On the 15th of October each year, the anniversary of the founding of the Iraqi Democratic Youth Federation (IDYF) is celebrated. It is an occasion that is dear to the hearts and minds of the members and supporters of our federation, and to all of those who believe in democracy, human freedom and dignity.

On this particular day in 1951, our Federation was founded thanks to the efforts of a group of patriotic pioneers, as an organisation representing the aspirations of young people and their struggle for change. 

On that day, a group of enlightened young people called for the establishment of an organisation that shoulders the responsibility of raising awareness among the Iraqi youth, calling on them to strive for a free respectable life and a better future, and to represent them in local and international forums in order to defend their interests. 

The founding of the Iraqi Democratic Youth Federation was necessitated by an objective need for a democratic organisation that could lead the struggles of young and democratic people. 

Those first young pioneers set out with much zeal and persistence to fulfil the requirements for launching the federation’s first conference, during a period when Iraq was witnessing harsh political conditions, and when young people were striving to rid the country of injustice and repressive rule. 

They started their struggle at a time when the country was suffering under feudalism and the repressive monarchic regime. Thus, IDYF emerged from the heart of Iraq’s national movement, its toilers and militants, raising the banner of youth and freedom with the goal of salvation from exploitation and misery. 

Soon after its foundation, our federation engaged in the struggle for a country where justice and equality prevail, after demonstrating its progressive and patriotic character through its quest to eliminate injustice and exploitation and achieve the national and democratic alternative.

IDYF also called for the liberation of the country’s resources, salvation from feudalism, guaranteeing the rights of workers and young people, including trade union and democratic rights, and to uphold the freedom of thought and opinion. 

 It is worth noting that in its approach, IDYF considered the pluralistic nature of Iraqi society and its ethnic and religious mosaic. It has, therefore, included in its programme the issue of defending the Kurdish people’s rights and, equally, the rights of other Iraqi ethnicities.

The IDYF established close ties with regional Arab youth organisations, and defended the rights of the Arab peoples who were struggling for the same principles, especially the struggle of the Palestinian people against Zionism. It also became a member of the World Federation of Democratic Youth (WFDY).  

Along the way, our federation has remained a democratic organisation that includes in its ranks young people of both sexes and of all constituents of Iraq without exception. 

It has put in its strategy for action, the importance of forming the broadest social and democratic movement where it participated in leading political struggles and contributed bravely in the popular uprisings that erupted against tyranny and oppression, and against denying the people their right to express themselves and enjoy their freedom like other peoples of the world. 

IDYF has been an active participant in Iraqi people’s struggle during various political periods, bearing hardships and sacrifices throughout the past decades. Many of its martyrs fell in the fight for their rights, and their insistence to continue the struggle to achieve the demands of our people to live a decent and dignified life. 

Dear Colleagues

As we mark the 67th anniversary of the foundation of our Iraqi Democratic Youth Federation, our country is still experiencing multiple crises which are detrimental to overall affairs of public life, and especially the lives of young people who constitute more than half of the population. 

Despite a relative stability, terrorism continues to scorch Iraqi society, and the ethno-sectarian quota system, accompanied by its administrative and financial corruption, continues to hugely affect political, economic and social life. Jobs and privileges are being distributed in a way that serves the corrupt, rather than those who are qualified, while the masses of the unemployed, including university graduates, are left at the mercy and cruelty of harsh living conditions. The result is an increase in the rate of the unemployed, leaving its mark on the overall living conditions and causing painful societal illnesses.

What is needed is a set of serious plans to address this situation, rather than resorting to patchy approaches or even involving young people in military jobs which lead to the militarisation of society. Furthermore, the tendency to marginalise the youth and making them feel alienated in their own homeland does not help the building of a modern state that is based on civil and democratic foundations. 

Today, as we celebrate IDYF’s anniversary, we are aware of the seriousness of the current situation and its difficulties and complexity, and at a time when Iraq is still suffering from the remnants of the dictatorial Baathist regime and the subsequent ethno-sectarian quota system that has only continued the process of destruction and sabotage.

We are still driven by the same vigour, aspiring to change this status quo. Some political and social developments have shown that it is possible to defeat reactionary forces, especially after the recent mass popular uprisings against sectarianism, corruption and the quota system. 

