Kurds may join other Iraqi forces to remove Maliki

08/04/2012 18:56


ERBIL, April 8 (AKnews) - Kurds may join other Iraqi forces to attempt to remove Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki - who has been accused of autocracy and dictatorship - if he continues in his political behavior, said a Kurdish observer.

Falakaddin Kakayi, who is a former KRG minister and close to President of the Kurdistan Region Massoud Barzani, said Barzani is expected to hold talks with the Kurdish and Iraqi political forces about “the current situations in Iraq, in particular discussing the situations in Baghdad, the direction of which show that it is stepping into dictatorship”.

No dates for such meetings have been set yet, according to Kakayi. Barzani has just concluded his time in the US and is now due to visit Hungary in addition to other European countries.

Kakayi said: "Now part of the political forces in Iraq are working on removing Maliki from his position as PM. And I believe that if Maliki continues his current behavior and dealing with the Kurdistan Region then I think the Kurds in the future will join those parties who are after such a bid."

Barzani criticized Maliki in an address last month during the Nawroz celebrations for his autocratic rule and grip of power. He also warned that if problems between the Kurdistan Region and Baghdad remained unsolved then the Kurdish leadership would take action according to the will of the Kurdish people.

Political sciences academic Bukhari Abdullah said: “The way Nouri al-Maliki rules clearly shows autocracy and is heading towards dictatorship. Since he his accession to power, he is in disputes with many of Iraq’s political parties.

“Over the last two years he has even entered disputes with those parties who were his allies. His disputes are not only with the Kurds and the Sunni Arabs, but also with part of the Shiites as well."

Part of the problems between Maliki and the mainly-Sunni bloc, al-Iraqiya, stem from Maliki's rejection of Iraqiya's candidates for the positions they were entitled to under the Erbil agreements.

In December 2010 the political parties came to a power-sharing deal following an eight-month deadlock after a series of meetings held in Erbil under the supervision of Barzani.

But ever since, Maliki has been working as acting Defense Minister, National Security Minister, Interior Minister and acting intelligence chief.

Abdullah said the “administration of these positions is not Maliki’s specialty and this is a serious indication that Maliki’s behaviors lead him to dictatorship”.

Al-Iraqiya spokesperson Maysoon al-Damluji told AKnews earlier today that her bloc is seeking a consensus with other political blocs to withdraw confidence from al-Maliki’s cabinet.

By Fryad Mohammed

https://www.aknews.com/en/aknews/4/300535