The PUK stands up for minorities' rights

Reports 10:46 AM - 2023-01-09

The PUK stands up for minorities' rights. PUKMEDIA

The Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) has consistently fought for the rights of the diverse populations in the Kurdistan Region and Iraq, believing that it is its duty to do so.

One of the demands the PUK made during the transition to the new Iraqi government was recently met by the Iraqi Council of Ministers: granting the Yazidis ownership of their residential lands and homes.
 

President Mam Jalal: I stand up for the Kakais' rights

Hasiba Abdullah, a member of the PUK Leadership Council and the head of the PUK Communities Board, told PUKMEDIA that "the PUK's support for the different communities is not new, but goes back to the era of President Mam Jalal, who strived to provide a peaceful and decent life for the minorities and always insisted that he was the defender of the rights of the Kakais."

According to Abdullah, the measures taken by PUK President Bafel Jalal Talabani today are a continuation of those taken by President Mam Jalal. He continued, "The PUK will certainly treat all communities equally and try to provide them with a decent and peaceful life so that they can achieve their rights and needs."

Various minorities in the Kurdistan Region and Iraq feel safe because of the PUK, he continued, and thus they support the party because of its national positions.
 

The PUK will not permit minorities' rights to be violated

The PUK has asked that representatives from the Kakai and Yazidi communities be admitted to the Kurdistan Parliament because this is their right, and they shouldn't be denied it. However, the PUK advocates for these minorities' true representation in the legislature.

"As the PUK faction in the Kurdistan Parliament, we reject the denial of the rights of the minorities and support their having true representation in the parliament so that they can defend themselves," Abdulnasir Ahmed, a member of the PUK faction, told PUKMEDIA.
 
It hasn't yet been accepted, but "our faction has long insisted that the Kakais and Yazidis have representatives in parliament like all other communities," he added.
 

Iraqi President: It is our duty to serve the minorities

On January 8, the President of Iraq, Dr. Abdullatif Jamal Rashid, welcomed a delegation to Baghdad's Salam Palace that included members of the Yazidi community from Shingal District, Nineveh Governorate.

President Rashid praised the tremendous sacrifices made by the town in battling terrorists while emphasizing the need to strengthen the brotherhood and cooperation among all Shingal residents as well as the necessity of coordinated national efforts to improve stability and civil and societal peace.

During the meeting, Iraqi President emphasized the need to significantly improve the town and the quality of life there. He also emphasized the suffering of the displaced, particularly those from Shingal, and the importance of moving quickly to settle their case and send them back to their homes.

President Rashid stressed the necessity of rebuilding the town, offering residents basic amenities, compensating those affected, and providing the required support in this regard in order to enhance the security and stability of the town's surrounding territories.

Translated from Kurdish and edited by Hiran Halwan, Additional editing by Zareena Younis
PUKMEDIA