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Christians of Iraq
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The arrest of Dr Kamal Sayid Qadir emerges as a key test of Kurdish Regional Government 12/28/2005
KurdishMedia.com - By Dylan Alan
Kurdistan's Justice System should act swiftly put pressure on the KRG in Arbil to release Dr Sayid Qadir, who has been held in a KDP prison.The arrest of Dr Sayid Qadir will emerge as a key test of KRG's relations with the international community, which tests that the KRG protection of freedom of expression.
International Human Rights scholars repeatedly stress that KRG must release Dr Sayid Qadir if it is to push forward with its bid to become an applicant for democracy. The KRG, however, is now facing pressure from NGO's and UN instruments, which are angered by KDP's inhuman act(s).
KDP friends now have the opportunity to lead the KRG and Arbil leaders toward democracy, otherwise they will loss the letter "D" for Democracy in their masked name. We though that the KRG has had a strong will to be a protector of human rights, but unfortunately such a corrupted system needs much more than just stunning names.
The Justice arm in KRG should examine the case of Dr Sayid Qadir and eliminate the injustices within the KRG's justice system. I have no doubt, the judiciary can be overridden by the leaders in Arbil, but others within the KGR should work for freedom of speech and democracy.
Dr Sayid Qadir, one of the region's most prominent writers, faces charges for 'insulting' the KDP leaders after giving critical views of the corroded system in Arbil. For Dr Sayid Qadir or any other(s) in future to visit the taboo areas of KDP history will justify a risk. Writers are there to take on the creeping tide of censorship that has been fuelled by narrow minded and self appointed leaders.
In his articles, Dr Sayid Qadir brought up two of the most painful episodes in the KRG: the corruption in KRG and self-appointed leaders.
This is not the Kurdistan which civilized Kurds waited for. Our only relief is that the bullets fired in the past by those trying to silence others with despotism have been replaced with democratic masks.
The question is: Why the KRG misinterpreted and misunderstand the freedom of speech? Do Kurdish people also misunderstand them? Some observes believe that the KDP leadership protecting their wealth and power with oppressing intellectuals. Others believe that they are repugnant because they not elected democratically, they are not experienced the freedom of speech, and of the press.
Now, nothing can justify the arrest of Dr Sayid Qadir. Nor need we hear out unctuous plea bargains for those who arrested and tortured thousands of Kurds in a crime that dwarfs the evil for which Dr Sayid Qadir's hidden in dark rooms.
And if we truly wish to know why Dr Sayid Qadir is arrested, interrogated, and possibility ill-treated should listen to the poet Robert Burns wrote, the greatest of gifts is to "see ourselves as others see us." How do the KRG see the democratic minded Kurds, and how do honest writers such as Dr Sayid Qadir appear in their eyes.
To those leaders in KRG in Arbil who hate democracy and freedom of speech, they should realize that the people are the power behind their empire.
If we must fight these people the rest of our lives, we should know why they hate freedom of speech. These inhuman acts are "senseless" or "irrational." They are purposeful acts of political terror. All the KRG leaders need is: pause and think before plunging into another slum.
No one anywhere ever should be concerned that they will be verbally attacked, arrested, interrogated and tortured for their free-speech, writing or the way of thinking.