BAGHDAD – INA
The tribes of Dhi Qar announced on Monday their support for Prime Minister Ali al-Zaydi’s efforts to combat corruption, noting that the rule of law and upholding the authority of the state are non-negotiable.
Sheikh Hadam al-Saffah, head of the al-Bu Shama tribe, said in his speech during the General Tribal Conference of the tribes of Dhi Qar, attended by a correspondent from the Iraqi News Agency (INA): “Based on our national responsibility and legitimacy, and in affirmation of the tribes’ historical and principled role in preserving the state’s integrity and upholding the rule of law, we gather today at this expanded tribal conference to take a firm stance dictated by Iraq’s supreme interest and our authentic values.”
He added that “the strict measures and lawful arrests currently taking place on the national stage against high-ranking corrupt officials who have misappropriated public funds represent a commendable step for which we declare our absolute endorsement and full support, and we affirm that the fight against corruption is no less important than the fight to defeat terrorism.”
He emphasized that “Iraq will not rise again or regain its health unless we strike with an iron fist against corruption, without selectivity or succumbing to any political pressures or compromises.”
He continued, “From this conference, and on behalf of the tribes of Dhi Qar—with their history and their men—we declare that we are throwing our social and national weight behind the Prime Minister, the Iraqi judiciary, and the security and oversight agencies, in support of the campaign aimed at purging state institutions.”
He noted that “the conference is not limited to expressing support; rather, it adopts a set of firm resolutions dictated by our duty before God and the nation, foremost among which is that the rule of law and the restoration of the state’s authority are a line of
