Al-Nujaifi: There are those who say that all members of our society here and all of our security forces, who are obviously part of that society, cooperate with terrorists. So they say that troops should be brought in from other areas to impose security in our region. That kind of talk is dangerous and unacceptable.
NIQASH: Apparently there have been some people’s committees formed in various neighbourhoods around Mosul.
Al-Nujaifi: Yes, I ordered them formed. Their mission is support the local police force and to involve citizens in protecting themselves against crime.
We’re confident that all of the society here rejects aggression and is against the terrorization of its citizens. We also want the local police to be credible and highly professional, we don’t want them to target any particular party just because they hold views that are other than the majority view.
We don’t think that any one sector of society or tribe can be accused of certain violent or criminal actions. Crimes are conducted by individuals. And only the perpetrators of those crimes should be held responsible and punished, not a whole society. That’s how the local police should be dealing with this situation.
NIQASH: And what are your thoughts on the postponement of Ninawa’s provincial elections, when almost all of the rest of the country went to vote last week?
Al-Nujaifi: The decision to postpone elections in Ninawa was based on false information that came from the heads of security here. These people take orders directly from the Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki. They informed him that the security conditions in Mosul made it impossible to hold elections here – even though in reality the security situation is much better than it was four years ago. But the Prime Minister knows that he won’t make a lot of progress here if elections are held, so he’s deliberately postponed them.
NIQASH: Was your local government informed about this decision, about postponing the elections?
Al-Nujaifi: I’ve already filed suit against the Cabinet in Baghdad and against al-Maliki. I also urged other political blocs in Ninawa to take similar steps. After all the federal government simply made this unilateral decision and didn’t even ask us our opinion.
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