Reporting Impact

Iraq: Sept ‘09

IWPR report into controversy over alleged political persecution in the workplace is cited for balance.

By Shorish Khalid in Sulaimaniyah (29-Oct-09)

Leaders of Iraqi Kurdistan’s government and opposition have commended IWPR’s reporting of allegations that public sector workers have been persecuted for their politics.

The report, Kurdish Opposition Say Supporters Targeted in Workplace, included claims that hundreds of military and security personnel had been fired or punished on suspicion of supporting the opposition Change list.

Government officials interviewed in the story denied the charge and said the allegations would be investigated.

“The IWPR report has dealt with the subject objectively and impartially compared to other media outlets,” Jalal Karim, an undersecretary in the region’s interior ministry, said.

“All sides have been quoted and all have had their say.... We will see the issue another way from now on.”

Karim reiterated that the allegations were being investigated.

“We have decided to investigate all those who have been fired or moved. Anyone who has been wronged will be afforded their full rights.”

A senior official from the Change list said IWPR’s report was “successful and had maintained balance”.

“This story is distinct from other reports because it has taken the opinion of both sides into account,” Zana Rauf, a Change deputy, said.

“Such reports make it harder for citizens’ rights to be violated. They give citizens the hope that their views and problems will be conveyed accurately to the outside world.”

Elections in Iraqi Kurdistan this summer saw Change emerge as a powerful opposition group, weakening the dominance of a coalition formed of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan, PUK, and Kurdistan Democratic Party, KDP.

Change was created earlier this year from a breakaway PUK faction. It campaigned on the promise to fight corruption and cronyism in Kurdish politics.

Most media outlets in the region are affiliated to one of its political factions. Throughout the elections and beyond, they have carried reports accusing political rivals of persecuting their supporters.

IWPR’s story carried interviews with public sector employees who said their working conditions had been altered after the election, apparently over their support for the opposition group.

They typically complained of having been transferred, reassigned or fired without any formal explanation.

Government officials quoted in the story denied the charges. The dismissal of certain security officials was defended on the grounds that their sympathy for Change had compromised their ability to do their job.

Sadi Ahmed Pira, a member of the PUK’s politburo, said IWPR’s report was “important to the public” as it gave space to all sides of the debate.

He added that other media outlets had incorrectly reported the dismissal of government employees. The authorities had only fired senior officials who owed their appointment to the PUK but had changed sides to support Change, he said.

Both Pira and Karim stressed that a government panel set up to investigate the complaints should be allowed to complete its work.

Karim said several security officials who lost their jobs after the election had been the bodyguards of Change leaders, who had prevented them from returning to work.

He said interior ministry rules prohibit security officials from being absent for more than three days without leave.

“We will give back their jobs on the condition that they return to work,” he said. “We will not forcibly fire anyone who adheres to the law.”

Rauf warned that Change would take further action if it disagreed with the findings of the investigation into claims of unfair dismissal.

“We have considered a tougher stance if all [the sacked employees] are not afforded their rights,” he said.

Kurdish media reports over the last month say an unspecified number of employees fired after the election have been returning to their jobs.

Shorish Khalid is an IWPR-trained journalist in Sulaimaniyah.