[RUDAW.NET] To give minorities in the Kurdistan region more influence, they should get their own special councils of representatives to function within the Kurdish parliament and governing institutions.
That is the essence of a plan presented to the Constitutional Commission of the Kurdistan Parliament by Middle East Research Institute (MERI) President and former Minister Dlawer Ala'Aldeen.
Inspired by Eastern European bodies for minorities but adjusted to the Kurdish situation, two new councils will ensure the active participation of the different ethnic and religious elements in legislation, decision-making, implementation and monitoring, he predicted.
MERI based its plan on meetings with minority groups and NGOs, in relation to the fact that a special committee is presently working on the first draft of the Kurdish constitution, said Dlawer. "As the committee is in the middle of covering the minorities' rights, they invited us in. We might have influence on some of their decisions on structuring articles in the constitution."
What is lacking in the present Kurdish system, he said, is "a model that integrates the minorities' representatives within the parliament as well as governmental institutions, so they can lobby and influence decisions at the right time in the right places."
Two commissions should be formed: one for ethnic minorities such as Turkmen, Arabs, Assyrians, Chaldeans and Armenians, and another for religious minorities like Yezidis, Christians, Kaka'is, Zoroastrians, Sabians and Baha'is. The councils should be embedded administratively and financially within the Kurdistan Parliament.
They will be made up of members of parliament, representatives of 11 ministries and ministers or their deputies--all member of minority groups themselves.
To make sure they will have real influence, they will not only work within the parliament, but will also send an observer to the meetings of the Council of Ministers. To prevent fights over the most influential positions, the observer in the cabinet will be chosen in rotation. 
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