[spectre] Newsletter about Iraq: Niqash Newsletter Issue#2

[Andreas Broeckmann]

[friends, below is a newsletter that features media- and 
politics-related issues from Iraq; please, follow the links below if 
you want to continue receiving it; -ab]


Niqash Weekly

Newsletter about Iraq

Niqash is a website and radio program for Iraqi citizens to interact 
with each other, to exchange views on the current political process, 
to debate the processes that are shaping their society. Its main 
focus is on issues relevant to the drafting of the new Iraqi 
constitution. Its main goal is to facilitate a public and popular 
debate on the current political process in Iraq, thus fostering and 
strengthening Iraqi civil society. In order to do so, Niqash provides 
background information, organizes expert exchanges on current topics. 
Niqash is realized in cooperation with the Friedrich-Ebert Foundation 
and financed by the German Foreign Office.


4 August, 2005 - Issue #2


Editor's Note

Dear Reader,

Despite the prevailing differences on highly controversial, but 
vital, issues among Iraq's diverse ethnic and sectarian groups, the 
Constitution Drafting Committee resolved on Sunday to keep the 
deadline of August 15th for completing the draft constitution. US 
officials have made an utmost effort and exerted enormous pressure on 
the committee's members to keep the political process on track, 
another manifestation of the new "hands-on" policy of the Bush 
administration in regard to the democratization process in Iraq. But 
what about the repercussions of this move on Iraq's future? How 
conducive is it to its nation-building process in light of the 
unresolved highly contentious issues such as federalism vs. 
centralism or the adoption of Sharia vs. secularism? What should be 
the fate of the ethnically fractious and contested city of Kirkuk? So 
far, the committee wasn't even able to decide on the new name of the 
country. Isn't the postponement of addressing these issues producing 
the fertile ground for insurmountable tensions and arising conflicts 
in the near future? The risk of the Iraqis rejecting the whole 
constitution because of these unresolved issues is extremely high. 
Already a group of Sunni Arabs announced its boycott of the 
referendum and the elections unless its demands are reflected in the 
draft constitution. It proposed an alternative governmental structure 
that looks like a mix of centralized AND federal components. Although 
parallels could be drawn between this idea and a federalist 
structure, it is still uncertain whether the proposal will satisfy 
the diverse parties involved.

What do you think? What are your answers to the pending delicate 
issues just mentioned? Make your voice heard. We offer you the 
platform to share your ideas and opinions with us in our interactive 
online <http://www.niqash.org/community.php>community. Create your 
own <http://www.niqash.org/form_register.php>free website blog in 
Arabic, English or Kurdish, participate in our 
<http://www.niqash.org/forum_overview.php>forums or initiate a 
completely new one. Keep yourself updated on a country witnessing 
political turbulences on a daily basis by reading valuable 
information provided by top experts in our 
<http://niqash.org/content.php?contentTypeID=75>debate segment. Or 
listen to the <http://niqash.org/content.php?contentTypeID=123>online 
version of our FM radio programs providing in-depth background 
information on Iraq.



New at Niqash Website

Background

The Friedrich-Ebert Foundation has completed the translation of the 
German constitution into Arabic. The constitution had been translated 
into various other languages such as Spanish, French and English. 
Now, also Arabic speaking people have the opportunity to read it in 
their native language. Niqash exclusively provides you with the 
online version of the translation in pdf- format. If your interest is 
aroused, click 
<http://niqash.org/content.php?contentTypeID=125&id=623>here



Debate

The Impasse in Kirkuk - Niqash met with Youssef Kouran, lawyer and 
Editor in Chief of the magazine "International Politics" published by 
the Kurdistan Center for Strategic Studies, and interviewed him on 
the issue of Kirkuk. The imperative questions that posed themselves 
were: what are the components of the potpourri of ethnic groups 
living in the city? Who should rule Kirkuk? Who should decide on the 
various issues and on which basis? And how can the rights of 
minorities be guaranteed? - To read the interview, click 
<http://www.niqash.org/content.php?contentTypeID=132>here

Community

Join our multifaceted group. To name a few 
<http://niqash.org/blog_overview.php>community<http://niqash.org/blog_overview.php> 
blog members, there is Maha who shares with us the outcome of a 
workshop on the psychological damages of war on Iraqi children and of 
a survey on environmental degradation in the city of Babel. And there 
is Amir's article on the new face of terrorism after the alleged 
crack-down on Al-Qaida in Afghanistan. Nour wonders whether civil 
society in the Arab countries is capable of inducing change and 
Abboud wraps up his concerns in poems. Truth Teller urges everyone to 
support the Iraqi health sector, especially after the latest bombings 
of hospitals by US military operations, and Said considers the 
current developments in Iraq to be a unique, unprecedented chance for 
an Arab people to sit in the driver's seat and shape its future. As 
you can see, the range of subjects is endless. Feel free to comment 
on existing or to create new blogs. You can also jump on to our 
heated debates in the forums on vital issues. 

