News from radicals in Iraq

Iraq Weekly

A weekly newsletter of the Worker Communist Party of Iraq 27 July 2003
No 3

The formation of a reactionary, religious, sectarian and tribal
Governing
Council

On July 13, 2003, the formation of a 25-member Governing Council was
announced in Baghdad in the presence of Paul Bremer, the US civil
administrator in Iraq. The structure of the council has been tailored
to
match the US administration and accommodate the wishes of Iraqi
reactionary
forces. The Governing Council represents the tribal, nationalist and
the
Islamic forces in Iraq. The US administration in Iraq has been obliged
to
forge this council in an attempt to fill the political vacuum created
in the
wake of the US invasion of Iraq. This latest development has been
forced on
the US administration in the face of its inability to meet the most
basic
needs of the Iraqi population as well as security and the general
instability in the country. The US administration was also under
pressure
from the reactionary forces that are desperate to assume power even
with the
help of the USA. This council, according to Paul Bremer has only a
consultative remit. It is a reactionary body lacking political power
and
will to be the agent of political stability. Being forged by the US
administration, the nature of this council nveils great deal about the
alleged American notion of end of dictatorship and the start of
"democracy".In a communiqué issued on July, 13th 2003The
Worker-communist
Party of Iraq condemned the formation of this puppet Council. The Party
has
stressed that the forging of such a council reveals the US intentions
of
violating the will and sovereignty of Iraqi people and has considered
it a
deliberate step toward imposing a reactionary regime on the masses in
Iraq.
This council with its members is the embodiment of chauvinistic and
reactionary forces in Iraq. It is against all aspects of individual and
social freedom. It is an antiwomen group and in direct opposition to
the
progressive aspiration of Iraqi masses. The members of this council are
implicated in the recent ethnic clashes in Kirkuk and posses the
capacity to
ignite further ethnic and religious confrontations. The Worker
Communist
Party of Iraq struggles to organize the progressive forces, workers,
women
and the youth to foil this reactionary conspiracy and promote full and
direct participation Iraqi people in determining their own destiny. The
WCPI
calls on all the libertarians in Iraq not to surrender to the governing
council and oppose its authority.

The WCPI Condemns the Acts of the Italian Police and Islamic Terrorism
against its Office in Nasiriyah

The Worker-communist Party of Iraq had previously announced that a
terrorist
Islamic gang, an advocate of ‘ Baqir Al Sadr’ and ‘ Al Houzah Al
Ilmiyah’,
had attacked the WCPI office in Nasiriyah. Consequently, The WCPI
members
confronted those terrorists and forced them to retreat. However, that
gang
broke into the office, burnt everything they found and entrenched in
the
office. On July 20th, the WCPI members succeeded in throw-

The Islamite attack Unemployed Workers

A mass gathering was held in Nasiriyah on July 3rd, 2003, attended by
over
three thousands people to elect their representatives. Ahmed Abdil
Sattar,
one of the newly elected representatives, delivered a speech on the
importance of the unity amongst the unemployed workers and the role of
the
union and its demands. Then, they marched, their ranks by now numbering
7
thousands and raised their demand for job opportunities or suitable
social
insurance. During the march the demonstrators came under attack by the
Islamic thugs who pelted them with stones and tore some of the banners
and
copies of the protest memorandum that the marchers had intended to hand
to
the occupying troops. The Islamite even threatened to kill the
demonstrators
if they distribute their leaflets. ing that gang out of the office and
reopened the it. On July 21st, an armed force, backed up by the " High
Council of the Islamic Revolution in Iraq" and some reactionary tribes,
again attacked the Nasiriyah office. The WCPI members clashed with them
and
forced them to retreat. Having being frustrated, they kidnapped four of
the
WCPI members in another neighbourhood in Nasiriyah and savagely
tortured
them. Then, the Italian police, a part of the occupying forces, came to
the
WCPI office and arrested all the members. The WCPI members have not
been
released up to publishing this report. These Islamic gangs, wherever
they
are, practice nothing but terrorism, crimes, assault political freedom
and
the most basic rights of the masses, and blindly stand against
civility,
humanity, women’s rights and human beings’ dignity. On the other hand,
when
America and its allies turned the world into a field for their
militarism
under the pretext of " war on terrorism", they, while militarily
occupying
Iraq, created a situation in which the Islamic gangs have the
opportunity to
practice more terror, kidnap acts and violations of political and civil
freedom of the masses especially women. The assault against the
communist
who are the only power that defends civil freedom, security and
stability is
an example in the same context.

