Nazar Janabi: if Maliki is changed with appropriate replacement, I think every issue with KRG can be resolved through negotiations with the central government
April 23, 2014
Exclusive Interviews
Janabi: I am really sad to say that the future does not look right for Iraq as we have said. The prime minister was ill-advised in governing into Anbar and putting in so and the army in a position that is very difficult to win. It is important to understand that to win in Anbar, to be able to stabilize Anbar; you have to have the public, the people of Anbar, on your side. After years of prime minister’s governance, he alienated the public in Anbar and caused him to be his not supportive at least on neutral position with Al-Qa’eda, with Da’esh, with ISIS whatever the name is and that gave them a foothold. As you remember, during 2006 and 2007, even the United States’ army and marines recognized that you need the people of Anbar in order to defeat Al-Qa’eda in that region. It is very difficult to defeat them on your own with the people against you or not supporting you. Now the advices that the prime minister have received from his leadership was ill, was not the best advice. It was not the right decision for him to go in there, and the situation now is that he is sucked there, he can’t pull out because that will jeopardize his image in the April election, and he is covering on the massive human casualties from Iraqi armay and from the civilians in Anbar, and that situation is basically an exhaustion of human and wealth resources of Iraq without any avail and at the end, after the elections, the prime minister will definitely pull out and negotiate, but he will not negotiate from the position of strength, but weakness. If we are lucky enough to get a better prime minister or government, I think this issue will be resolved with some compromises, with some politics, and with some negotiations with the leadership, with the community leaders, with the tribal leaders of Anbar in order to try to stabilize the situation and isolate the extremists and the jihadists from the public and stabilize Anbar.
Gulan: we are wondering why Maliki has alone taken decisions. What about the parliament? A government that has taken control of army, police, intelligence, and partially judiciary and budget without returning to parliament. How do these question the sovereignty of rule of law in the country?
Janabi: I agree with you. However, the parliament has in sideline. Maliki has succeeded in either bribing or scaring members, and as you remember, it was about a year ago when there was an attempt to for a vote of no confidence on Maliki and that did not succeed. So although I don’t like to say that, Maliki succeeded in staying in power and in becoming extremely authoritarian. However, this coming two weeks is the Iraqis chance to put an end to that and to put a new government in place that might secure the future. If they fail in that, I seriously have fears to the future of the country and its integrity, and it is the responsibility of all, Iraqi citizens and politicians, to look beyond personal gains to the bigger gain all the whole country.
Gulan: how will the United States react to this? Until now the United States has just shown silence following its withdrawal in 2011, it has completely ignored Iraq and kept silent even towards violating human rights in Iraq. Do think after all the loss Americans suffer in Iraq, they will leave it behind?
Janabi: I believe that America is still interested in Iraq and in preserving democracy in it. However, I don’t believe America is ready all willing to militarily intervene in Iraq, but they will definitely play a big role in the political negotiation that following the elections. I believe that the United States will see the benefit of a new government.
Gulan: the relations between KRG and Baghdad are currently halted, and president Barzani claimed that it is difficult to have good relations with a government that boycotted parliament. People in Kurdistan are expecting a decision to be made as Maliki has already cut Kurdish share of budget. So what are your expectations for Kurdistan Region and your recommendations for the KRG to deal with this situation?
Janabi: I think the step of cutting of the livelihood of citizens is really unwise. However, with two weeks to the elections, I think it is wise of the government of Kurdistan to wait until after the elections and then resume relations and talk with hopefully a better government that will listen to reason and that will work for the best interest of its people whether they are in the south or in the north or in the middle, wherever they are, they are all citizens of Iraq and they deserve their rights.
Gulan: According to the Iraqi constitution the regions can run their own oil field affairs, and the oil and gas revenue belong to all Iraqi people, but Maliki doesn’t want Kurdistan region to exercise this right as a region, so how do you interpret this problem, don’t you think that preventing from the rights means centralizing authority in Iraq?
Janabi: since the beginning of Maliki’s government, it has been a continuous attempt to centralize his powers to draw all the powers towards him, not even towards Baghdad but specifically towards his office. Every single ministry has no decision making authority unless they go back to Maliki’s office and his close circle of beneficiaries that is basically running the country now.
Gulan: do you think Maliki can stay in power after elections?
Janabi: it has been few months now almost every politician, other than Maliki’s set of loyal alliances, almost every single politician has stated that we do not want another four years of Maliki’s government. The Mouatin list, the Sadr list, Al-Iraqia list, all of them have stated that we believe that Maliki has the power for eight years and they will work together in order to prevent Maliki from coming back as a next prime minister, and I believe if Maliki is changed with appropriate replacement, I think every issue with KRG can be resolved through negotiations with the central government.
Gulan: it has been for two years that president Barzani has been announcing if Iraq heads towards dictatorship, Kurds will not be following dictatorship again and will declare independency, fearing from genocide, the Anfal, the bombardment, and the suffering s that people of Iraq, especially Kurdish people, had faced during the previous dictator’s rule… do you think that the world will support Maliki’s authoritarian rule, or support and preserve a federal a democratic region like KRG?
Janabi: I think it is important the Kurdish people elected their leaders and it is important for their leaders, for the KRG leadership to do what is best for the people who elected them. If they see that declaring independence from Iraq is better for their people, I think they should do that, but if they see that it is not the time or if they see that declaring independency hurt their people, then it is probably not the wisest step. However, I would wait and see what kind of government will emerge from the elections if the upcoming government is reasonable—by reasonable I mean will be willing to work with KRG and with local governments throughout the country to improve the living situations of all Iraqis--, I think it is probably wise to stay with Iraq, but again this is a decision for the people of KRG and I believe that their elected leadership should do whatever the public in KRG wants.
Gulan: because of the crisis the KRG faced with the government in Baghdad, Maliki is pressuring the Kurds by military means and cutting budget. However, Kurdish leadership are responding by trying to separate from Iraq but Maliki has responded recently by saying that they are not paying importance to the independency of Kurdistan region and they claim for the separation of the Kurds from Baghdad, so do you think that these are the true willing of Maliki about the separation issue by solving it peacefully or another tactic for surviving in the current crisis and for the elections?
Janabi: we all know that Maliki has been lying throughout his term. If you look at his statements, we all remember when he went to the national TV and said “I promise you within a hundred days electricity will be there” and it became worse over three years now . “I promise you that we will end terrorism” and it is been escalating since he took government. “I promise you that we will end corruption” and Iraq is almost the worst country in the world in corruption. he Says things that proved to be not true and he has been consistence in that. So if he has said that Kurds should separate from Iraq and it will happen peacefully, then I would take the opposite of that.
Gulan: What is your message for our readers?
Janabi: be wise in these upcoming elections and don’t compromise. People remember four years ago Al-Iraqia won the elections but then people compromised and that Maliki back in power. Don’t yield under pressure from Iran or from the United States because it won’t be in your best interest and people in Iraq have seen that and politicians in Iraq who compromised have seen how Maliki broke all his promises, broke what he had agreed on in Erbil and never followed through on his promises. Do not believe whatever promises he makes because he will lie to stay in power and then he will not fulfill his promises.
