud, the Minister of Martyrs and Anfal Affairs, to raise the problems and complaints of families of martyrs and Anfal victims and former political prisoners.
Minister for the Region for Parliament Affairs Dr. Vala Fareed also attended the meeting.
The committee raised the issues of the cutting of the Anfal survivors' grant, sole family survivors of the Anfal, offering public sector employment to martyrs’ families, and the reasons for the slow processing of their cases.
They also discussed the reasons for suspending the allocation of11,000 plots of land to martyrs’ families, and the process of reviewing the list of war martyrs, which were raised as complaints by the relatives of martyrs, Anfal victims and former political prisoners.
Another subject was the repatriation of the remains of Anfal victims found in mass graves in southern and central Iraq, for which all the forensic procedures have been completed.
The committee and Minister Abdullah Haji Mahmoud decided to have further discussions on the issues raised.
Reconstruction and Investment Committee
27 November 2022 – The committee discussed the plans to complete the Kalar-Slemani main road, and part of the main highways between the Region’s cities, and decided to ask the KRG Minister of Housing and Reconstruction to meet and explain the reasons for the delays and problems.
They also discussed the government’s plan to build 20,000 housing units for those on low incomes and rent-payers. They decided to ask the Head of the KRG Investment Board for a meeting about the progress of the project.
The committee replied to and forwarded correspondence.
Education, Higher Education and Scientific Research Committee
28 November 2022 – The committee discussed a legislative proposal on private universities, which had its first reading in 2020. The committee chair Abdusalam Dolarami (KDP) spoke about the importance of the bill in terms of regulating and developing private universities and institutes.
The MPs exchanged views on the details of the bill. They will prepare their report on the bill and submit it to Parliament’s presidency for its second reading in the future.
The committee read letters requesting that the government provide allowances (small stipends) for university students, and letters about the problems experienced by students on scholarships.
13 December 2022 – The committee met with a delegation from Jordan’s Consulate General, together with Dr. Zafer al-Saraira, Chair of the Higher Education Institutions Accreditation and Quality Assurance Commission.
The meeting also discussed Kurdistan Region-Jordan education and higher education ties and coordination between the universities of the Kurdistan Region and Jordan on Bachelors, Masters and doctoral degrees. They stressed the importance of strengthening these relationships.
Agriculture and Irrigation Committee
28 November 2022 - The committee decided to write to the relevant authorities to call for a ban on corn imports until local production is completed.
They decided to form a subcommittee to investigate the problems of agricultural land in Garmian.
Another subcommittee was formed to look into a missing 2 percent of payments to farmers for their wheat production.
Municipalities, Communication, Transport and Tourism Committee
30 November 2022 – The committee drafted their report on their visits to all the governorates and autonomous administrations of the Kurdistan Region where they looked into municipal, communications, transport and tourism issues with the authorities, and particularly into municipal services, water and waste water problems. They submitted the report to Parliament’s Presidency so that the subect can be scheduled for deliberations at a Parliament sitting.
They also discussed the amended Law on Ownership of Illegally Used and Taken Land in the Municipalities of Kurdistan Region - Iraq, (Law No. 3 of 2019), which was amended in July 2021. The MPs exchanged views on extending the deadline by which the public can register such land so that they can become the legal owners.
Committee on Kurdistani Areas outside KRG Administrative Area
18 December 2022 - The committee met with Mr. Moniartsi Motsi, UNAMI Political Advisor and Head of Political Affairs.
The committee explained the adverse situation that affects the daily lives of people from the Kurdistani areas outside the KRG administrative area. The committee asked the UNAMI delegation for their support to find a comprehensive solution.
Mr. Motsi said he hopes that the Kurdistan Regional Government and the central government reach an agreement on all matters and find a lasting solution for all the outstanding issues.
Culture, Civil Society, Sports and Youth Committee
14 November 2022 - The committee made this statement on the anniversary of Slemani’s designation as Kurdistan Region’s Capital of Culture:
Today marks the 238th anniversary of the founding of Slemani city by Ibrahim Pasha of Baban on November 14, 1784, and named after Suleiman Pasha of Baban, the founder of the Baban Emirate.
As well as always being the centre of revolutions and uprisings in successive periods, Slemani was also the centre of culture and innovation.
The first Kurdish newspaper in South Kurdistan was published in this city and the first printing house in Kurdistan was opened in Slemani.
Slemani is home to the first Kurdish language education, the first Kurdish theater movement and the first recording of a Kurdish anthem.
The Kurdistan Parliament designated Slemani the cultural capital of the Kurdistan Region.
On the anniversary of Kurdistan Region’s Capital of Culture, we pay tribute to the city’s martyrs, intellectuals and artists and we call on the Kurdistan Regional Government to do more to develop the city’s cultural infrastructure.
Endowments and Religious Affairs Committee
22 November 2022 – The committee held a minute’s silence for the victims of recent accidental household gas explosions in both Slemani and Duhok.
The committee stressed the need to respect the unalterable principles of the Islam and all religions when drafting bills, in order to protect the society and promote the culture of forgiveness and coexistence in Kurdistan.
The committee discussed the importance of the decision to transfer Islamic studies schools to the Ministry of Endowments and Religious Affairs. They considered it important to follow up with the Ministry on the Islamic studies schools’ needs and demands and to review their curricula, so that the students are well prepared to serve Islam and Kurdistan’s society capably.
The committee replied to and forwarded correspondence.
19 December 2022 – The committee met with Dr. Dyar Izzadin Jabari, Dean of the Institute of Muslim Priests and Preachers, and Dilshad Issa Mamk, the Ministry of Endowments and Affairs’ secretary of the institute’s council.
They explained the reasons for establishing the institute, the curriculum and its student enrolment criteria and procedures.
The committee commended the Ministry for establishing the institute to train priests and preachers, and hoped that it will contribute to strengthening peaceful coexistence and religious moderation. They also made some suggestions about the institute.
The committee replied to and forwarded correspondence.
21 December 2022 – The committee visited the Executive Office of the Kurdistan Islamic Scholars Union and met their Head Abdullah Saeed Waisi.
They discussed several religious scholars matters, particularly the demand for pay by volunteer religious teachers, who have been serving in mosques without pay for many years, only occasionally assisted by the Ministry of Endowments and Religious Affairs. The committee and the union agreed that their demand should be met according to the KRG’s financial ability to pay.
The MPs commended the Union’s head for writing the book Kurdistan’s Islamic Scholars in the face of ISIS, which they described as necessary to show the important service and role of priests in this regard.
They discussed the influence of Islamic scholars in spreading religious and humane values and the message of the Kurdistan liberation movement, and in raising awareness to combat Takfiri thought, extremism and ISIS and protect peaceful coexistence between all religious and ethnic communities in the Kurdistan Region.
25 December 2022, 6 and 7 January 2023 – The committee conveyed their best wishes on Christmas Day, on the Kakai’/Yarsani Qawltas Holiday and on Armenian (Orthodox) Christmas Day.