Memorial ceremony held in Kirkuk to commemorate the 1st anniversary of
Mansoor Hekmat’s death

In response to a call by the Worker-communist Party of Iraq, a massive
gathering was convened in Al Rehab Hall, in Kirkuk on July 13th 2003.
Tahir
Hassan, the WCPI politburo member, welcomed the attendees and started
the
ceremony with observing a minute silence in memory of Mansoor Hekmat
and
those who sacrificed their lives for the cause of socialism. A photo
exhibition of photographs showing various stages of Mansoor’s Hekmat
struggle ending with a picture of his statuette next to Karl Marx
statute in
High Gate cemetery in London and some other photos of Mansoor’s Hekmat
memorial ceremony in London. Amjad Ghafor, the chair of the WCPI
politburo,
in his speech explained how he was introduced to Mansoor Hekmat. He
said, "
this person had left us a such a wealth lessons, experiences and
visions
that Worker Communism would not return to the post October 1917
revolution.
Then Sameer Adil, the WCPI politburo member, talks about Mansoor’s
Hekmat
influence on the Iraqi left and the effects of his policies in the
current
conflicts and struggles against the bourgeois trends. Nasik Ahmed of
the
Organization for Women’s Freedom in Iraq reaffirmed that Mansoor
Hekmat’s
party is now standing on its feet and is moving forward. She talked
about
various aspects of Mansoor Hekmat’s life and his leading role in
women’s
;liberation movement in Iran and Iraq, children’s rights and most
importantly bringing communism back to the working class. She reminded
the
attendees about his straightforwardness, modesty, concern about all and
his
transparency in criticism. The ceremonies were concluded with the
opening
speech delivered by Mansoor Hekmat at the 3rd congress of the
Worker-communist Party of Iran.

The establishment of the first local council in Kirkuk

On July18th 2003, the inhabitants of " Al Asra and Al Mafqudeen "
districts
in Kirkuk established their local council. The meeting was held in
Sati` Al
Bahry School and was attended by large number of people including a
good
women representation. Saleema Mohammed Salih, the principal of Sati` Al
Bahry School, and Musa Hussein Hasan opened the meeting. Then, Tahir
Hassan
and Sameer Adil, the WCPI politburo members, and Nasik Ahmed of the
Organization for Women’s Freedom in Iraq talked about the importance of
establishing a local council to run the community especially in the
current
state of affairs. They talked about the US policies and its inability
to run
Iraq and suggested that this council should be part of any future
administration arrangement in the city. Nasik Ahmed talked about the
women’s
situation in Iraq and the importance of their participation in running
the
community. During an open election, Saleema Mohammed Salih, Shireen
Abbas
Musa, Hussein Hasan, Ayyoub Ali, Talib Hasan Msayif and Sabah Abdalla
Khorshed were elected as representatives of the local council. Finally
the
local council representatives agreed to meet again on July20th in Al
Rehab
Hall Kirkuk. It is worth mentioning that the council’s first resolution
was
about the ethnic war and conflicts that lasted for weeks in Kirkuk.

Launch of the Organization for Women’s Freedom in Iraq celebrated in
Kirkuk

Hundreds of women and men gathered in Al Rehab Hall in Kirkuk to
celebrate
the foundation of the Organization of Women Freedom in Iraq. A gallery
of
photographs was displayed showing women’s, equality and freedom
movements
and their leaders during the past twelve years. Yanar Mohammed, the
co-founder of OWFI and the editor-in-chief of AL Musawat, welcomed the
attendees. A film about the activities of the " Women Protection
Centre" was
screened. The centre saved the lives of tens of women during two years
of
its operation until it was closed down because of the armed threats of
the
Patriotic Union of Kurdistan. In a solidarity speech the representative
of
"Emancipative Women Movement in Kurdistan" expressed her support for
the
OWFI. The celebration was concluded with the affiliation of forty men
and
women to OWFI. During the ceremony one woman threw her veil away amid
the
rapturous applause of the attendees.

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