Statement released by the Coalition of Iraqi National Unity Denouncing the series of terrorist bombings which hit cities in Iraq today 9/9/2012     A congratulatory message to the Muslim World on the setting in of Eid al-Fitr Al Mubarak      A congratulatory message to the Muslim World on the advent of Laylat al-Qadr     Console Memory Of The Martyrdom Of Imam Ali Ibn Abi Talib (May Allah Honor Him)     The Second Conference Of Coalition of Iraqi National Unity - 07/07/2012     Statement issued from CINU Condemning the outrageous assault on the Shiite al Waqf Divan     CINU conference in Anbar Governorate     Statement issued from the CNU in support of the Iraqi people demonstration held on Friday, February 25     Statement on the occasion of the victorious Egyptian Revolution     Statement of CINU denunciating Basra & Anbar incidents        
 
Avenues to ensure the success of elections and setting up the political process
 

Political editor
The countdown has started to accelerate towards the deadline of running the next Iraqi parliamentary elections, and in the meanwhile, observers will follow what is going on in Iraq in preparation for running these elections, and some see that there are clear conflicts between big political blocs and parties that do not fall under the canopy of these blocs in order to gain significant results in these elections, and if this matter is open to all according to agreed and acceptable democratic regulations, then this legitimacy can be applied to Iraqi political parties and blocs that will run these elections on the soil of Iraq and thru the Iraqi voter and candidate in particular.

However, some facts indicate the presence of regional external concentrated attempts intending to take control of the next parliamentary elections via some political parties, factions and figures that are connected therewith in one way or another.

We may come to agree that Iraq has been over the past years following the political changes after 2003, an open arena for the settlement of international and regional accounts therefore, drawing up the forthcoming parliamentary results and having control over it will be a crucial issue for the competitors whether at the international or regional level. However, there are at the same time national trends attempting to put strongly its mark on the Iraqi political arena, they perhaps are facing many difficulties in this direction but they should first consider the phenomenon of regional conflict taking place on Iraqi territory in a practical and objective fashion grounded on monitoring and analyzing the facts and designing the necessary checks and respective solutions.

Definitely, Iraqis are more concerned than others in embracing their new experience and protecting it against error, and they who should build a system rested on liberty in its broader and controlled sense simultaneously, and in this sense we agree that there are de facto foreign intentions to intervene in the coming elections, and there are tools for these parties inside Iraq that should be monitored and disclosed to public in order to diminish and reduce their passive role, although this matter does not mean at all that Iraq should become isolated and fall back upon itself by the reasoning of averting foreign interventions in its internal affairs, but these alien agendas should be  monitored and screened, and then to deal sober–mindedly with all regional countries and others, yet this should be done thru establishing the state of institutions that Iraqis of all walks, and as expected, are seeking to materialize.

However, all Arab and Kurd leaders should unite and move towards the settlement of their differences, and officials should form a government comprising all stripes and nationalities of Iraqi people, and to take the measures that ensure the success of election process in a timely manner, hence if such measures were not properly taken then the electoral process will remain in the same vicious circle and an important source for questioning and contestation.

So, what is important in running the elections is to emphasize the extent to which they could conform and comply with the standards of democracy, thus today we do not want to have elections void of standards that guarantee the rights of people and the candidates as well, over and above the Higher Commissariat should pay attention, and fill the gaps, in order violations are not recurring as happened in previous elections and the Commissariat and political process lose entirely their credibility.

Therefore, we realize that it is necessary to work seriously on the part of officials in the service of Iraqi people, to promote their future, redress the state of affairs in the country, and run democratic elections while taking into account violations that occurred in the preceding elections so they will not recur in the coming elections.

 Today, and on the political arena, there appeared lists comprising all spectra of Iraqi people and colors, and also of all nationalities, whereupon Iraqi formation is adopted in the building of these political alliances which believe that democracy is the base and there is no groups nor allocation as did happen in the past, and do not believe in awarding an office or status without effort. And among such alliances is the CNU, chaired by Dr. Nahro Mohammad AbdulKarim whereas he introduced his political scheme based on building the Iraqi man as being a supreme value, and to build a reliable economy, improve the income of citizen, develop his resources, release political and media freedoms, work to ensure human rights in Iraq and defend them, and also  work to strengthen foreign relationships and build them on confidence and mutual interests, attend to youth and woman and give them exceptional role in the building of Iraq being a potent force and a vanguard that must play their role  in Iraq, tend to child and adopt a new national policy in reinstating and rearing it, and also care for education and raise its level, and work to drop Iraq debts, as well as to dispel all aspects of violence and armament existing outside the institutions of state, alternate the power between Iraqi forces in a democratic and peaceful way, see to health services for the citizenry, and finally build a national, capable army to defend Iraq and its people for a secure citizen is a top priority.

Therefore, we present a set of proposals that would contribute to the success of political process:

1.    Create intensive and brief courses for Iraqi cadres and rehabilitate them to administer the elections centers
2.    It is necessary to have international observers to monitor the progress of electoral process.
3.    The High Commissariat should make public about all violations and excesses that might be practiced by government and factional institutions and figures which cause a lot of political and social tensions and place the political process in the wind.
4.    Give enough time to announce, and fairly, the political program and electoral propaganda of the lists
5.    Counting should be public and transparent for the polls completed in the governorate centers and declared in the capital Baghdad.
6.    Government should not exercise pressure or compulsion on the parties, candidates, voters and the Higher Independent Commission supervising the election, with emphasis on freedom to vote and in privacy.
7.    Provide a parallel media coverage participating in supervision and monitoring, and to present rapid and real information to Iraqis, and make access, to all media personnel, to any polling station they wanted.
8.    Check off violations and excesses via the media being a part of Iraqi supervisors approved to oversee the elections.
9.    The Higher Independent Commissariat for Elections which will administer the electoral process in Iraq should get ready as from now to secure the right conditions and suitable means to make the electoral process a success, and foremost of those tasks:

a.    Prepare the national, independent Iraqi employees, workers and observers thru accurate screening within specified conditions, and train them to apply sound standards, polling and counting.
b.    Hold a public agreement with the authority, the occupation forces and the UN to secure the arrival of adequate number of international and impartial observers to be engaged in direct supervision on elections at all polling stations, provide adequate security to them outside and inside those stations and to approve their reports in assessing the political process.
c.    Restrict the process of counting votes in the governorate centers after ballot boxes are posted to them.
d.    The Commissariat should abide by the provisions and principles adopted for the purpose of its formation and performing its duty, and also to comply with the standards stipulated by the act of state administration on the elections and conditions that must be acquired by the assembly member such as checking whether the candidate owned the scientific testimonial and other requirements.
e.    Develop laws, regulations and strict penalties, not necessarily financial, including the type of retribution for each list or person attempting to impede the duty of observers or supervisors or exercise pressure on voters.
f.    The Higher Commissariat for Elections should declare to Iraqi people its final completed report about the elections which should contain violations, excesses and the parties which have committed that.