KDP, PUK trade barbs in parliamentary immunity vote fallout, Iraqi Kurdistan

MESOPOTAMIA NEWS : KURDISH TURMOIL / SOUTH KURDISTAN – IRAQ

9 May 2020 – HEWLÊR-Erbil, Iraq’s Kurdistan region,— The Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) and the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) issued dueling statement late on Thursday attacking each other’s conduct during a controversial vote in the Iraqi Kurdistan Parliament stripping an opposition lawmaker of his parliamentary immunity.

Earlier in the day, 57 members of parliament, mostly from the KDP, voted to remove Kurdistan Islamic Group (KIG) lawmaker Soran Omar of the protections he enjoyed as a legislator, which leaves him vulnerable to prosecution. Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) Prime Minister Masrour Barzani filed a complaint against Omar after the MP accused him of corruption.

In response to the KDP’s instance that the vote go ahead, lawmakers from the PUK, the Change Movement (Gorran), the New Generation Movement, the Kurdistan Islamic Union (KIU), and the KIG all walked out, leaving half the chamber empty.

In a striking piece of symbolism Speaker Rewaz Fayaq refused to preside over the session and joined her PUK colleagues in the walkout, leaving presiding duties to her KDP deputy Hemin Hawrami.

On Thursday night, the PUK released a statement accusing the KDP of engaging in parliamentary theater and said that Hawrami had unjustly attacked the party without presenting any evidence or facts.

“It would have been better for Hemn Hawrami to remain silent or try to make up some plausible excuse for the play that they staged because the argument that they were implementing the law was baseless and fake and it has become an irritant between the parties, ruined national unity and harmony, and diminished the image and reputation of the Parliament,” the statement said.

“We assure you again that creating artificial and handmade crises for us will not reduce our support and protection of the people’s rights or our beliefs by one iota,” the statement added.

The KDP shot back in a response that its lawmakers were implementing a directive of the party’s leadership to raise the stature of the Kurdistan Parliament by ensuring that its bylaws and internal regulations are enforced.

“At least for the integrity and honor of the Parliament, the PUK should have not called implementing the bylaws with 58 MPs present fake or an act,” the KDP statement said.

“The KDP does not violate the law,” it continued. “We will do whatever we can to uphold the sovereignty of the law.”

“Unfortunately, you have damaged your own reputation and that of Parliament with your false politics.”