Baghdad: The Babylon Movement affirmed that the affairs of the Christian community are an internal matter concerning its members and their true representatives. It also rejected any guardianship or interference from the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP), under any pretext or justification.
According to National Iraqi News Agency, in a statement issued Wednesday, commenting on remarks made by the Second Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Farhad al-Atroushi, regarding the Parliament’s rapporteur, the movement said: “Some of the parties claiming to be concerned with balance and representation are the same ones that stole and seized seats belonging to established communities through disrespectful means. This included the Christian seat, the seat of the Faili Kurds (Shiites) in Wasit Governorate, and the seat of the Yazidi community.”
It added, “These individuals do not represent the communities they claim to represent, but rather only their party, the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP), and they operate according to political agendas linked to the Erbil government-a fact that is no longer a secret.” It emphasized, “Respect for political agreements is not demonstrated through media statements, but by respecting the will of the communities and their constitutional right to choose their true representatives, free from imposition, interference, and the theft of their entitlements.”
The movement warned, “Continued interference in the affairs of the Christian community, or any attempt to circumvent its constitutional and political rights, will compel us to take all necessary constitutional and political measures, including demanding the dismissal of any official who exceeds their authority or undermines the principle of genuine national partnership,” according to the statement.
The office of Deputy Speaker of Parliament Farhad al-Atroushi issued a statement earlier this evening, saying: “There is no official decision or agreement among the parliamentary blocs regarding the position of Parliament Rapporteur for our Christian brothers, and everything said and published on this matter is incorrect.”
Parliament had previously announced the selection of MP Ivan Faiq Jabro as Parliament Rapporteur.