Kurds surprised about Maliki's flag-order

[Sara Johnson]

Kurdssurprised about Maliki's flag-order

12/10/2011 16:36

Baghdad, Oct. 12 (AKnews) - Kurdish politicians weresurprised about Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki's order to bring down Kurdishflags from government buildings in the Khanaqin district in Diyala province.

Muayyid Tayyeb, a spokesperson for the Kurdish BlocCoalition (KBC), said that raising both flags of Kurdistan and Iraq is notcontrary to the law.

"In European countries for example, municipality havetheir own flags that do not conflict with the official flag of thenation," Tayyeb said. "Raising the flag of Iraq's Kurdistan Regionshould not cause any problem."

On Tuesday, police handed a written order from Maliki toKhanaqin administer Mohammed Mala Hasan, a Kurd, to raise only Iraqi flags ongovernment buildings and lower all Kurdish flags.

The Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) supported Hasan whenhe refused the order.

They referred to a previous agreement between Baghdad andErbil after the U.S. invasion in 2003.

The Kurdish flag is the official flag of the semi-autonomousregion of Kurdistan. It is also considered to be the national flag of the Kurdsin Iraq and the neighboring countries with Kurdish minorities.

With approximately170,000 inhabitants, Khanaqin, 155 km northeast of the city of Baquba, is oneof the disputed areas between the KRG and the federal government. It has beenmanaged by the KRG since 2003.

http://www.aknews.com/en/aknews/4/266712/

[TrinityeXchange]

i agree with the Kurds. i was surprised as well when i read this yesterday. maliki sometimes come off as a idiot. with all that has to be done in that country, all of the quelling of sectarianism & violence, why raise issues over something so minute. there are many entities who fly multiple flags. sheesh, its like the guy create reasons to prevent cooperation.

[thegente]

i agree with the Kurds. i was surprised as well when i read this yesterday. maliki sometimes come off as a idiot. with all that has to be done in that country, all of the quelling of sectarianism & violence, why raise issues over something so minute. there are many entities who fly multiple flags. sheesh, its like the guy create reasons to prevent cooperation.

Because, despite all progress, they HATE one another just as much as they did before we were there, and will take ANY opportunity to spite one another, no matter how inconsequential it may seem.

[Markinsa]

That's like telling Texas or any other state it can't raise its flag...

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[wealthbytrade]

Maliki is a classic narcissist. He is so ego driven. It's always about him!

[billbill]

Thanks for the post.

[SINGH]

Maliki you dumb A$$!!!!!