Aldar Khalil on importance of upcoming elections in S. Kurdistan

To assess the significance of the upcoming parliamentary elections for the Kurdistan Regional Government, in terms of the broader Kurdish situation and for the people of S. Kurdistan and Rojava in particular, ANHA agency met with Aldar Khalil, member of the Presidential Council of the Democratic Union Party (PYD).

The countdown to election day, scheduled for October 20, has begun, according to an announcement by the Independent High Electoral Commission today.

In his assessment, Khalil expressed his confidence in the people's awareness in S. Kurdistan of who deserves their vote, pointing out the principles that should guide them in choosing their representatives.

Khalil began by hoping that the upcoming elections would be held in a democratic atmosphere that allows the people of S. Kurdistan to express their views without pressure or being influenced by personal interests. He reminded us that the purpose of elections is to secure democracy and to allow every individual or party to freely express their will.

At the same time, he pointed out that any voter being influenced by personal or narrow partisan interests would block the path to achieving the democracy desired through these elections and would limit any positive outcomes for the public good.

Khalil stressed several points and principles that every voter must consider before casting their vote and that they should be aware of in any election. He stated: "Voters should understand which parties truly represent freedom, which parties represent the culture of democracy, which parties represent nationalism, which parties serve the people, and which parties are ready to work for the people's interests and give up their personal and partisan interests. Who works for family and partisan reasons?"

Khalil believes that the people of S. Kurdistan are well aware of the goals and policies of each of these parties. What has hindered the people's will, he said, is the dominance of certain individuals and parties over decision-making in the Kurdistan Regional Government for the past 33 years, using their positions to serve narrow partisan and family interests at the expense of the people—a reference to the Barzani family and their Kurdistan Democratic Party.

Khalil dismissed the notion that there are no other societal and political figures in S. Kurdistan capable of governance and leadership, citing his knowledge of the people of S. Kurdistan on the internal, social, political, and military levels, and their legacy within Kurdistan.

He expressed his confidence that in the upcoming elections, the people will be able to bring about change through their votes, stand against the forces dominating S. Kurdistan, and block those currently in power, preventing further attacks by the Turkish occupation army on Southern Kurdistan.

Khalil pointed to the involvement of the dominant party in S. Kurdistan, referring to the ongoing attacks by the Turkish occupation army, the establishment of military bases, and the military cooperation of the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) with Turkey. He noted that the KDP legitimizes the occupation politically through its party and targets the free voices of the region by cooperating with Turkish intelligence, exploiting the resources available to the government despite popular opposition and the rejection of many political parties in S.Kurdistan.

Khalil hopes that in the upcoming elections, the people of S. Kurdistan will express their will and choose their representatives in light of the current conditions facing Kurdistan. He said: "Of course, this is an internal matter for our brothers in S. Kurdistan, but on a Kurdish level, we in Rojava hope that democracy is achieved and the will of the Kurdish people is realized."

He explained, "The people of S. Kurdistan have supported us in our revolution and stood by us, and there has been support from several political parties in S.Kurdistan. However, there is an opposition front to this support, represented by the Kurdistan Democratic Party, which continues to reject what we have achieved and seeks, even now, to undermine our gains by besieging our areas and distorting their image."

He reaffirmed his belief, saying, "We are confident that the people of Bashur Kurdistan are fully aware of all this and will vote for those who deserve to represent them in the face of all that Kurdistan is going through."

In light of all this, Khalil, as a Kurdish politician, prefers that voters in S. Kurdistan cast their votes for the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan, one of the parties and figures that supported and stood by their revolution, as a token of gratitude for the efforts of the late party leader, Jalal Talabani, in achieving national unity.

Khalil further emphasized that his preference also stems from the need to stand against the dominant party in S. Kurdistan, and against the Turkish occupation army that is attacking the region, in order to strengthen the internal Kurdish front and contribute to achieving a Kurdish national conference to protect the achievements of the Kurdish people.

A-H

ANHA