The 'Tyranny of the Majority' in the Kurdish Parliament at Hawler

Iraqi Kurdistan parliament. Photo: Perleman

Omar Sindi, Washington | Exclusive to iKurd.net

The dogma is one of restraining democracy to avert tyranny: what happen on June 23, 2015 political wrangling in Kurdish parliament in Hawler (Erbil); that is what James Madison wrote and predicated over two centuries ago on the writing Constitutions of United States, of course Mr. Madison was not talking on the Kurdish issues per se, but it is reflection how amalgamated democracy should work in general term.

James Madison: “in Federalist paper#10 argues against this “tyranny” as he did letter to Jefferson at end of the Constitutional Convention. The phrase “tyranny” of the majority ( or “tyranny of Mass”), used in discussing systems of democracy and majority rule, involves, the scenario in which decisions made by a majority place its interests above those of an individual or minority group, constituting active group, constituting active of press, on comparable to that tyrants and despots. In many cases a dislike ethnic, religious or racial group is deliberately penalized by the majority element acting through democratic process.” What is amazing, what Madison thought and wrote on democratic processing issues over 200 years ago, it is still applicable in the contemporary of 21 century.

However many other writers and academicians have written on this subject of political polarization in Kurdish Parliament, not to mention the organs Media outlets the hypo of political parties on the both sides aisle on these contentious issues; which method/or a methodology could serve the nation’s best interest, either parliamentarian system of government or presidential by popular direct voting:

A) just like in Western democracy, the “Press” should be out of the hand of the governmental apparatus and political parties, if one is to have honest debate on many complex and contentious issues, like the one, on June 23rd in Kurdish parliament in Hawler pro Parliamentarian reform members to hand pick ceremonial president and chose the Prime Minister in back door deal with political parties, (as it happened in 2010 between Former Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki and his top rival in that election Iyad Allawi-Iraqiya List, where Mr. Maliki garnered 89 seats out of 328 members, and Mr. Allawi 91, but back door deal Sectarian Maliki became the Iraqi prime minister) and deprive ordinary people from of nonpartisan sect, their voices to be heard through directly voting.

B) the bottom line democratic system success needs an individual or political party who ordinarily place the nation’s interest above and beyond their own and their political interest, or otherwise it will be a de javu, just like it have been observed and practiced in many third World Countries, the consequence’s with many regrettable results.

On June 27, Dr. Sabah Salih’s essay on Ekurd.net website it’s understandable his frustration with Kurdish Parliament in political immaturity; Dr. Salih did also touch the infamous word “corruption” in that essay; however at some point the corruption will reach its tipping point, and eventually it will eat its owner, as it have been observed in many countries around the World.

Those who invited Mohsen Bawafay-Iranian Consular representative in Parliament session, did they think theocratic regime in Iran will be a catalyst to a political polarization among Kurds Parliamentarian members, or just maybe they think, they could teach theocratic regime in Tehran a democratic lesson; or it is just like one person to tell a lone wolf to guard my sheep’s and goats in backyard, while I ‘m away

As the whole world is aware of it, the Kurdish soldiers “peshmerga” are fighting the evil forces of ISIL/ISIL. On June 16th, the US Senate took a piece of legislation directly arming the Kurds, in which 54 senators voted in favor of arming the Kurds directly, and 45 Senators voted against it, so the legislation still failed through because the mechanism of the tyranny of majority was in place prevented the majority to win; at the same time the Kurdish leaderships do not need to underestimate what kind of adversary they are dealing with. In a democratic system, if a political party is allowed to judge its own activities because certainly the bias judgment and most likely corrupt its integrity. It is time for unity at this perilous period, not the tyranny of majority of demagoguery and skullduggery project.

Omar Sindi, a senior writer, analyst, and columnist for iKurd.net, Washington, United States.