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ERBIL, Aug. 30 (AKnews) - A member of the Iraqi Council of Representatives from the White bloc said all parties agreed on the need to hold a census to develop data in Iraq, denying that any party rejects the census.
Kurdish newspaper Rudaw cited Kurdish MPs as saying that only Kurds want to conduct a census in Iraq, while others (Shiite and Sunni) do not want to hold it.
The newspaper reported that: "The Iraqi PM Nouri al-Maliki signed an agreement with the Kurds in 2010 and the census was supposed to be held within one year, according to the agreement, but this was not implemented at all.”
Rudaw also quoted a Kurdish MP as saying: "Maliki does not want to hold the census and the reason, as everyone knows, is that 85 percent of the population of Khanaqin, 50 percent of the people of Kirkuk, and 75 percent of the population of Chenkal (in Nineveh) are Kurds. Accordingly, if the census was conducted, Maliki will lose control on the disputed areas."
Bloc member Jamal al-Battikh said: "The census is an urgent need for the country, because the countries of the world have a census every ten years to develop data about the population and their needs, and now we are in dire need for a census, but there are obstacles that hinder conducting it.
"The most prominent obstacles that hinder conducting the census are the areas disputed between Erbil and Baghdad.
"We support holding the census, especially because the Ministry of Planning announced two years ago the end of the preparations. But another issue hindered the census - that is the issue of religion and nationalism. But this issue is not as serious as the issue of disputed areas."
Regarding the presence of political efforts in the Council of Representatives to disrupt the census, Battikh said: "Everyone supports Iraq's need for a census to organize the overall aspects of life, and contribute to acquiring news statistics that allow the state to find out the real need of citizens.”
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Kurdish newspaper Rudaw cited Kurdish MPs as saying that only Kurds want to conduct a census in Iraq, while others (Shiite and Sunni) do not want to hold it.
The newspaper reported that: "The Iraqi PM Nouri al-Maliki signed an agreement with the Kurds in 2010 and the census was supposed to be held within one year, according to the agreement, but this was not implemented at all.”
Rudaw also quoted a Kurdish MP as saying: "Maliki does not want to hold the census and the reason, as everyone knows, is that 85 percent of the population of Khanaqin, 50 percent of the people of Kirkuk, and 75 percent of the population of Chenkal (in Nineveh) are Kurds. Accordingly, if the census was conducted, Maliki will lose control on the disputed areas."
Bloc member Jamal al-Battikh said: "The census is an urgent need for the country, because the countries of the world have a census every ten years to develop data about the population and their needs, and now we are in dire need for a census, but there are obstacles that hinder conducting it.
"The most prominent obstacles that hinder conducting the census are the areas disputed between Erbil and Baghdad.
"We support holding the census, especially because the Ministry of Planning announced two years ago the end of the preparations. But another issue hindered the census - that is the issue of religion and nationalism. But this issue is not as serious as the issue of disputed areas."
Regarding the presence of political efforts in the Council of Representatives to disrupt the census, Battikh said: "Everyone supports Iraq's need for a census to organize the overall aspects of life, and contribute to acquiring news statistics that allow the state to find out the real need of citizens.”
[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]
