BAGHDAD // A controversy over banned election candidates that is pushing Iraq's fragile democracy to a breaking point has lurched into a new phase, with the prime minister, Nouri al Maliki, agreeing that a judicial appeals committee be allowed to arbitrate on the issue.
Until yesterday he had all but rejected the committee's authority after its original decision to temporarily reinstate some 500 barred candidates, many accused of being Baathist sympathisers.
The judicial committee, made up of seven judges, had said those on the blacklist should be able to participate in the election, with their cases reviewed in detail after voting. Anyone found to be in breach of Iraqi election laws would then be barred from taking seats in parliament.
That solution had been advocated by the United States and United Nations and welcomed by opposition groups here. For a time it even appeared to have diffused the crisis, but Mr al Maliki, supported by powerful Shiite political blocs running on a strident anti-Baathist platform, insisted it was unconstitutional.
In a move that critics said all but abandoned any pretence of constitutional legality or of judicial independence in Iraq, Mr al Maliki demanded that an emergency session of parliament be called to make "adequate decisions" over the blacklistings.
That demand was unexpectedly dropped yesterday. Mr al Maliki said he had been assured the judicial appeals committee would decide by Friday who should be excluded from the election.
The judicial committee had initially cited time constraints as a reason for delaying any candidate exclusions until after voting, saying proper consideration of each case could not be hurried. Under Iraqi laws, banned candidates are supposed to have 60 days to appeal their exclusion; now the process is to be dealt with inside a week.
Acceptance by the appeals panel of a vastly speeded-up timetable comes after Mr al Maliki and other leading political figures met Midhat al Mahmud, head of the higher judicial council, on Saturday. That meeting apparently persuaded Mr al Mahmud to adjust the committee's original ruling.
Mr al Maliki, his allies and even some of his leading political opponents appear to be satisfied, at least for the time being, with how the situation is now being handled.
Haider al Mulla, a spokesman for Salah al Mutlaq, one of the prominent Sunni politicians originally included on the blacklist, backed the judicial appeals committee, despite the adjusted timetable.
"We retain confidence in the committee and we are confident that Mr Mutlaq's right to take part in the election will be upheld," he said. "No one will stop him from running."
However, this latest twist in a baffling constitutional political affair has fuelled controversy among those who say the judiciary has come under overt government control. Powers of government are supposed to be separate from the judiciary, the latter supposedly impartial and a safeguard of legal procedure.
Although there has been no indication that the accelerated timetable means the judicial committee will uphold the blacklisting - as Mr al Maliki and his allies apparently advocate - it has added to a sense that legal processes are being made up ad hoc.
Sabah al Saadie, head of parliament's integrity committee, said the judicial appeals panel had lost its independence. "The appeal committee has come under political pressure and appears to have submitted to the government's wishes. That is totally unacceptable because the committee should be independent. It is also illegal and we want to have an emergency session of parliament to register that we withdraw out confidence in the committee."
With the United States hoping to withdraw its 100,000 troops before the end of next year, Washington has been desperate for the election to be seen as legitimate. That may now be impossible, even if the blacklisting controversy itself fades, because of the way it has been handled.
"The confusion that has surrounded all of this, the confused decisions from al Maliki, from the judicial appeals committee, from the justice commission [which produced the blacklist] basically amounts to politics here exploding," said Ala Allawi, an independent professor of political science based in Wasit province. "There has been pressure on one side from the Americans and on the other from Iran, which is the only explanation for this.
"There is no independence underlying any of these decisions and that means the problems are likely to persist after the elections.
"Our only hope is that the Iraqi people send a clear message with their voting that this has been unacceptable and that Iraq must be under Iraqi political control."
The original blacklist was compiled by the justice and accountability commission, a Shiite-dominated group with disputed powers to purge Baathists from taking part in the election. It initially named more than 500 candidates, many of whom were subsequently replaced by their own parties.
Those opposed to the blacklist, including many secular nationalists, say it was drawn up as part of an attempt by the government and Shiite political blocs to retain their grip on power by banning groups expected to do well in the polls.
nlatif@thenational.ae
A MINECRAFT MOVIE
Director: Jared Hess
Starring: Jack Black, Jennifer Coolidge, Jason Momoa
Rating: 3/5
NO OTHER LAND
Director: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham, Rachel Szor, Hamdan Ballal
Stars: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham
Rating: 3.5/5
Our legal consultants
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
The Facility’s Versatility
Between the start of the 2020 IPL on September 20, and the end of the Pakistan Super League this coming Thursday, the Zayed Cricket Stadium has had an unprecedented amount of traffic.
Never before has a ground in this country – or perhaps anywhere in the world – had such a volume of major-match cricket.
And yet scoring has remained high, and Abu Dhabi has seen some classic encounters in every format of the game.
