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Joint Statement on Iraq’s Early Elections

The Ministers of Foreign Affairs of Australia, Canada, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Sweden, the Foreign Secretary of the United Kingdom, and the U.S. Secretary of State welcome the Iraqi Independent High Electoral Commission’s (IHEC) preparations for the October 10 election.  This early election is an opportunity for Iraqi voters to democratically determine their future. 

We recognize the importance of this moment in Iraqi history.  In response to requests from the Iraqi people, substantial resources have been mobilized in support of free and fair elections.

In May 2020, the UN Security Council enhanced the UN Assistance Mission for Iraq’s (UNAMI) electoral assistance mandate. The resulting UNAMI electoral assistance mission, tasked with supporting IHEC, is the largest of its kind in the world, with five times more UN officials than were present during the 2018 election.

In late 2020, Iraqis coalesced around the idea that international monitoring was a prerequisite for electoral legitimacy.  Accordingly, the Government of Iraq submitted a request to the UN Security Council.  On May 27, 2021, the Security Council unanimously adopted Resolution 2576, authorizing a UNAMI election monitoring team.  On June 21, 2021, the EU announced a separate election observation mission, which now comprises a significant number of experts from EU member states.  Both missions have already deployed monitors and observers, respectively.  These missions represent a good-faith international effort to fulfill Iraqis’ request and bolster the integrity of the election.

The Iraqi people now have an opportunity to exercise their fundamental right to vote.  We support the Iraqi government’s efforts to ensure a safe, free, fair, and inclusive electoral environment for all Iraqis, including women and youth, who have long faced violence and intimidation in the pursuit of reform.  Likewise, we support the Iraqi government’s efforts to ensure that internally displaced persons can safely participate in…

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UN calls for free, transparent elections in Iraq

The United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI) said Tuesday it expects the upcoming Iraqi elections to be free, transparent, and free from foreign interference.

“All our efforts are to ensure that there are no doubts in the elections,” Jeanine Antoinette Plasschaert, the head of UNAMI, told a press conference in the capital Baghdad.

He noted that UNAMI will deploy 877 international and local observers to ensure irregularities of the 2018 polls are not repeated.

“The same things that were done in 2018 will not be repeated. It is important that these elections are different from the 2018 polls,” Plasschaert stressed, in an effort to assure the Turkmen and Arabs in Iraq’s northern Kirkuk province.

Elections in the oil-rich country are scheduled for Oct. 10.

On Friday, prominent Iraqi Shia politician Muqtada al-Sadr warned against external interference in the elections, in reference to Iran.

Plasschaert admitted that elections will not bring miracles or cause radical change but said it will help establish a government that can make concrete changes.

UNAMI also promised to assume a neutral stance in the elections and to treat all Iraqi sides equally.

Commenting on reports that the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) candidates who went to Sinjar to prepare for the vote were denied entry by the PKK terrorists, Plasschaert said he supported the candidates’ right to meet voters.

Figures from the Iraqi Electoral Commission in July showed that 3,249 candidates representing 21 coalitions and 109 parties, as well as independent candidates, will run for seats in the 329-seat parliament.

The polls were originally scheduled to be held in 2022, but Iraq’s political parties have decided to hold early elections following mass protests that erupted in the country in 2019 against deep-seated corruption and poor services.

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This Eugene, Oregon Restaurant Serves Up Sushi Burritos to Die For

[]sushi burritos arranged with dipping sauceImage via / Facebook / SūBó

Just hearing the word sushi makes me instantly start to salivate. Sure, sushi may not be for everyone, but for myself, I’m hooked. I simply can’t get enough. The first time I saw a sushi burrito in my newsfeed on Facebook, which is commonly referred to as a Sushito, I knew I had to have one of these bad boys. Enter SūBó Sushi Burritos, a small family-owned chain of sushi restaurants where you can nosh on a gourmet nori-wrapped treat and still stay casual.

