RONAHÎ ZERDEŞT

Shengal- On August 6, the Supreme Judicial Council of Iraq decided to dissolve three political parties, the Freedom Movement (Tevgera Azadî), the Yazidi Freedom and Democracy Party (PADÊ) the Democratic Struggle Front representing the will of the Kurdish and Yazidi people in Iraq.

“The closure of the PADÊ is a decision against the will of people,” said Rîham Hico, Spokesperson of the Yazidi Free Women's Movement (Kurdish: Tevgera Azadiya Jinên Êzîdî-TAJÊ).

“The decision is another genocidal plan against the Yazidi community. The genocidal attacks on our community continue in different forms. The enemy does everything to destroy our community. The closure of the PADÊ is political. The PADÊ is a legal political party representing the will of our community. Those who decided to dissolve the PADÊ are the ones who signed the agreement of October 9 (An agreement regarding Shengal signed by representatives of the KRG and the federal government in Baghdad on October 9, 2020). They now aim to silence us in politics because they do not want the Yazidi community to participate in politics.”

‘The KDP poses a threat to Iraq’

If a political party must be dissolved, it should be the KDP (Kurdistan Democratic Party) because it poses a threat to Iraq, said Rîham Hico. “We know that the KDP and the Turkish state were involved in this decision. The aim of Turkish President Tayyip Erdoğan's visit to Baghdad slowly reveals itself. Iraq has no evidence proving that the PADÊ is involved in any illegal acts. There are many political parties in Iraq but the PADÊ is the only party that represents the will of people.”

‘The PADÊ operates a co-presidential system’

Rîham Hico also mentioned the role of women in political parties in Iraq. “Women have no role in any political parties in Iraq; their names only remain on paper. They claim that they defend women’s rights by showing women during press conferences. But the system of the PADÊ is different; it operates a co-presidential system which means that the party is chaired by one woman and man.”

‘Closure of the PADÊ is a coup against the co-presidential system’

Rîham Hico describes the decision taken by the Supreme Judicial Council of Iraq as “a coup against the co-presidential system”. “The council decided to dissolve three political parties. These three political parties operate the co-presidential system, combating gender-based violence and injustice. As the TAJÊ, we evaluate this decision as a decision against us, the Yazidi community.”

‘The PADÊ is the voice of the Yazidi community’

Calling on everyone to stand with the PADÊ, Riham Hico said, “The PADÊ is the voice of the Yazidi community. The closure of the PADÊ will silence all parties, intellectuals and the Yazidi community. Every Yazidi must support the PADÊ. Everyone should know that the PADÊ supported the Yazidi community during the genocide. Standing with the PADÊ is standing with the Yazidis.”