Non-implementation of Article 140 creates “terrorist” problems in Diala – MP

BAGHDAD / IraqiNews.com: The Deputy Speaker of the Iraqi Parliament, Arif Teifur, has said on Wednesday that non-implementation of Article 140 of the Iraqi Constitution have caused problems and non-stability in Saadiya, Jalawlaa and Qara-Tappa townships in east Iraq’s Diala Province.   A statement by Teifur’s office, copy of which was received by IraqiNews.com news agency, has stressed that Teifur had conferred early in the day with a delegation representing the UN Mission in Iraq, comprising the Senior Advisor for Elections Affairs, Jose Maria and the Political Affairs Advisor, Masaki Watanabi, and discussed with them the general topics on the Iraqi arena.   “Non-implementation of Article 140 and non-attention by the American forces and the negligence by the Iraqi Army have created problems and terrorist acts in Diala Province’s townships of Saadiya, Jalawlaa and Qara-Tappa,” Teifur told both UN officials.   Teifur also called on the adjustment of the Independent Commission for the Iraqi Elections, “because that Commission suffers several problems, adding that the Parliament plans to form a new Independent Commission after the Muslim’s Eid al-Fitr Holidays.”   On his part, Jose had reiterated the significance of “cooperation between the UN Mission and the Iraqi Parliament, along with the UN’s efforts to present support and consultation for the Elections Commission.”   At the end of the meeting, both sides have confirmed “necessity for the presence of a team for the UN Mission in Iraq, to present assistance for the Iraqi people during the current circumstances.”   The Media Advisor of north Iraq’s Kurdistan Parliament’s Speaker, Tareq Jawhar, had informed IraqiNews.com earlier in the day that the Kurdistan Parliament would discuss a report by a committee that was formed to visit the said townships in Diala Province, regarding the situation in those areas, in order to take a clear attitude towards those areas.   Noteworthy is that Kurdish media sources have reported last Monday that Kurdish Peshmerga forces were sent to the townships of Jalawlaa and Saadiya    of Diala Province, 57 km to the northeast of Baghdad, to protect the Kurdish citizens there, taking into consideration that they wee among the areas in-conflict between the Federal government in Baghdad and the Kurdistan government in Arbil.   SKH (TF)/SR 484