Amid Iraq war, Basra autonomy bid gaining greater support

[dontlop]

“Basra, that feeds Iraq, does not have any kind of representation in Baghdad to speak of -- and it has not had for a long time,” said Kadhim, adding that if the move for a Basra autonomous region succeeds, “that is going to be a change in the rule of the game."

Kadhim also mentioned another larger movement that is calling for Iraq’s Shiite areas to be separated from the rest of the war-ravaged country.

The thrust behind the move to turn Basra into an autonomous region has recently been best articulated by the former governor and minister, Wael Abdul Latif. He restarted a signature campaign aiming at a vote. A similar 2009 effort by Latif did not materialize, after he failed to collect enough signatures to legally force the Iraqi election commission to hold a vote.

Following a deal between the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) and the central government in Baghdad over financial matters and Kurdish oil exports earlier this month, the Basra provincial council has demanded a greater say in national energy and wealth matters.

It requested the formation of a “Basra Oil Body” -- similar to the KRG’s Ministry of Natural Resources – which would negotiate management of the province’s oil wealth with Baghdad.

Basra, which feeds more than 90 percent of the Iraqi budget through its oil, has long complained about lack of transparency in oil revenues. Provincial officials also complain that Baghdad is unresponsive to complaints over lack of basic services, and that it is replete with red tape and corruption.

http://rudaw.net/english/middleeast/iraq/18122014