October 18, IPL, Kolkata Knight Riders tied with Sunrisers Hyderabad
The two playoff-chasing sides put on 163 apiece, before Kolkata went on to win the Super Over
January 8, ODI, UAE beat Ireland by six wickets
A century by CP Rizwan underpinned one of UAE’s greatest ever wins, as they chased 270 to win with an over to spare
February 6, T10, Northern Warriors beat Delhi Bulls by eight wickets
The final of the T10 was chiefly memorable for a ferocious over of fast bowling from Fidel Edwards to Nicholas Pooran
March 14, Test, Afghanistan beat Zimbabwe by six wickets
Eleven wickets for Rashid Khan, 1,305 runs scored in five days, and a last session finish
June 17, PSL, Islamabad United beat Peshawar Zalmi by 15 runs
Usman Khawaja scored a hundred as Islamabad posted the highest score ever by a Pakistan team in T20 cricket
The specs
Engine: Four electric motors, one at each wheel
Power: 579hp
Torque: 859Nm
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Price: From Dh825,900
On sale: Now
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Ms Yang's top tips for parents new to the UAE
- Join parent networks
- Look beyond school fees
- Keep an open mind
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Iftar programme at the Sheikh Mohammed Centre for Cultural Understanding
Established in 1998, the Sheikh Mohammed Centre for Cultural Understanding was created with a vision to teach residents about the traditions and customs of the UAE. Its motto is ‘open doors, open minds’. All year-round, visitors can sign up for a traditional Emirati breakfast, lunch or dinner meal, as well as a range of walking tours, including ones to sites such as the Jumeirah Mosque or Al Fahidi Historical Neighbourhood.
Every year during Ramadan, an iftar programme is rolled out. This allows guests to break their fast with the centre’s presenters, visit a nearby mosque and observe their guides while they pray. These events last for about two hours and are open to the public, or can be booked for a private event.
Until the end of Ramadan, the iftar events take place from 7pm until 9pm, from Saturday to Thursday. Advanced booking is required.
For more details, email openminds@cultures.ae or visit www.cultures.ae
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Ruwais timeline
1971 Abu Dhabi National Oil Company established
1980 Ruwais Housing Complex built, located 10 kilometres away from industrial plants
1982 120,000 bpd capacity Ruwais refinery complex officially inaugurated by the founder of the UAE Sheikh Zayed
1984 Second phase of Ruwais Housing Complex built. Today the 7,000-unit complex houses some 24,000 people.
1985 The refinery is expanded with the commissioning of a 27,000 b/d hydro cracker complex
2009 Plans announced to build $1.2 billion fertilizer plant in Ruwais, producing urea
2010 Adnoc awards $10bn contracts for expansion of Ruwais refinery, to double capacity from 415,000 bpd
2014 Ruwais 261-outlet shopping mall opens
2014 Production starts at newly expanded Ruwais refinery, providing jet fuel and diesel and allowing the UAE to be self-sufficient for petrol supplies
2014 Etihad Rail begins transportation of sulphur from Shah and Habshan to Ruwais for export
2017 Aldar Academies to operate Adnoc’s schools including in Ruwais from September. Eight schools operate in total within the housing complex.
2018 Adnoc announces plans to invest $3.1 billion on upgrading its Ruwais refinery
2018 NMC Healthcare selected to manage operations of Ruwais Hospital
2018 Adnoc announces new downstream strategy at event in Abu Dhabi on May 13
Source: The National
Company Profile
Company name: Fine Diner
Started: March, 2020
Co-founders: Sami Elayan, Saed Elayan and Zaid Azzouka
Based: Dubai
Industry: Technology and food delivery
Initial investment: Dh75,000
Investor: Dtec Startupbootcamp
Future plan: Looking to raise $400,000
Total sales: Over 1,000 deliveries in three months
The rules on fostering in the UAE
A foster couple or family must:
- be Muslim, Emirati and be residing in the UAE
- not be younger than 25 years old
- not have been convicted of offences or crimes involving moral turpitude
- be free of infectious diseases or psychological and mental disorders
- have the ability to support its members and the foster child financially
- undertake to treat and raise the child in a proper manner and take care of his or her health and well-being
- A single, divorced or widowed Muslim Emirati female, residing in the UAE may apply to foster a child if she is at least 30 years old and able to support the child financially
2025 Fifa Club World Cup groups
Group A: Palmeiras, Porto, Al Ahly, Inter Miami.
Group B: Paris Saint-Germain, Atletico Madrid, Botafogo, Seattle.
Group C: Bayern Munich, Auckland City, Boca Juniors, Benfica.
Group D: Flamengo, ES Tunis, Chelsea, (Leon banned).
Group E: River Plate, Urawa, Monterrey, Inter Milan.
Group F: Fluminense, Borussia Dortmund, Ulsan, Mamelodi Sundowns.
Group G: Manchester City, Wydad, Al Ain, Juventus.
Group H: Real Madrid, Al Hilal, Pachuca, Salzburg.
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THE BIO
Born: Mukalla, Yemen, 1979
Education: UAE University, Al Ain
Family: Married with two daughters: Asayel, 7, and Sara, 6
Favourite piece of music: Horse Dance by Naseer Shamma
Favourite book: Science and geology
Favourite place to travel to: Washington DC
Best advice you’ve ever been given: If you have a dream, you have to believe it, then you will see it.
The specs: 2018 Range Rover Velar R-Dynamic HSE
Price, base / as tested: Dh263,235 / Dh420,000
Engine: 3.0-litre supercharged V6
Power 375hp @ 6,500rpm
Torque: 450Nm @ 3,500rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed automatic
Fuel consumption, combined: 9.4L / 100kms