Azzaman, December 17, 2010

Suddenly, the term 'self-determination’ surfaces in the Iraqi political scene. Personally, I am very much impressed by the term in a country in the midst of a devastating strife.

'Self-determination’ is a demand many countries have been making in the past few decades. But perhaps Iraqis are among the nations which are in urgent need of it.

For instance, internally displaced Iraqis whose houses are being occupied by armed militias and their leaders are entitled to self-determination.

Iraqi refugees in Syria, Jordan, Egypt and other parts of the world are in a constant struggle for their self-determination.

Hundreds of thousands of former army personnel whose units were disbanded are waiting for self-determination.

Millions of Iraqi orphans, martyrs and their children are looking forward to a decision that will help them determine their fate.

The poverty-stricken Iraqis, who witnessed the embezzlement of billions of dollars (by their leaders and factions), and ended up having not enough to eat, are keen to see the day they are given the right to self-determination.

The prisoners languishing in public and secret jails as well as those run by the Interior Ministry and the Baghdad Military Operations, plead with Almighty, day in day out, for the time they will be given the right to self-determination.

The victims of the havoc wrecked by international and regional intelligence agencies in Iraq are in urgent need of self-determination.

Even those residing in the "Green Zone" – rulers and subjects – are under the constant obsession of self-determination. These are the ones who know, better than any other section of the Iraqi society, the type of 'self-determination’ that is in store for them.