Shafaq News / The recent tribal conflict in Iraq has brought to light the state's inability to address the issue effectively despite the calls to impose arms controls and pass proportionate laws. This conflict resulted in the security services losing control over the Nasr district in the governorate of Dhi Qar, exposing the frailty of the security services in the area.
On Wednesday, tensions in the Nasr district escalated significantly following the killing of the leader of the al-Attab tribe and his son in an armed attack on their home. Preliminary investigations suggested that individuals from the al-Hateb tribe were responsible for the attack due to a dispute over a vehicle.
Although the Dhi Qar police chief, Maj. Gen. Makki al-Khaigani, announced the restoration of security in the governorate's Nasr district, it also exposed the residents' possession of above-average weapons and the weakness of the security services in the area.
Many tribal leaders agree that the increase in armed factions and parties that tribes have started to turn to instead of tribal custom and elders to settle disputes, combined with the absence of laws regulating tribal work, have resulted in the spread of arms in society and the decline of the true tribal element.
Arif al-Hamami, a lawmaker from Dhi Qar, highlighted that tribal conflicts pose a serious threat to the social fabric in the southern governorates, adding that there are areas with heavy weapons, rocket launchers, and machine guns. These weapons outposts create a significant risk for the society and must be tackled immediately to prevent the conflict from escalating further.
According to Arif al-Hamami, the government and its security services are responsible for the situation in the southern governorates, particularly in Dhi Qar. He called for the implementation of counter-terrorism laws and for the authorities to follow up on the arrest warrants issued against the perpetrators of crimes.
Sheikh Imad al-Bu Aouja, the leader of the al-Bazoon tribe, shares al-Hamami's views and agrees that the government bears responsibility for the proliferation of arms in society, with weapons reaching destructive levels such as mortars of 60, 80, and 120 mm calibers, RBG7, and other weapons. He further noted that society has turned into an armed military, with armed factions growing daily and resorting to armed entities instead of tribal norms and elders to settle disputes, which is a troubling trend.
The assassination of Sheikh Jamil Hatem al-Attabi, the leader of the al-Attab tribe in Dhi Qar, was the work of an outlaw group, according to Sheikh al-Bu Aouja. He believes that the state must be the strongest force to prevent life from becoming a jungle where the only goal is the struggle for survival. This underscores the urgent need for the government to take concrete steps to curb the proliferation of arms and restore peace and security in the southern governorates.
Sheikh Muhammad al-Zaidawi, a tribal leader in Basra, believes that the weakness of the security services controlling the land, the subordination of security services to political regimes, and the spread of political forces' weapons in society under the guise of tribes, have all contributed to the decline of the real tribal element. He added that the failure to enact legislation regulating the work of the tribes and the weaving of the political reality by some parties with the tribal reality have also played a role.
Al-Zaidawi, who is an expert in tribal conflicts and tribal reality, shared that he submitted a proposal and an integrated discussion to former Iraqi prime ministers, suggesting withdrawing weapons from the tribes, including buying them, preventing their trade, and not granting licenses to carry them. However, he observed that these demands are linked to acquiring the tribal vote, whether through licensing or some kind of trading.
He also suggested that the weapons be replaced with job opportunities, that weapons be bought from the people, and that a law be created to regulate the work of tribal leaders. He emphasized the need to keep the political reality out of the tribes. Despite these recommendations, there is a lack of action to address the issue.
Al-Zaidawi highlighted that most tribal raids are malicious, and those who are accused of violating the laws related to them from Article 430 and Article 4 of terrorism are often activists and prominent members of society, but this loophole is exploited to get rid of them.
Meanwhile, Sheikh Ra’ed al-Furaiji, the former head of a tribal council in Basra, observed that tribal disputes occasionally erupt over trivial issues, leading to fatalities, injuries, and confusion of the security situation, with the government's inability to confront the problem. He called for enacting a law that is commensurate with the scale of these conflicts and the development of a comprehensive strategy to end them.
He also emphasized the need to arrest the instigators of tribal conflicts, even if they are backed by political parties, as the law must reach those who raise problems in society. These calls underscore the urgent need for the government to take concrete steps to address the tribal conflicts and restore peace and security in the southern governorates.
