'Kirkuk Campaign Rooted in Sacrifice, Not Provocation,' Says KDP’s Kirkuk Candidate

ERBIL (Kurdistan24) - As the electoral campaign for the Iraqi Parliament intensifies, the head of the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) list in Kirkuk, Dr. Shakhawan Abdullah, has declared that his party is conducting its campaign in a peaceful and civilized manner, driven by a profound confidence in its cause and a deep respect for the sacrifices it has made for the city.

Speaking to Kurdistan24, Abdullah stated that despite minor provocations, such as the tearing of candidates' posters, the KDP is adhering to a promise made among Kurdish parties to avoid violence and maintain a dignified campaign.

He expressed a firm belief that "the people of Kirkuk are loyal and respect the history and sacrifices of the Kurdistan Democratic Party," a loyalty he says has been earned through years of dedicated service and a relentless effort to normalize the city's complex and often volatile situation.

The election campaign, which officially began on Friday, Oct. 3, is a critical contest for the future of Kirkuk, a multi-ethnic and resource-rich province that has long been a flashpoint of political and ethnic tensions in Iraq.

For Dr. Abdullah, who has served as the Deputy Speaker of the Iraqi Parliament, the campaign is a continuation of a long and arduous struggle to secure and protect the constitutional rights of the city's Kurdish population. His central goal, as he articulated it, is to "protect the Kurdish seats" in Kirkuk and, if possible, to increase their number in order to "better defend the Kurdish cause in Baghdad."

In his interview with Kurdistan24, Dr. Abdullah emphasized the KDP's commitment to a civilized and respectful campaign, a directive that he said comes from the very top of the party's leadership.

He recounted that Masrour Barzani, the Vice President of the KDP, had recently reiterated the words of President Masoud Barzani, emphasizing that "the campaigns must not become a cause for bothering people and must be conducted in a civilized manner."

This directive, he explained, is rooted in a deep sense of social responsibility. "Because there are people who are sleeping, there are people who are sick, your campaign must not cause harm and bother to the people," he said, quoting the party leadership's message.

This commitment to a peaceful and non-disruptive campaign stands in contrast to the acts of provocation that the party has already faced. Dr. Abdullah noted that there have been some violations, such as the tearing down of their candidates' posters.

However, he met this challenge not with anger, but with a confident and historically grounded perspective.

"In 2021, all of our posters were torn, but we still won the first place in Kirkuk's votes," he recalled, "because we are confident in our cause." This confidence, he explained, is built on the KDP's long history of sacrifice and its tangible record of achievement in serving the city.

"The people of Kirkuk are loyal and respect the history and sacrifices of the Kurdistan Democratic Party," he stated. "We have made great efforts over the past three years to normalize the city's situation and serve the citizens."

This is a theme that Dr. Abdullah has consistently emphasized since the launch of his campaign. In a press conference on Friday, he anchored his appeal to voters on a simple but powerful pledge: "As always, we fulfill our promises and do not make a promise that we cannot fulfill."

This promise is backed by a substantial record of legislative and political victories that Dr. Abdullah has spearheaded during his time in the federal parliament. As detailed in a previous Kurdistan24 report, his work has been central to the effort to reverse the legacy of the former Ba'athist regime's Arabization policies.

He reminded the public that the KDP had successfully pushed for the passage of a bill that annulled Ba'athist-era decrees, ensuring that occupied lands in Kirkuk were returned to their original, rightful owners.

As Chairman of the Committee on Article 140 of the Iraqi Constitution, he was also instrumental in reviving the long-stalled article, which led to the resumption of compensation payments for displaced families and the allocation of land plots for those who have returned to Kirkuk and other Kurdistani territories.

His efforts have also yielded significant results on the ground in Kirkuk. He has pointed to a long list of concrete infrastructure and security projects, including the successful implementation of the Panja Ali water project, which brought clean drinking water to a neighborhood that had suffered for two decades.

Other initiatives include the drilling of new water wells, the concreting of hundreds of alleys, and the installation of dozens of electrical transformers in neglected Kurdish neighborhoods.

In a critical security development, he was instrumental in securing the removal of the Shoraw military base, which had been a source of fear for residents, and in allocating a budget for the 20th Joint Brigade, a move that created employment for 3,700 Kurdish youths.

This record of service and achievement is the foundation of the KDP's campaign in Kirkuk. It is a direct response to the persistent and systematic pressures that the Kurdish population in the city and other disputed territories continue to face.

These pressures range from state-backed intimidation and land seizures targeting Kurdish farmers to cultural and educational suppression, such as the recent ban on Kurdish-language university exams. It is in this challenging context that the KDP is framing the Nov. 11 election as a critical battle for the preservation of Kurdish rights and identity.

To rally support and introduce the party's candidates to the public, a large carnival was scheduled to be held in Kirkuk on Saturday. This event, and the campaign as a whole, is built around a central call to action.

Dr. Shakhawan Abdullah has urged the people of Kirkuk to participate actively in the elections, to cast their votes, and to empower a strong Kurdish bloc in Baghdad that can effectively protect their rights and the achievements that have been so hard-won. His message is one of confidence, resilience, and a deep-seated belief in the loyalty of a people who, he is certain, will not forget the long history of sacrifice made on their behalf.