Press Release

01.03.2010

Iraq Out-of-Country Voting Conundrum

Iraqi diasporas are facing a particularly challenging time as outer of country voting for Iraqi Parliament election will take place on 5th, 6th and 7th March in Britain. This is a historic election for Iraqi people, and Iraqis living in Britain must be able to exercise their voting rights. The size of he Iraqi community in Britain is the largest in Europe and deserves better attention and understanding when it comes to the process of Outer of Country Voting. “A high percentage of the community do not possess Iraqi ID original documents, but only British ID documents, in order to participate in the voting process, this will deprive thousands of eligible Iraqi voters in this country.

Depriving British Iraqis to vote for the Iraqi Parliament in Britain is becoming a real and serious concern for our community. Iraqis living in Britain are mainly refugees who fled Iraq, and Iraqi diasporas who settled here.” Said Jabbar Hasan of Iraqi Association in Hammersmith, west London.

While we recognise the efforts of Independent High Electoral Commission of Iraq (IHEC), but the whole process of setting up its operational structure in Britain started very late and without adequate information and consultation. IHEC must have known that setting up out-of-country voting (OCV) for external Iraqis is a complex process. In the end, it could even endanger the credibility of the wider electoral process.

This is an important and exciting time for Iraqis abroad, they want to be part of the process and cast their votes. To offer the right and withhold the access is cruel, in effect it is equivalent to not having offered the right in the first place. “This historic election which deals with the fundamental democratic institution of extending the suffrage to many that have been denied the right unjustly and unfairly.” said Jabbar Hasan.

For more information please contact Jabbar Hasan on 020 8741 5491 email: info@iraqiassociation.org

Notes to editors:
Iraqi Association is a non-sectarian organisation established in 1987 to assist with settlement and
integration of the community.



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