| Here is one example of what they are voting for.
Kirkuk Al-Ghad newspaper
January 30, 2005
I voted in Free Kirkuk
By Waria Salhi (Salayee)
On the morning of March 21st 1991, and after the popular public
upraising, Saddam Hussein's former Republican Guards and security
apparatus attacked Kirkuk to seize the control over the province once
again
The bombs were falling everywhere, buildings were burring, and guns were
firing at people randomly. They were looking at everywhere in the city
to find Kurds and kills them of the upraising. On that morning, thousand
of Kurds and I ran from Kirkuk on our feet toward north to save our
life's. None of us ever thought that we would come back to Kirkuk again
and not be afraid of been killed by Saddam's security apparatus as our
friends and family members did.
Today on Jan 30th 2005, and after 13 years 10 month and 9 days, I was
able to walk to voting station at poor neighborhood elementary school in
Kirkuk and freely cast my vote. When I arrived to the school, I found
that Males, females, young, old, poor and rich were standing in long
line as they were striving for this day to come, they were all
impatiently waiting to cast their votes in free Kirkuk. Most of them
including my self were unable to control out tears of joy. It was clear
that feeling of happiness was over shadowing Kirkuk. Today was a day to
witness the history at making.
One of my Kurdish guards came to me showed me his right index finger as
it was a marked of he voted, while I could see his tears coming down, he
said "Sir; all this years I was hiding not be captured and be killed in
this city, but today, I do not have to hide any more. Today I do not
have to fight for my right; I do not have to use guns to make my voice
to be heard. Today I used a pen peacefully. It felt good, it felt like I
am human and may vote is counted!"
All Iraqis must understand, what today means to them and Iraq. Today was
an opportunity for all to go to the voting stations and choose what they
like; it was the day to leave the tyranny, force, violent, killing and
bombing behind. It was a day to start building the new, free and
prosperous Iraq.
Bombing, shooting, kidnapping, and killing, will not work any more.
Voting ballots is the only way to reach our goals in new Iraq. It is
enough of using the religion as tool to terrorize Iraqis and impellent
agendas of others. Iraqis do not permit the killing of innocent people
in the name of religion. A true patriots and a true Muslims are the ones
whom stood in voting lines today while fearing a suicide attackers may
kill them any minute.
This election may not turnout to be a perfect election due to current
security Iraqi situation. However, this election planted a seed of
democracy and freedom of choice, this day is a first and most important
step toward free democratic Iraq. Thank God and thanks to all brave US
soldiers for making this day to happen, without them, Iraqis would not
see this historical day in years and years.
Sincerely yours,
Waria Salhi Salayee
Executive director
KBC (Kirkuk Business Center) | |
