>>The Worker-Communist Party of Iraq's position is more promising
>>than the ICP's.
>
>How about some concrete evidence for preferring one over the other?
It's not a question of our preferences.
If any Iraqis are looking for a political party for secular democracy associated with neither the Ba'ath Party nor the US occupation, as some LBO-talk subscribers suggest they should, they won't probably look to the Iraqi Communist Party. The ICP was in the Ba'ath-dominated the National Progressive Front for seven years (1972-1979) and joined, together with Islamists and former exiles, the Iraqi Governing Council appointed by Washington.
Joining the Iraqi Governing Council was a mistake. Moreover, the ICP has missed several chances to correct the error to its political advantage. One of the latest and most important moments that should have prompted a change of course came when the Iraqi Governing Council placed gender and family issues under the jurisdiction of sharia, making women's social position worse than under the Ba'ath Party:
***** Women in Iraq Decry Decision To Curb Rights Council Backs Islamic Law on Families
By Pamela Constable Washington Post Foreign Service Friday, January 16, 2004; Page A12
BAGHDAD, Jan. 15 -- For the past four decades, Iraqi women have enjoyed some of the most modern legal protections in the Muslim world, under a civil code that prohibits marriage below the age of 18, arbitrary divorce and male favoritism in child custody and property inheritance disputes.
Saddam Hussein's dictatorship did not touch those rights. But the U.S.-backed Iraqi Governing Council has voted to wipe them out, ordering in late December that family laws shall be "canceled" and such issues placed under the jurisdiction of strict Islamic legal doctrine known as sharia.
This week, outraged Iraqi women -- from judges to cabinet ministers -- denounced the decision in street protests and at conferences, saying it would set back their legal status by centuries and could unleash emotional clashes among various Islamic strains that have differing rules for marriage, divorce and other family issues. . . .
<http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn/A21321-2004Jan15?language=printer> *****
At this point, the ICP could have quit the Iraqi Governing Council, regained its political independence, and positioned itself as the leading defender of women's rights and secular democracy, portraying the remaining Council members as Islamist opportunists who serve US interests at the expense of Iraqi women's interests. But it didn't.
In contrast, the Worker-Communist Party of Iraq and its sister organization the Organization of Women's Freedom in Iraq -- Yanar Mohammed is a member of both -- are agitating against the imposition of sharia (see below).
I just received the following announcement of a demonstration for women's rights in Iraq. I encourage LBO-talk subscribers in NYC to attend the demonstration. I'd love to hear a report on the demo.
***** Date: Wed, 11 Feb 2004 23:36:07 -0500 From: Mahmood ketabchi <mekchi at msn.com> Subject: [ufpj-iraq] FWD: Solidarity Action With Iraqi Women in NYC
This email is being forwarded to you. Inquiries and/or Replies to this email should go to Emilce at <mailto:sowfiorg at hotmail.com>sowfiorg at hotmail.com
**********Please Post and Circulate Widely**********
SHOW YOUR SOLIDARITY WITH IRAQI WOMEN!
SAY NO TO SETTING BACK IRAQI WOMEN'S RIGHTS 50 YEARS!
DEMONSTRATE AGAINST US OCCUPATION AND IMPOSITION OF ISLAMIC SHAR'IA IN IRAQ
Wednesday, March 3, at 12 noon in front of the Federal Building in NYC
26 Federal Plaza, (near Chinatown) Take the 6, N, R, J or M to Canal St. For more info, contact Emilce at <mailto:sowfiorg at hotmail.com>sowfiorg at hotmail.com
(See Invitation to Endorse at bottom)
The secular Family Status Law that Iraqi women fought for and won in the 1950's -- and which gave them more rights and freedoms than enjoyed by any other women in the Middle East -- was abolished by the US controlled Iraqi Governing Council (IGC). In a secret vote on December 29, the IGC passed "Resolution 137," which will, if approved by Paul Bremer, replace the secular code with Islamic Sharia law.
* Under the Iraqi civil code, women had rights regarding marriage, divorce, inheritance, child custody, and alimony. Islamic law would give men the right of unilateral divorce over their wives, give men the right to take second, third and fourth wives, eliminate women's right to alimony, give girls half the inheritance of boys, legalize temporary marriage, and punish women who commit adultery with death by stoning.
