Death threat issued to Iraqi communist

By Jennifer Thompson A member of the Kurdistan organisation of the Worker-Communist Party of Iraq (WPCI) has been issued with a death threat by an Islamic Revolutionary Hizbollah leader. The fatwa (religious order), repartedly issued by Islamic leader Adham Barzani and which includes 200,000 Iraqi dinar to Ribar Ahmad's killer, is part of a renewed campaign by religious fundamentalists against the left opposition based in autonomous Iraqi Kurdistan. Ahmad wrote an article for the WPCI paper Bupishawa — "Forward" — which criticised Islamic practices which oppress women, particularly in marriage. Ahmad said that women are treated as a tradeable commodity. Islamic fundamentalists attacked the offices of Bupishawa on October 6 in an attempt to silence the WPCI. This terror campaign is reportedly supported by the Islamic Republic of Iran and the dominant Kurdish nationalist parties such as the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) and the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP). Iran, which wants to wipe out Iranian opposition movements based in Iraqi Kurdistan, has been trying to broker a settlement between the KDP and PUK who have been at war with each other since the end of the 1991 Gulf war. The WPCI is calling for Barzani to be brought to trial in an open, public criminal court; the defence of Ahmad and WPCI members; and for the ruling Kurdish nationalist parties to condemn the threats and take a stand against religious fundamentalism in Iraqi Kurdistan. Letters of support can be sent to WPCI, PO Box 2480, North Parramatta NSW 2151, or faxed to (02) 630 1683.