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The good news for me is, I discovered we have not only one but THREE spots to grab a Sushito in the Eugene/Springfield area.

SūBó sushi burritos eugene oregon whiteaker locationThe SūBó Food Cart location in “The Whit”.

Think rice, veggies, cream cheese, and all the delicious goodness you get in regular sliced sushi, but wrapped in seaweed and unsliced to make a perfectly holdable sushi burrito.

The idea originated from a customer who had driven through asking for a sushi burrito. Owner and chef Toby Helms thought this…

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The myth of foreign monitors in Iraq’s election – World

Next month’s parliamentary election is probably the most dramatic in Iraq’s recent history. Given the highly partisan atmosphere at a time of “conflict fatigue”, a meaningful and effective election is crucial for the nation’s stability and its dysfunctional democracy. 

But disputed ballot and contested outcome will certainly lay the groundwork in the following weeks or months for further political upheaval and an outbreak of new popular protests similar to the uprising that toppled the government in 2019. 

Every Iraqi election since the overthrow of the regime of former dictator Saddam Hussein has been marred by allegations of fraud and irregularities. Together with regional and international stakeholders, Iraqis fear that the October election could be a tipping point for the future. 

To help ensure a successful poll while battling voters’ mistrust and fighting one of the worst coronavirus outbreaks in the Middle East, the government of Mustafa Al-Kadhimi is inviting international observers to oversee the ballots.   

But while the government can see real value in foreign observers giving the poll a legal cover, many Iraqis remain sceptical about whether international observers can provide an objective means of validating the election to rescue Iraq’s tortured democracy. 

Still, much of the outcome depends on the United Nations Political Mission in Iraq, UNAMI, which is empowered by numerous UN Security Council resolutions to “assist in the electoral process” and help “towards free and fair Iraqi-led elections that are inclusive.” 

Last month the 15-member council unanimously approved an Iraqi request for a UN team to monitor the elections. A resolution it adopted authorised UNAMI to “provide a strengthened, robust and visible UN team” to monitor Iraq’s election day “with as broad a geographic coverage as possible.” 

The UN is expected to deploy some 130 international experts to monitor the polls, along…

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United Nations in Iraq

The facilities, completed under UNDP’s Funding Facility for Stabilization (FFS), were inaugurated as part of a UNDP Iraq visit to Heet, Haditha, Anah, Rawa, Qaim and Rummanah led by Resident Representative Ms. Zena Ali Ahmad. They included: Al-Mohamadi Municipality Building, Heet (funded by USAID) Al-Baghdady Municipality Building, Heet (funded by USAID) Al Khasfa Water Treatment plant, Haditha (funded by the Government of Sweden) Rawa Municiapilty building (funded by USAID) Al Qaim Electricity Substation (funded by USAID) Al-Aseel Primary School, Rummanah (funded by USAID) The mission commenced with a meeting between UNDP and Anbar Governor H.E Ali Farhan to discuss UNDP’s support to the province as well as remaining needs. Visits to other completed projects under FFS including Haditha Public library (funded by the Government of Iraq), Anah Municipality Building (funded by the Government of Finland), and Al Qaim Vocational Training Centre (funded by the Government of Canada) and an oasis agricultural project (also funded by Canada) were also included. Additionally, a meeting with the Al Qaim Local Peace Committee supported by UNDP Iraq under its Social Cohesion programme was held, with discussions focusing on the sustainable reintegration of returned IDPs including families with a perceived affiliation to the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL). Future areas of collaboration were also explored, with a site visit to discuss potential livelihood projects in the productive sector on land owned by Haditha’s Department of Agriculture, and a stop by the Haditha Women’s Cultural Centre to better understand the specific needs of local women. The mission concluded with a visit to an ongoing livelihood project funded by Canada which employs 200 workers – including women – to plant 15,000 olive seedlings (high olive oil trees), 2,000 palm seedlings (Zahddi trees) and build five wells. “It’s great to see cities in western…

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UN recruits a sign language interpreter for Iraq’s electoral commission

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – Ahead of next month’s parliamentary elections in Iraq, the United Nations has hired a sign language interpreter to help the country’s electoral authorities reach out to deaf voters, the international organization announced on Tuesday.

