Baghdad (AINA) -- The Assyrian General Conference (AGC), a political group representing Assyrians in Iraq, has accused the Kurdistan Democratic party of obstructing its campaign for the upcoming Iraq election. AGC released the following statement:

Throughout the election campaign for different slates that was started by political entities for the coming election in Iraq, a group of supporters and members of the Assyrian General Conference slate (800), started posting and hanging banners in the majority of Assyrian villages in Dohuk (Nohadra) Province. While one of the groups of the (Assyrian General Conference), were posting the election posters and hanging banners in the Assyrian county of Mangesh on the morning of Monday the 5th, 2005, they were stopped by armed members of the (Kurdistan Democratic Party). The same armed militia destroyed all the posters that were on the walls, confiscated 3000 posters, 25 banners and ordered the group to leave Mangesh. One of the (Assyrian General Conference), unarmed member asked why you are doing this? He was told "we do what we want, and you leave and don't come back again". (The Assyrian General Conference), has filed an official complaint about this incident with the (Independent Electoral Commission of Iraq), Duhok branch. The AGC was told that they will forward the complaint to the main office in Baghdad and wait for their reply.

Our question to the election board is, would we have enough time to promote our slate after getting your response that we have started in a very transparent way especially in the Assyrian county of Mangesh? We would like to tell our Assyrian patriotic people in Iraq and the Diaspora, that such encounters and intimidations will not discourage us to continue and accomplish the resolution of (Assyrian General Conference), that was declared last August on Assyrian Martyrs day http://www.assyrianconference.com/release_002.htm . The (Assyria General Conference), slate (800), will continue to be the true voice for our indigenous Assyrian people.

Assyrian General Conference
Media bureau
Tuesday, 6th. 2005