The Kurdistan Regions Authority responds to the Kirkuk governor regarding Article 140 and calls for respect for the constitution.
The General Authority of the Kurdistan Regions rejected on Thursday the statements of Kirkuk Governor Mohammed Saman Agha regarding Article (140) of the Iraqi Constitution, stressing that the Constitution represents the basis upon which the political system in Iraq is based, and that any statements that contradict it would deepen the disputes and divert attention from the service files that the governorate needs. MiddleEast news
The commission said in a statement received by Shafaq News Agency that “the Iraqi constitution constitutes the true contract between all components of the Iraqi people, and is the fruit of the Iraqis’ struggle against dictatorship,” noting that “adherence to it is not only a legal duty, but also a respect for the will of all the people of Iraq, including the people of Kurdistan.”
She added that “Article (140) of the Constitution represents the constitutional roadmap for addressing the issue of disputed areas, foremost among them Kirkuk, stressing that it constitutes the constitutional framework for addressing this issue within the federal system in Iraq.”
The commission expressed its rejection of what it described as “unconstitutional statements” issued by the governor of Kirkuk regarding Article (140), calling on him to prioritize the spirit of peaceful coexistence in the province and to refrain from using terms or positions that contradict the constitution and the true will of the Iraqi people.
She stressed that such statements lead to widening the circle of distrust between the components, and divert attention from the service issues that Kirkuk needs, stressing that the governorate today is more than ever in need of strengthening stability, understanding and joint work to address the challenges facing its citizens.
This statement comes days after statements by Kirkuk Governor Mohammed Saman Agha, in which he said that the Iraqi state “made a mistake when it enacted Article (140) of the Iraqi Constitution,” considering that the article ended with the expiration of its time period, which provoked widespread reactions from Kurdish forces and parties.
Kirkuk is one of the disputed areas between Erbil and Baghdad covered by Article 140 of the Constitution. It was under joint authority between the Kurdistan Region and the Federal Government before the independence referendum held by the region in September 2017.
Article 140 stipulates the removal of demographic policies implemented by Saddam Hussein’s regime in the disputed areas in favor of the Arabs at the expense of the Kurds, and then a census of the population before the final step, which is to hold a referendum in which the population will determine whether they wish to join the Kurdistan Region or remain under the administration of Baghdad.
The implementation phases of the article were scheduled to be completed by the end of 2007, but security and political problems prevented this.
In 2019, the Supreme Federal Court ruled that Article (140) of the Constitution of the Republic of Iraq would remain in effect, confirming that it would continue until its requirements were implemented and the objective of its legislation was achieved.
Shafaq.com