At the request of the Iraqi government and under UN Security Council Resolution 2576, the United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI) is supporting and advising the Iraqi Independent High Electoral Commission (IHEC).

“Iraq’s election will be more credible if it involves as many Iraqi voters as possible,” the organization tweeted on Tuesday. “And that includes the deaf community.”

The sign language interpreter will, therefore, help the IHEC “broaden its reach”.

The parliamentary elections are scheduled to take place on October 10, where more than 3,000 candidates are vying for the 329 seats in Iraq’s legislative house.

UNAMI will also send 130 international experts to observe the electoral process “in advance” and “on election day,” Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert, the United Nations Special Representative for Iraq, recently said.

Read More: UNAMI monitors hate speech against female candidates in Iraq’s elections

The team will advise the local electoral authorities on all the operational aspects and phases of the process, including voter registration, candidate nomination, procurement and logistics.

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ISHM: September 2 – September 9, 2021

  • Baghdad And Riyadh Discuss Security Cooperation; UNAMI Outlines Measures To Prevent Electoral Fraud; CENTCOM And Kadhimi Discuss Ending U.S. Combat Presence – On September 4, the Saudi Interior Minister met with PM Kadhimi in Baghdad to discuss security cooperation, especially in counter terrorism, border security, and exchanging expertise. On September 6, the EU’s High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Josep Borrell, met with PM Kadhimi in Baghdad and expressed the EU’s commitment to support Baghdad’s reform efforts and the upcoming elections. Borrell later visited Erbil for meetings with Iraqi Kurdish leaders. On September 6, Kataib Hezbollah accused the Peshmerga forces of facilitating the movement and operations of ISIS militants in Kirkuk and Ninewa. On September 7, a Ninewa court sentenced former governor Atheel al-Nujaifi to seven years in prison. On September 7, UNAMI chief, Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert, said the UN continues to provide advice and technical assistance to IHEC in a range of areas, including paper ballot printing and security planning. She highlighted measures to prevent fraud, such as plans to destroy unclaimed voter cards, and banning cell phones and cameras at voting centers. On September 8, IHEC said it has destroyed 4,670,000 temporary voter cards that were not claimed by their owners since 2013. On September 9, dozens of engineering graduates demanding jobs in Maysan province were injured in clashes with security forces. On September 9, CENTCOM chief, General Kenneth McKenzie met with PM Kadhimi in Baghdad and agreed to hold another meeting of the U.S. and Iraqi technical military committees to finalize plans to end U.S. combat presence by the end of the year. more…

  • ISIS Launches A String Of Deadly Complex Attacks In Kirkuk And Diyala; Turkey And Iran Bomb Sinjar And Border Villages – Between September 5 – 7, ISIS militants launched three complex…

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    UNAMI monitors hate speech against female candidates in Iraq’s elections

    ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) –The United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI) and civil society groups have received reports of politically motivated gender-based violence and hate speech against women running in Iraq’s elections, the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for UNAMI said on Tuesday.

    In a press conference held in Baghdad, Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert outlined steps UNAMI will take to ensure that the upcoming Iraqi elections, scheduled to take place on October 10, are free and fair. 

    Female candidates face increasing levels of hate speech, violence, and blackmail intended to force them to withdraw their candidacy. 

    “We are working with civil society organizations to monitor and report political gender-based violence and hate speech against female candidates,” Hennis-Plasschaert said.

    Read More: New study claims rise in male victims of domestic violence in Iraq

    UNAMI is also providing small grants to local non-governmental organizations to provide voter education to first-time voters. 

    The organization will also send 130 international experts to observe the electoral process “in advance” and “on election day.”

    “The UN is deploying a much bigger team to support the elections,” Hennis-Plasschaert said. “In effect, this is one of the UN’s largest electro-technical assistances worldwide with five times as many UN personnel as in 2018.”

