While it is recognized that the Iraqi Constitution, the Parties Act and all other laws relating to the electoral process attend and prevent sectarian speech in all its forms, the situation in Kirkuk has been and continues to be affected by sectarian speech for 17 years. Elections are only a foster and fertile environment for such speech and a means that has proved effective in climbing the pyramid of power. This has led to the deepening of this scourge among the people of a multi-ethnic society. It has become one of the most problematic matters for the disputed areas in general and Kirkuk in particular. This specificity is that the disputed areas in the rest of the governorates are a clear majority of the population in the province. However, Kirkuk with all its administrative boundaries is considered a disputed area with three basic components, each one attributes to itself the entitlement in Kirkuk. Hence the conflict has cast a shadow over the people of Kirkuk society, bringing ethnic identity voices to bear and national identity has been silenced at all levels, whether it be performance, speech, or accountability.
Sectarian rhetoric for elections in disputed areas
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