Our rights eroded by proportional representation, says Christian candidate

NINEWA / IraqiNews.com: A Christian candidate for the Ninewa provincial council said the proportional representation, or quota system, has gnawed at Christians’ rights after the representation rate was diminished from three to only one seat. “The large blocs were to blame for this,” said Louay Francees, a candidate from the Chaldean Democratic Union Party, on the sideline of a symposium he held in the district of al-Hamdaniya, (30 km) east of Mosul city, on Saturday. “Although the quota system is overshadowing our work, we can guarantee our rights through alliances,” Francees added. The Iraqi Parliament had voted in November 2008 in favor of a motion on the amendment of a law to give only one seat for each of the Christians and Sabian Mandaeans in the Baghdad provincial council, one seat for the Christians in the Basra council and one seat for each of the Christians, Yazidis and Shabaks in the Ninewa council. The Chaldean Democratic Union Party, led by lawmaker Abalhad Afram, was established in 2000. The party is entering the provincial council elections scheduled to be held on January 31 with an independent list vying over the Christian seat in each of Ninewa, Baghdad and Basra. In addition to the Chaldean Democratic Union Party, two other Christian lists are seeking seats in the Ninewa local council: the National Ashtar List and the Rafidain List. Mosul, the capital city of Ninewa province, lies 405 km north of Baghdad. AmR (S)/SR 1