* Since the declaration, protest by Iraqi women has been widespread and ongoing. Over 80 women's organizations have condemned Resolution 137, demonstrations have occurred continually and hundreds of articles and statements against the resolution have appeared in Iraqi newspapers. The Organization of Women's Freedom in Iraq (OWFI) is at the forefront of the struggle. Because of their out front stance on the issue, OWFI leader, Yanar Mohammed has become the subject of a death threat by an Islamic fundamentalist group. OWFI has called for international solidarity against Resolution 137 and to stop death threat against Yanar.
THE NEW YORK DEMONSTRATION IS A RESPONSE TO IRAQI WOMEN’S CALL FOR INTERNATIONAL SOLIDARITY
Background:
Though Saddam Hussein had already amended the family code, making concessions to Islamists when his power began to erode, the US Occupying Authority has taken over where the Ba'ath regime left off -- steadily eroding and assaulting women's rights. Since the US war and occupation began, women have been its greatest victims, suffering systematic abductions, rape and increased incidences of "honor killings" with no security, protection or legal consequences befalling their assailants. And now the Iraqi Governing Council, an illegitimate authority in Iraq, is attempting to eliminate the little that remains of women's rights The imposition of Islamic Sharia against the will of the women and men of Iraq is a clear indication of the US intent to bring religious theocracy and not "democracy" to Iraq.
Why Protest?
As long as the US government is the occupying power in Iraq, they bear direct responsibility for the escalating crisis facing women, including the passage of Resolution 137 and the death threat against Yanar Mohmmed. Therefore, pressure can be brought to bear on US officials to reverse this catastrophic decision and sever their alliances with right-wing religious groups. Moreover, the US occupation, which has besieged the Iraqi population and set the stage for this grim scenario, must end immediately. OWFI calls for the immediate withdrawal of US troops and the temporary administration by a UN peace keeping force to act as a buffer against the violent reaction unleashed by the US occupation. It is only in a climate free of military occupation and organized terror against women, that legitimate elections and true Iraqi self-determination can be achieved. We, in Solidarity with the Organization of Women's Freedom in Iraq (SOWFI) endorse OWFI's demands and call on the women's and anti-war movements to show their solidarity with Iraqi women and the progressive movements for freedom and liberation in Iraq.
Join the growing list of organizations which have condemned Resolution 137. (this is only a partial list and is still being compiled -- please send us a note if your organization is missing)
Organization of Women's Freedom in Iraq Union of Unemployed in Iraq Worker Communist Party of Iraq Worker Communist Party of Iran Union of Women in Kurdistan Kurdistan Women's League Iraqi Women's League Mesopotamia Youth Union Rozh Institute in Defense of Women's Rights (Iraq) Nisreen Brwari, Iraq's Minister of Public Works Organization of Women's Liberation in Iran Solidarity with OWFI Women Living Under Muslim Laws MADRE Feminist Majority
This demo is organized by Solidarity with Organization of Women's Freedom in Iraq (SOWFI) a woman-led people's response to this giant step backward for the women of Iraq and all women.
For more information, contact Emilce <mailto:sowfiorg at hotmail.com >sowfiorg at hotmail.com Or call 201.780.1905
****************************** INVITATION TO ENDORSE:
We invite and encourage organizational endorsement of this event which is being planned in connection with OWFI activists in Iraq and abroad. Each additional endorsement sends a message to Iraqi women that they are not alone in their struggle and Americans will not sit by while their government seeks to undermine a half century of women's struggle in Iraq.
To lend your endorsement to the March 3rd Solidarity Action, or receive more information about this grossly under-reported crisis, please contact Allison at sowfiorg at hotmail.com (and please put Endorsement in your subject heading) Please send endorsements as quickly as possible to aid in planning. ***** -- Yoshie
* Bring Them Home Now! <http://www.bringthemhomenow.org/> * Calendars of Events in Columbus: <http://www.osu.edu/students/sif/calendar.html>, <http://www.freepress.org/calendar.php>, & <http://www.cpanews.org/> * Student International Forum: <http://www.osu.edu/students/sif/> * Committee for Justice in Palestine: <http://www.osudivest.org/> * Al-Awda-Ohio: <http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Al-Awda-Ohio> * Solidarity: <http://www.solidarity-us.org/>