We praise the ongoing societal protests, with a distinctive youth movement, as expressed in various activities. We call for their continuation, endeavouring to establish a democratic civil state, and to defend the values of freedom. Meanwhile, we seek to coordinate and cooperate with all democratic organisations that share our understanding of the situation to unite all efforts in the interest of our noble goals.

We congratulate all on the 67th anniversary of IDYF, and we wish the Iraqi people the strength to achieve their just aspirations for peace and democracy.

Glory to the martyrs of IDYF and our people.

Iraqi Democratic Youth Federation 

Baghdad, 15th October 2018

Children Unable to Study Due to Shortage of Schools and Teaching Staff & Burden of Financial Costs

“Tareeq Al-Shaab” newspaper – 22 October 2018

With the start of the new school year and opening its doors to millions of students and learners, the problem of overcrowding and filling school buildings with two or three, or even four schools in some cases, this harsh reality is going to be the biggest challenge facing the Iraqi Ministry of Education.

After going through years of decline, including throughout the last fourteen years, the education system has not managed to keep pace with global developments. If we went back to 1991, and even earlier, and browsed the reports of UNESCO, we would find that it had declared Iraq a country that used to own an educational system unparalleled in the region where the percentage of primary school enrolment was 100 per cent. 

However, if we compare this with post-2003 period, we will find that the percentage of those who can read and write in Iraq is shocking 55 per cent in males and 23 per cent in females. In addition, the total number of Iraqi schools is around 15,500, of which the increase in primary schools constitute around 30 per cent. 

As far as the realities of education and learning in the province of Basra is concerned, standards have deteriorated in an unprecedented manner to the extent that Basra has not enjoyed the construction of one single school since 2014.

Statistics indicate that, prior to 2014, the province has witnessed the beginning of building 48 new schools, but this process has never been completed until now. Thus, existing schools started to witness the ballooning of student numbers to the extent that some of them, and in some districts, are turning into a-daily-four-or-five-tier attendance structure. 

It is worth noting that most of the areas surrounding, and being part of Basra, are in dire need of establishing new schools in order to save the deteriorating educational status quo. 

The irony is how a province that exports such a large number of barrels of oil every day can provide such a dismal level of education to its learners. (Basra exports more than 3 million barrels per day).

The phenomenon of two or three tier schooling system is widespread in Basra, and figures show that the city needs around 600 new buildings in order to overcome the existing structure, that is despite having more than 1700 primary, intermediate and secondary schools in operation. The familiar reason cited for not building new schools is a shortage of funds at the ministry level first, and at Basra governorate level second.

In an interview with the newspaper “Tareeq Al-Shaab”, a student, Hussein Haidar, said: ‘Most of the timetables of the intermediate and secondary schools are dual-time, while primary studies may reach up to four’.

Another interviewee (a teacher) said: “Basra schools suffer from a shortage in the teaching staff. In some cases, we have to employ teachers who are not qualified in their scientific specialities. Sometimes we may close entire classes or schools due to a lack of teaching staff’.

According to one parent named Abu Ali, the deterioration of the living standards, suffered by Basrawis, is one important factor in abandoning education. Many Basrawi families rely on their children to work after school, while finding it hard to supply those children with stationery supplies that the state itself does not provide. 

And with regards to the private sector, which spread ubiquitously after 2003, it is noticeable that some private educational institutions are not licensed, and others do not follow the required conditions. Moreover, government control or supervision is not at the required level which has led to a significant increase in those institutions.  

Finally, according to statistics issued by the authorities in Basra, out of 800,000 local students, about 20 percent only are registered in private schools, as the majority of families are unable to pay private education fees.  

Report by: Mahmood Saadoon and Hafidh al-Jassim

Translated by: Muhamed Hassan

Das Politische Büro der Irakischen Kommunistischen Partei hat am 4. September 2018 die folgende Erklärung abgegeben:

Die blutigen Ereignisse in Basra sind in den letzten Stunden stark eskaliert. Die letzten Berichte sprachen vom Tod mehrerer Opfer und Dutzenden von Verwundeten, vom Sturm auf das Gebäude der Provinzregierung und von einer totalen Ausgangssperre in der Provinz.

Die übermäßige und flagrante Gewalt der Sicherheitskräfte gegenüber den Massen, die ihre legitimen Grundrechte einfordern, ist hauptsächlich dafür verantwortlich, dass sich die Situation zu dem entwickelt, was sie jetzt ist.

Das haben wir zusammen mit vielen anderen Parteien, Persönlichkeiten und aufrichtigen Bürgern bereits verurteilt und davor gewarnt und die Behörden aufgefordert, dies zu beenden.

Wir haben auch betont und betonen weiterhin, dass der friedliche Charakter der Demonstrationen und Volksproteste gewahrt werden muss.

Der überwältigende Volkszorn, der heute ausgebrochen ist, ist nicht nur darauf zurückzuführen, dass die legitimen Forderungen und der langsame Umgang mit den brennenden Problemen ignoriert werden, die das Leben von Millionen von Menschen in unerträgliches tägliches Leid verwandelt haben. Sie ist auch auf die Unterdrückung der Sicherheitskräfte gegen friedliche Demonstranten zurückzuführen, die von ihrem verfassungsmäßigen Recht Gebrauch machen, ihre grundlegenden Menschenrechte einzufordern, die für ein würdiges Leben unerlässlich sind.

Wir verurteilen auf das Schärfste diese verantwortungslose und unmenschliche Behandlung der Demonstrationen in Basra durch die Sicherheitskräfte, fordern aber die lokalen und föderalen Regierungen auf, unverzüglich zu handeln, um diesen Maßnahmen ein Ende zu setzen, die zu Entwicklungen mit alarmierenden Folgen in diesen schwierigen Zeiten für die Bürger von Basra und ihre liebe Stadt und Provinz führen könnten.

Wir fordern sie auch auf, ernsthaft und dringend zu handeln, um die Probleme zu lösen, die durch schlechte Dienstleistungen verursacht werden, unter denen die Bevölkerung von Basra leidet, von denen das erste das Problem des Trinkwassers ist.

Blutige Gewalt und Unterdrückung in Basra müssen sofort eingestellt werden.

Die Verantwortlichen für die Unterdrückung und die tödliche Erschießung friedlicher Demonstranten müssen unverzüglich zur Verantwortung gezogen werden und die Strafe erhalten, die sie verdienen.

Ehre den Märtyrern der Protestbewegung und schnelle Genesung für die Verwundeten und Verletzten.

Bagdad, 4. September 2018

The Political Bureau of the Iraqi Communist Party issued the following statement on 4th September 2018:

The bloody events in Basra have escalated gravely during the last few hours. The latest reports spoke of the fall of more martyrs and dozens of people wounded, the storming of the building of the provincial government and of a total curfew in the province.

The excessive and flagrant violence of the security forces in dealing with the masses demanding their basic legitimate rights is mainly responsible for the situation developing to what it is now. This is what we, along with many other parties, personalities and sincere citizens, have already condemned and warned against, and demanded that the authorities put an end to it. We also stressed, and continue to emphasize, on maintaining the peaceful character of the demonstrations and popular protests.

The overwhelming popular anger which has erupted today is not only due to ignoring the legitimate demands and the slow handling of the burning problems that have turned the lives of millions of people into unbearable daily suffering. It is also caused by the repression used by the security forces against peaceful demonstrators who are exercising their constitutional right to demand their basic human rights which are essential for dignified life.  

While expressing our strongest condemnation of this irresponsible and inhumane treatment of the masses of demonstrators in Basra by the security forces, we call on the local and federal governments to act immediately to put an end to these measures that could lead to developments with alarming consequences in these difficult hours for the citizens of Basra and their dear city and province. We also call on them to act earnestly and urgently to resolve the woes caused by poor services that the people of Basra are suffering from, the first of which is the problem of drinking water.

Bloody violence and repression in Basra must stop immediately.

Those responsible for the repression and the lethal shooting of peaceful demonstrators must be held accountable without delay and receive the punishment they deserve.

Glory to the martyrs of the protest movement and speedy recovery for the wounded and injured.