Participate and win a prize that we are giving out to the best blog 
website at Niqash during August.

Audio Discussion

Niqash offers you a weekly audio discussion forum on Thursday 8:00 PM 
Baghdad time (6:00 PM Berlin). Niqash Audio Discussion Forum is 
powered by Paltalk platform. To join in the next discussion, download 
the free Paltalk program from our server, install it and register 
your new, free personal account. After completing the registration, 
you can access our room using the program by searching room names for 
the word Niqash, or directly by clicking 
<http://service.paltalk.com/web/WebGroupJoin.jsp?eid=2817277429012784291321453003&elw=3425341535083342>here 
using Internet Explorer and the built in activeX program.




New at Radio Niqash           (features from Niqash Radio)


Should Arabic and Kurdish be official languages? - The draft version 
of the constitution that appeared in Al-Sabah newspaper fueled the 
anger of the Kurds. Shortly after its publication, Kurdish parties 
and organizations held several workshops and conferences, one titled 
"The constitution protects the law and guarantees freedoms". 
Participants at the conference made it crystal-clear that the 
majority of Kurds are very likely to torpedo the constitutional 
process if the Kurdish language is not recognized as an official 
language of Iraq. Listen to Dr. Nori Al-Talabani, one of the 
participants, who was interviewed by Niqash reporter Diar Bakr on 
this issue and who states that if it is possible to have two official 
languages in Canada and Switzerland, then why not in Iraq? To listen 
to the interview in Arabic click 
<http://mic-international.org:8000/content/niqash/050803_24_Titel2.pls>here

Christian Women say Yes to Islam as a Source of Legislation - The 
strict adherence of the constitution to the Islamic Sharia is 
considered by many to deal a great blow to women and minority groups 
in Iraq. Surprisingly, part of the stakeholders, namely the Christian 
community, are willing to endorse a constitution based on Islamic 
principles. As long as they are granted their rights, enjoy the 
freedom of religious practice and women are not forced to get veiled, 
a member of the Iraqi Christian community in Amman tells our reporter 
Shayma' Al-Azawi, she has no single objection. To listen to the 
interview in Arabic, click 
<http://mic-international.org:8000/content/niqash/050803_24_Titel6.pls>here 



The Role of the Media in Times of Crisis - Workshop in Amman

Media in Cooperation (MIC), realizing the significance of the media 
for a country witnessing rapid societal and political change such as 
Iraq, is organizing the first workshop on the vital role and 
complexity of liberal, independent and professional journalism during 
crises in post-Saddam Iraq. The workshop will be held on 7-9 August 
2005 in Amman. 22 editors and representatives of Iraqi radio stations 
are expected to attend, exchanging new ideas and concepts and sharing 
their individual experiences. A major focus will be on the 
difficulties facing Iraqi radio stations in producing reports and a 
needs assessment in regard to the skills and qualifications of local 
reporters and journalists will take place.

For more information please contact MIC office:

Mrs. Hadeel Huleisy

<mailto:hadeel at mic-international.de>hadeel at mic-international.de

If there is an Iraqi website  that you would like to suggest for 
review  
<mailto:info at niqash.org?subject=Re:Iraqi%20Website%20for%20Review>click 
here

Contact Us

Please feel free to forward this issue to interested friends and 
associates. They can subscribe for free 
<http://niqash.org/form_register.php>here 

To unsubscribe from this list: send an email to 
<mailto:info at niqash.org?subject=Subscribe from Niqash 
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To contact us:
MIC, Media In Cooperation



Germany: phone: ++49 (0)30 447 35 425 fax: ++49 (0)30 446 53 872

Address:  Sch?nhauserallee 36, 10435 Berlin


Jordan Office: phone: ++962(0)79 696 9711

Address:  P.O Box 631  -  11947 Amman
email: <mailto:info at niqash.org>info at niqash.org





Editor of this issue:  Dina Fakoussa
Copyrights 2005 MIC, Media In Cooperation

Niqash is a website and radio program for Iraqi citizens to interact 
with each other, to exchange views on the current political process, 
to debate the processes that are shaping their society. Its main 
focus is on issues relevant to the drafting of the new Iraqi 
constitution. Its main goal is to facilitate a public and popular 
debate on the current political process in Iraq, thus fostering and 
strengthening Iraqi civil society. In order to do so, Niqash provides 
background information, organizes expert exchanges on current topics. 
Niqash is realized in cooperation with the Friedrich-Ebert Foundation 
and financed by the German Foreign Office.