Another difficult step starts in the political life of Aram Qadir

27-11-2018 09:59
Aram Qadir the newly-elected president of National Coalition

 


By Surkew Mohammed


Early in June 2001 when the Kurdistan Islamic Group (KIG) announced itself as a new political party, Aram Qadir headed a delegation to introduce the newly-founded party to the other parties in the Kurdistan region of Iraq. None of the political parties were ready to meet them even for a photo. Boycotting the new Islamic party was part of the broader political pressure as they split from the Islamic Movement of Kurdistan.


 The situation nowadays is the same for Aram Qadir, the newly-elected president of the National Coalition, nevertheless with a different experience and unusual circumstances.


The process of establishing the Kurdistan Islamic Group in 2001 was difficult. It came after eight months of harsh quarrels and struggle, following the first congress of Outstanding United Islamic Movement. There were two opposite wings within the Islamic Movement. After they could not reach an agreement, the name of the party, its logo and motto were changed, a new leadership council was elected, and the Islamic Group was announced as a new political party.


The first official visited by the delegation of KIG was Nawshirwan Mustafa, the deputy of General Secretary of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) at that time. Speaking to Peregraf, Aram Qadir said, “I remember a speech from Kak [honorary title] Nawshirwan [Mustafa] back then, he said ‘I wish we could do such thing’ [he meant within the PUK]. He was very impressed with the foundation of the Islamic Group.”


After eight years from this meeting, Nawshirwan Mustafa founded Gorran movement which was similar to the KIG, as they both split from a bigger party.


Following its establishment, KIG faced pressure from within the country and the region. The political parties of the Kurdistan Region of Iraq, as PUK and some regional forces, like Iran, were against any discord within the Islamic Movement. They were against the new party.


In the beginning, KIG did not have any budget and could not pay its members any financial compensation. However, after months of intensive work, they could ease tensions with both Iran and PUK. Only then a budget was allocated to them. From two million Iraqi dinars allocated to its predecessor, Islamic Movement, 80% was later allocated to KIG, after Iran mediated the situation. They overcame the financial difficulty.


The same situation faced the National Coalition two weeks ago. The new party was established after 40 days of negotiation with former PUK leaders within the parent party, the Coalition for Democracy and Justice (CDJ). CDJ was founded by the former deputy leader of PUK, and current Iraqi president, Barham Salih. After rejoining PUK, Salih exerted pressure on the high-ranking officials of his party to dissolve it, but some of its founders decided to continue the party under a different name: National Coalition.


In the general meeting of CDJ on November 9, 2018, 244 of 350 founding members elected Aram Qadir to lead the rebranded National Coalition.


National Coalition is still under the pressure of the former PUK members as they no longer want the CDJ to continue after the controversial move of Barham Salih to join PUK again. They insist on dissolving the CDJ as they took over most of the headquarters from National Coalition.  


National Coalition has no headquarter yet. Their officials hold meetings inside their own houses, but they are firm not to withdraw despite the mounting pressures. The party’s president is optimistic to pass this difficult phase as he did in the past.


“This is much easier compared to what we did in the past. For sure we will make it a thriving phase as the circumstances fit for growing National Coalition," Qadir who holds masters in Political Science told Peregraf, "Back then people did not dare to say ‘I’m from Komal’ [The Kurdish name of KIG], but now it is different, most of the regional powers and political parties in the Kurdistan Region know us. We have received many wishes and support letters.”

 

The president of National Coalition claimed that the former PUK officials inside CDJ could not wreck his party. Talking about the issue, he said, “There is no possibility to form a new party, because they have decided to return to the PUK, and now they are in discussion of the returning mechanism.”

 

Aram Qadir, 53, is known as a durable and robust figure among Kurdish politicians he has been working with, but he is not as popular.