    Despite some political parties boycotting the elections, UNAMI “believes that they have the potential to be different from elections in 2018.”

    In October, over 3,000 candidates will vie for 329 parliamentary seats.

    The UN diplomat also highlighted a few new electoral measures that Iraqi election authorities had put in place. As part of these new measures, a citizens’ electronic voter card will be confiscated and disabled for 72 hours after they cast their vote to prevent any “misuse”, Hennis-Plasschaert explained.

    “Mobile phones and cameras, will this time not be allowed inside voting booths,” she added. 

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    4 storm-related deaths reported in Philadelphia suburbs

    MILFORD TWP., Pennsylvania (WPVI) — Four deaths have been reported so far in the Philadelphia suburbs after severe weather hit the region on Wednesday.

    The victims include a man who drowned after his car went into a creek, while a woman was killed when a tree fell on her home.

    POLICE ID MAN KILLED IN BUCKS COUNTY

    A 65-year-old man is dead after he drowned inside his vehicle after it went into the Unami Creek in Milford Twp., Bucks County.

    The victim was identified as Donald Allen Bauer of Perkiomenville.

    Troopers and firefighters arrived to try and retrieve the vehicle but, police say, conditions were too severe and the search was postponed at 11:30 p.m.

    A passenger in the car, a 54-year-old woman also of Perkiomenville, was able to get out of the vehicle.

    At about 6 a.m. Thursday, police, firefighters and a water team returned to the scene and found Bauer’s body inside the vehicle.

    The Bucks County coroner determined the cause of death to be drowning.

    3 DEATHS IN MONTGOMERY COUNTY

    Three people were killed in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania after severe storms from Ida hit the region on Wednesday.

    “I am extremely sad to report there are currently three storm-related fatalities being investigated by the Montgomery County Coroner’s Office,” Montgomery County Commissioner Dr. Val Arkoosh said in a press briefing Thursday morning.

    Action News has confirmed that a woman was killed in Upper Dublin Township after a tree came down onto a home. The woman has not been identified.

    Investigators from the National Weather Service said an EF-2 tornado with winds up to 130 mph was confirmed in the area.

    Its track was from the Ft. Washington area to Horsham, Pa.

    No further details have been released about the other victims.

    “We will have further details on those once they become available. I want to extend my deepest…

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    Two Dead, Possibly More As Philadelphia Region Recovers From Tornadoes, Major Flooding

    Two people have died as of Thursday afternoon as a result of Wednesday night’s storm in the Philadelphia region, reports say. That number is expected to rise.

    Authorities told 6abc a woman was killed after a tree came down on a home in Upper Dublin Township (Montgomery County). Her identity was not released.

    Donald Allen Bauer, 65, of Perkiomenville, died after driving his 2013 Mazda CX-9 into the flood waters of Unami Creek in Milford Township (Bucks County), PA State Police said.

    The Montgomery County Coroner’s Office is also reportedly investigating three storm-related deaths, Chair of Montgomery County Board of Commissioners Dr. Val Arkoosh told CBS3. 

    The National Weather Service confirmed two tornadoes in southeastern Pennsylvania Thursday afternoon. There was one in Fort Washington/Upper Dublin to Horsham Township (Montgomery County) and the other in Oxford (Chester County).

    Record amounts of rainfall caused torrential flooding, leaving many roads, homes, and businesses left to recover.

    Widespread rainfall totals of 3-5″ occurred along and north/west of I-95 with a stripe of 6-8″ or locally higher from Chester County northeastward toward NYC, the NWS says.

    Perkiomen Fire Company volunteers rescued dozens of individuals from cars in floodwaters and seven individuals from rooftops, officials said.

    One family including a child was rescued from a home completely surrounded by water on Wartman Road.

    Silver Lake Road in Middletown Township (Bucks County) is expected to be closed for approximately a week as crews repair extensive damage.

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