TOGETHER WE CAN HELP VULNERABLE COMMUNITIES, FAMILIES AND CHILDREN IN NEED

Enabling Peace in Iraq Center

ISHM 209: JUNE 13 – JUNE 20, 2019

Key Takeaways: Political Opposition To Abdul-Mahdi Escalates; Provincial Elections Postponed Again; Commander in Chief Forbids Military Movements Without His Oversight; Kuwait’s Emir Visits Baghdad – On June 16, Iraqi press reported that six parliamentary blocs were considering a move to oppose the government of Abdul-Mahdi. On June 17, Moqtada al-Sadr a issued an ultimatum for parliament and the prime minister to complete cabinet formation within ten days. On June 16, the former governor of Kirkuk returned to Erbil weeks after he was reported arrested at Lebanon’s Rafic Hariri Airport. On June 17, Iraq’s Electoral Commission postponed the next provincial elections until April 2020. On June 18, Prime Minister Abdul-Mahdi prohibited foreign militaries from operating on Iraqi soil without Baghdad’s permission and control and also prohibited militias from conducting any operations without the knowledge and oversight of the Commander in Chief. On June 19, the Emir of Kuwait arrived in Baghdad

EPIC UPDATES

Reflecting on 2018, Gearing up for 2019

As we prepare to welcome the new year, we thought we would take the time to reflect on the progress Iraq has made over the past year and our work to support Iraq’s recovery. In Ramadi, Mosul, Sinjar, and other areas recovering from war, four million Iraqis have returned to their homes as families begin the hard work of rebuilding their lives. At the same time, another two million Iraqis remain displaced, unable to return to their homes and ancestral lands due to the scale of destruction, the presence of explosive remnants of war, and the fear of armed militias

The Ongoing Crisis in Basra: Interview with Benedict Robin-D’Cruz – Part 2

Protests and political violence continues to plague Basra, Iraq’s southernmost province. The province is largely populated by Iraq’s Shia majority, which has dominated Iraq’s post-2003 political order. Basra’s oil fields are the primary source of Iraq’s oil exports and proven oil reserves and Basra is home to Iraq’s only port. Despite all of these promising conditions, Basra continues to suffer from government neglect, resulting in high levels of unemployment and lack of basic services such as clean water and electricity. To understand more about the ongoing protests in Basra and the region’s relationship with Baghdad, we spoke to Benedict Robin

Violence in Southern Iraq & Shia Politics: Interview with Benedict Robin-D’Cruz – Part 1

Away from the limelight, violence continues to rage in southern Iraq in the form of tribal clashes, pro-government militia infighting and criminal violence. This violence often affects unarmed bystanders and makes life in Basra, which is already challenging due to government neglect, lack of services and rife unemployment, even more precarious. Although most residents of southern Iraq are Shia, Iraq’s current political elite, which claims to represent the Shia community, has failed to address the needs of the south.

Interview with Yazidi Activist Hazim Avdal on Post-Genocide Peace and Justice

In 2014, the Iraqi Yazidi community, a small ethno-religious minority residing mostly in the area of Sinjar, a mountainous region in Ninewa, northwestern Iraq, was subjected to a campaign of massacres, mass kidnappings and enslavement of women, boys and girls at the hands of ISIS. Between 2,000-5,000 Yazidis lost their lives and about 6,000 women and children kidnapped; about 3,000 of them remain missing. The survivors of the genocide fled mostly to areas under the control of the Kurdish Regional Government in northern Iraq and northeastern Syria. Although Sinjar was liberated from ISIS in 2015 and the surrounding areas

Iraq Matters Podcast

#36: Basra’s Water Crisis

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Protests have become a seasonal phenomenon in Basra province, southern Iraq. To date, Baghdad’s change of regime has made little difference for Basra’s 4.5 million mostly Shia Muslim residents who are frustrated with government corruption and shortages of electricity, clean water, and employment opportunities.

Iraq Matters Podcast

#35: Mosul’s Recovery: A Dream Deferred

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On this edition of IRAQ MATTERS, Rasha Al-Aqeedi, a native of Mosul and an acclaimed Iraq analyst, discusses Mosul’s 3 years under ISIS, ongoing challenges to the city’s security and recovery, the role of young people and civil society in the fight against intolerance, and Ninewa’s central importance for enabling peace in Iraq.

Iraq Matters Podcast

#34: Corruption and Reconstruction – Lessons Learned

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On this edition of Iraq Matters, Stuart Bowen examines the lessons learned during his ten years as Special Inspector-General for Iraq Reconstruction and how those lessons should be applied to the next phase in Iraq’s post-ISIS recovery.