Determined Kurds vote despite threats of violence

Some areas report 90-per-cent turnout

SULAYMANIYAH, IRAQ -- The last time 82-year-old Malia Ahmed stepped out of her house high in the mountains that divide Iraq from Iran, her hometown of Biyara was controlled by an Islamist militia with links to al-Qaeda.

That was more than two years ago. Today, too frail to walk, she was carried by her grandson, Ali Nasreddin, to the local polling station to vote.

"She suddenly made the decision yesterday," Mr. Nasreddin said. "Every vote counted, she told me."

Too tired to speak, Ms Ahmed limited herself to waving a finger soaked in indelible purple ink. Then, offering his excuses, her grandson picked her up to start the 20-minute walk home.

Election day throughout the Kurdish north was full of similar small acts of determination.

In Kirkuk, according to one local election monitor, queues started to form outside polling stations by 5 a.m., three hours before voting started.

"We told them to go home for their own safety, but they turned up again an hour later," he said.

On the road between Sulaymaniyah and Halabja, at 6:30 a.m., a group of women was already convinced they had missed their chance to vote.

"People registered in Arbat have already been picked up," one wailed. "But there's no sign of the bus supposed to take us to Seyyid Sadiq," she said, just before the bus appeared.

The mood of high seriousness was no less evident in the long, orderly queues outside polling stations everywhere.

"They would have done the English proud," joked Rosina Ynzenga, one of only two independent international observers working in the north.

"We are here to give our children a better chance than we had," explained Jemal Hama Amin in Halabja. "That is worth being patient for."

Small wonder that, by lunchtime, most polling stations were already winding down. In Halabja, polling station head Laik Abdulrahim said that more than 1,500 people out of 2,200 registered had cast their vote by midday.

In Biyara and Seyyid Sadiq, they were even more efficient.

"We have had more than 90 per cent turnout," said Hama Raza, observer in Biyara for one of Iraqi Kurdistan's two largest political parties.

Those are figures to be expected in a region that insists on maintaining the broad autonomy it has built up since 1991. But the almost total lack of violence throughout the north also helped.

Even in Kirkuk, singled out as a target last week by the al-Qaeda-linked Jordanian Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, attacks were few: a rocket potshot in a Kurdish district killed one, and two were injured in a shootout on one of the city's bridges.

"To be frank, I am surprised how well things have gone," said Lieutenant-Colonel Serhat Qadir, a senior security officer in Kirkuk.

Observers declared themselves no less satisfied with the running of the election.

There were minor disturbances. One polling station had booths in full view of the staff. Staff in Biyara told of one illiterate voter taken advantage of by a friend with a political agenda.

But the most common complaint seemed to be that ballot boxes were barely large enough to hold all the votes.

"It's been a remarkable success, as far as I can see," said Ms. Ynzenga's colleague, Thomas von der Osten-Sacken.

"The real pity is that there are not more international observers here to see that. They could have ensured the new Iraqi government has the international legitimacy it desperately needs."

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	31.01.2005 \| The Globe and Mail \| by Nicholas Birch Determined Kurds vote despite threats of violence Some areas report 90-per-cent turnout SULAYMANIYAH, IRAQ -- The last time 82-year-old Malia Ahmed stepped out of her house high in the mountains that divide Iraq from Iran, her hometown of Biyara was controlled by an Islamist militia with links to al-Qaeda. That was more than two years ago. Today, too frail to walk, she was carried by her grandson, Ali Nasreddin, to the local polling station to vote. "She suddenly made the decision yesterday," Mr. Nasreddin said. "Every vote counted, she told me." Too tired to speak, Ms Ahmed limited herself to waving a finger soaked in indelible purple ink. Then, offering his excuses, her grandson picked her up to start the 20-minute walk home. Election day throughout the Kurdish north was full of similar small acts of determination. In Kirkuk, according to one local election monitor, queues started to form outside polling stations by 5 a.m., three hours before voting started. "We told them to go home for their own safety, but they turned up again an hour later," he said. On the road between Sulaymaniyah and Halabja, at 6:30 a.m., a group of women was already convinced they had missed their chance to vote. "People registered in Arbat have already been picked up," one wailed. "But there's no sign of the bus supposed to take us to Seyyid Sadiq," she said, just before the bus appeared. The mood of high seriousness was no less evident in the long, orderly queues outside polling stations everywhere. "They would have done the English proud," joked Rosina Ynzenga, one of only two independent international observers working in the north. "We are here to give our children a better chance than we had," explained Jemal Hama Amin in Halabja. "That is worth being patient for." Small wonder that, by lunchtime, most polling stations were already winding down. In Halabja, polling station head Laik Abdulrahim said that more than 1,500 people out of 2,200 registered had cast their vote by midday. In Biyara and Seyyid Sadiq, they were even more efficient. "We have had more than 90 per cent turnout," said Hama Raza, observer in Biyara for one of Iraqi Kurdistan's two largest political parties. Those are figures to be expected in a region that insists on maintaining the broad autonomy it has built up since 1991. But the almost total lack of violence throughout the north also helped. Even in Kirkuk, singled out as a target last week by the al-Qaeda-linked Jordanian Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, attacks were few: a rocket potshot in a Kurdish district killed one, and two were injured in a shootout on one of the city's bridges. "To be frank, I am surprised how well things have gone," said Lieutenant-Colonel Serhat Qadir, a senior security officer in Kirkuk. Observers declared themselves no less satisfied with the running of the election. There were minor disturbances. One polling station had booths in full view of the staff. Staff in Biyara told of one illiterate voter taken advantage of by a friend with a political agenda. But the most common complaint seemed to be that ballot boxes were barely large enough to hold all the votes. "It's been a remarkable success, as far as I can see," said Ms. Ynzenga's colleague, Thomas von der Osten-Sacken. "The real pity is that there are not more international observers here to see that. They could have ensured the new Iraqi government has the international legitimacy it desperately needs." © 2005 Bell Globemedia Publishing Inc. All Rights Reserved. WADI e.V. \| tel.: (+49) 069-57002440 \| fax (+49) 069-57002444 http://www.wadinet.de \| e-mail: