Who Will Repay Mam Jalal’s Debt?

Latif Nerwayi, Member of the Leadership Council.

Written by Latif Nerwayi

On the ninth anniversary of the death of President Mam Jalal, commemorating this national and charismatic leader is an opportunity to reconnect with the values of coexistence, wisdom and humanity that shaped the political landscape of Kurdistan and Iraq because Mam Jalal was not only a political leader, but also a champion of reconciliation and a steadfast refuge for diverse political forces and parties. 

Even during the most difficult and darkest periods, he sought solutions with patience, a warm smile and a deep belief in dialogue and unity. Throughout his political life, he consistently embodied the path of understanding, coexistence and togetherness.

On this occasion, it is worth asking a question that should resonate with officials, public institutions and those who were closest to President Mam Jalal: who will repay the historical and moral debt owed to him?

There are two groups that carry this responsibility—one in the Kurdistan Region and the other in Baghdad.

In the Kurdistan Region, the responsibility falls on:

- The President of the Kurdistan Region, who as a close friend of Mam Jalal, he bears a greater responsibility for repaying this debt.
- The Kurdistan Regional Government’s Ministry of Education and the committee responsible for writing the history of the Kurdish people in school curricula.
- Political leaders, intellectuals, historians, writers and academics who knew and worked alongside Mam Jalal.
- The leadership of Mam Jalal’s party, the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK).

In Baghdad, the responsibility extends to:

- The Prime Minister of the Iraqi Federal Government.
- The Iraqi Ministry of Education.

What is the Debt?

By every historical and national measure, Mam Jalal’s legacy deserves lasting recognition as:

- A Kurdish and Iraqi national leader.
- The first elected president of the new Iraq.
- Iraq’s first Kurdish president.
- A president who enjoyed broad and balanced consensus at the Kurdistan, Iraqi and international levels.
- A father of national consensus, reconciliation and tolerance, and a defender of the rights of all communities in Iraq.
- A leader known for his moderate, wise and diplomatic approach to politics.
- A leader who played a prominent role in the long Kurdish struggle and continued to serve his people until the final moments of his life.

Given all these achievements, among many others, Mam Jalal’s diverse political and national legacy deserves to be documented in school curricula, as has been the case with renowned world leaders. Students in the Kurdistan Region and across Iraq have the right to learn about his multifaceted history and his role in the country’s political development.

Including Mam Jalal’s history in school curricula is a national, historical and moral responsibility shared by both the Kurdistan Regional Government and the federal government. This issue should not be allowed to become entangled in partisan disputes at the regional level, nor should it be drawn into the political and national conflicts at the level of Baghdad.

Now, after raising this question, we must wait and see to what extent the statements and actions of the parties concerned will translate into meaningful steps on this issue.