Khanaqin delegation presents 12 demands to Iraqi president
Shafaq News- Baghdad
A delegation of Kurdish political parties, politicians and activists from Khanaqin presented President Nizar Amedi with 12 demands addressing security, administrative and public service issues in the district during a meeting at Al-Salam Palace in Baghdad, informed sources told Shafaq News on Tuesday.
The delegation sought to limit security responsibilities to official agencies and prevent interference by other groups, as well as establish a joint civilian administration to oversee security affairs in Khanaqin and other areas covered by Article 140 of the Iraqi Constitution, which addresses territories disputed between the federal government and the Kurdistan Region.
It also called on authorities to halt plans to turn Qara Tapa and Jalawla subdistricts into districts, reactivate the Article 140 office and replace its director, suspend transfers of national ID, ration, and residency cards, and freeze decisions granting ownership of agricultural land.
Read more: Khanaqin tensions: Why is Iraq’s Article 140 back in focus?
Other demands included ensuring balanced representation in administrative posts across Diyala province, allocating a special reconstruction budget for Khanaqin and granting official recognition to Garmian University, according to the sources.
The list further called for an end to the clearing of orchards and encroachments on state property, guarantees for Kurdish parties to operate freely, and the reopening of their offices in Jalawla, Al-Saadiya and other areas.
The demands come amid renewed tensions in Khanaqin over Article 140 and administrative changes in the district. Kurdish political parties met in Khanaqin on Sunday and agreed to organize a peaceful demonstration calling for implementation of Article 140 and related constitutional provisions, according to information obtained by Shafaq News. Participants said the planned protest was not directed against any of the area's communities.
Article 140 sets out a process to address demographic changes imposed under Saddam Hussein in territories disputed between Baghdad and the Kurdistan Region, followed by a census and referendum on their administrative status. The process was supposed to be completed by the end of 2007 but remains unresolved. Iraq's Federal Supreme Court ruled in 2019 that the article remains in force until its requirements are implemented.
The Diyala Provincial Council decided to summon the Khanaqin district commissioner for an urgent session on September 2 to discuss recent developments in the district. According to an official document, the decision followed a request from the head of the council’s committee on border crossings, development and administrative units, backed by six council members.
Read more: Daily life inside Khanaqin’s quietly shifting frontier
