Adnan Hussein

By : Adnan Hussein

:: The worst expected scenario to resolve the current crisis between Erbil and Baghdad is for a solution to be imposed by foreign parties either directly or indirectly by exerting pressure.

Foreign solutions often reflect the domestic parties’ incapability to confront problems and manage crises. They also reveal that these domestic parties do not trust one another, and this makes it likely for crises to erupt again. Foreign parties’ interferences to resolve local crises enables them to gain or strengthen a foothold thus allowing them to exploit their influence and relations to cause different problems according to whatever suits their interests.

There is no problem that does not have a solution especially in politics. A constructive dialogue guarantees reaching middle-ground solutions. The current crisis between Baghdad’s and Erbil’s government is no exception. There’s definitely a solution, a peaceful one in particular. The challenge though lies in how to reach one with the least amount of losses and repercussions.

Iraqi parties involved accuse each other of violating the constitution. Truth be told, the constitution and its provisions have been continuously violated for the past 11 years, ever since it went into effect. All partners of the political process have violated the constitution; however, the difference lies in how much and to what extent it was violated.

Iraqi parties accuse each other of violating the constitution. Truth be told, the constitution and its provisions have been violated for 11 years

Adnan Hussein

Major violations

The biggest violation was adopting the sectarian and nationalistic quota system, which was supposed to be abandoned after the parliament’s term ended in 2010. The second biggest violation was not being loyal to amending the constitution which was supposed to be finalized in the end of 2006 or at the beginning of 2007.

The third biggest violation was not implementing some of the constitution’s articles, specifically Article 140, and not legislating the required laws to build the state, such as laws pertaining to the federal council law, oil and gas, the special committee tasked with monitoring the privatization of federal imports, the federal court, the military service and unions.

The solution thus lies in ending all violations of the constitution and its provisions. This begins with cancelling the unconstitutional quota system, amending the constitution and legislating all the laws, which should have been issued already.

This is a purely local solution that will be accepted by Baghdad’s and Erbil’s governments and the Iraqi people who’ve been calling for reforms. Adopting this solution and implementing it will mark the biggest reform operation.

More importantly, this means there is no need for foreign solutions. We will thus deter the threats of foreign interferences in our local affairs and pave the way for a phase where we trust one another and believe in ourselves.

:: Adnan Hussein is the executive editor-in-chief of Al-Mada newspaper and head of the National Union of Iraqi journalists. Previously, he has held the position of Managing Editor in Asharq al-Awsat newspaper. He tweets under the handle @adnanhussein.

:: Disclaimer: Views expressed by writers in the Column section are their own and do not reflect RiyadhVision’s point-of-view.

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