KDP official in Kirkuk stresses the need for Article 140 implementation to ensure fair representation in Iraq’s upcoming census, urging government action
Hassan Shekhani, head of the KDP faction in the Kirkuk Provincial Council, told The Kurdish Globe, “A country without a census or defined plan is like someone walking blindfolded in the dark. A census without resolving key issues only makes sense for a country with no territorial or constitutional disputes. Since 2005, the constitution has included the important provision of Article 140, which has yet to be implemented.”
He continued, “We often view this census with suspicion, as the non-implementation of Article 140 perpetuates discrimination and problems. Implementation of this article would resolve all issues concerning areas outside the Kurdistan Region’s administration.”
Shekhani also noted, “The Iraqi government is starting the census without implementing the final two points of Article 140. Therefore, we continue to monitor this issue closely. In 2012, Iraq’s Ministry of Planning promised a census across Kurdistan, but the process was delayed due to Kirkuk’s unique situation. At that time, the census could not proceed due to the dominance of one party in power.”
Hassan Majid further stated, “I call on all parties and the Kurdistan Regional Government to make Article 140 implementation a prerequisite for Kurdish participation in the census.”
The last official census-based population count dates back to 1987, with no census conducted in the Kurdistan Region since. Iraq conducted only one census in 1997, and attempts in 2004, 2009, 2010, and 2020 failed. Due to the absence of a robust institutional system, significant gaps remain in both the numbers and composition of population registration, leading to estimates and approximations as the primary sources for population data.
The Kurdish Globe