Founding of the party

According to the sources consulted by the Research Directorate, there is some confusion as to the where the Hizb al-Watan al-Iraqi (Iraqui Homeland Party, IHP) party was founded (RFE/RL n.d.; Europa 2004 2004). Some sources indicated that it was established in Syria (RFE/RL n.d.; Boston Globe 8 June 2003), while others reported that the party was founded in Jordan (Europa 2004 2004; Iraq Watch 1 Oct. 2002).

Leader of the party

The founder and current party leader is Mishaan al-Jubouri (Europa 2004 2004; RFE/RL n.d.; The Daily Star 14 Feb. 2003). He is also one of the leaders of the al-Jabur, "the country's largest and most powerful tribe," representing approximately two per cent of the Iraqi population (Boston Globe 8 June 2003). This former ally of Saddam Hussein chose to live in exile in Damascus in 1989 (ibid.; Iraq Watch 1 Oct. 2002). However, according to Iraq Watch, since 2001, al-Jubouri has not wanted to overthrow Hussein's regime, but rather to encourage a peaceful change in government (1 Oct. 2002). The sources consulted all indicated that the party was established in 1995 (Europa 2004 2004; RFE/RL n.d.; The Daily Star 14 Feb. 2003).

IHP policy

According to the Swiss Website Terror Watch, whose aim is to [translation] "offer a non-partisan view on modern terrorism," the IHP has been an active movement in Iraq since the fall of Saddam Hussein's regime (n.d.).

Sources indicated that IHP is a liberal Sunni party aligned with the Supreme Council for the Islamic Revolution in Iraq (SCIRI) (Europa 2004 2004; Iraq Watch 1 Oct. 2002). In 2003, IHP headquarters were moved from Damascus, Syria, to Mosul, Iraq, where it has remained to this day (Europa 2004 2004). The IHP publishes a journal entitled Al-Ittijah al-Akhar (ibid.).

According to Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL), despite his participation in the London opposition conference in 2002 and in the opposition's Follow-Up and Coordination Committee, al-Jubouri "did not have strong relations with the Iraqi opposition, except for the Supreme Council for the Islamic Revolution in Iraq (SCIRI)" (n.d.; see also Iraq Watch 1 Oct. 2002).

An article in the Boston Globe reported that al-Jubouri, who "appeals to Iraqi nationalism before tribe, religion or ethnicity," formed alliances with Kurdish leaders (including the Kurdish Democratic Party), Syrian businessmen, and American forces (8 June 2003). Iraq Watch, however, indicated that al-Jubouri distanced himself from groups that cooperated with the United States, and became closer to the SCIRI (1 Oct. 2002).

In January 2003, al-Jubouri met with Seif Ellahi of the Iraqi Islamic Revolution to discuss his support for democracy, human rights and conciliation toward various Iraqi opposition movements (Arabic News 5 Jan. 2002).

When Iraqi forces reached Mosul in April 2003, al-Jubouri declared himself in charge of the city (Akron Beacon Journal 5 May 2003). In June 2003, al-Jubouri announced that he would soon move his party's headquarters to Baghdad (Boston Globe 8 June 2003). He also met with several American delegates and officials, even though he himself was not a delegate or political candidate and had no intention of occupying an elected position (Akron Beacon Journal 5 May 2003). The Akron Beacon Journal indicated that "[m]any blame him for the provoking the deadly riots that accompanied the Iraqi collapse in the city" (ibid.).

In an interview with the London daily Al-Hayat, al-Jubouri said that "he favored national elections but preferred they be held after a census or be based on UN ration cards" (RFE/RL n.d.). However, al-Jubouri stated that he was not prepared to accept a situation in which "a political group or sect is allowed to impose a fait accompli to achieve a majority" in the country (ibid.).

In November 2003, al-Jubouri blamed the Coalition Provisional Authority (CPA) head L. Paul Bremer for "the unstable security situation in Iraq because Bremer dissolved the security services" (RFE/RL n.d.).

In February 2004, al-Jubouri said he feared that civil war would erupt unless political leaders made an effort to achieve national reconciliation (Al-Hayat 4 Feb. 2004). Al-Jubouri reiterated the importance of reconciliation during an interview he gave in April 2004, which was published in Baghdad al-Shira and summarized by BBC Monitoring on 19 April 2004.

Despite his opposition to the Baath party, al-Jubouri disagreed with the decision to uproot the party and its security department (Al-Hayat 4 Feb. 2004; LBC 25 Apr. 2004). According to the Lebanese Broadcasting Corporation (LBC), al-Jubouri said that the Americans "knew this, and supported us both publicly and secretly during the opposition conferences held abroad" (ibid.). In an interview, al-Jubouri said that "the Sunnis will not take part in the forthcoming political process" if Ba'thists and army, security and intelligence officers who were affiliated with the former regime but were not involved in crimes were not allowed to participate (Al-Hayat 4 Feb. 2004).

Treatment of IHP members by the Saddam Hussein regime

No specific information on the treatment of IHP members by the Saddam Hussein regime, Baath party members or former officials of the regime since its fall could be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate within the time constraints for this Response. However, a Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL) article referred to a Radio Monte Carlo report that indicated that in November 1995, Saddam Hussein's brother-in-law, Husayn Kamil, had apparently been involved in plans to establish the IHP (n.d.). Kamil left Jordan, where he had found refuge, and returned to Iraq; he was executed by Saddam Hussein's regime (RFE/RL n.d.).

This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the Research Directorate within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim for refugee protection. Please find below the list of additional sources consulted in researching this Information Request.

References

Akron Beacon Journal. 5 May 2003. Michael Currie Schaffer. "In Mosul, Iraqis Select an Interim Mayor." http://www.ohio.com/mld/ohio/news/5792272.htm [Accessed 1 Oct. 2004]

Al-Hayat [London, in Arabic]. 4 February 2004. "Iraqi Homeland Party Leader Warns of Civil War; Wants National Reconciliation." (BBC International Reports/Dialog)

Arabic News. 5 January 2002. "Iranian Official Confers with Iraqi Opposition." http://www.arabicnews.com/ansub/Daily/Day/020105/2002010508.html [Accessed 1 Oct. 2004]

BBC Monitoring. 19 April 2004. "BBC Monitoring Iraq Briefing." (Dialog)

The Boston Globe. 8 June 2003. Stephen J. Glain. "A Tribal Rivalry May Give Clues to Iraq's Future." (Dialog)

The Daily Star [Beirut, in English]. 14 February 2003. "Iraqi Embassy in Beirut Dismisses Reports on Defection of U-Day Side." (BBC International Reports/Dialog)

Europa World Year Book 2004. 2004. 45th ed. Vol. 1. London: Europa Publications.

Iraq Watch. 1 October 2002. Glen Rangwala. "Iraq's Major Political Groupings." http://www.iraqwatch.org/perspectives/rangwala-100102.htm [Accessed 1 Oct. 2004]

Lebanese Broadcasting Corporation (LBC) [Beirut, in Arabic]. 25 April 2004. "Lebanese TV Airs Iraq's Mixed Reactions to Re-Employing Former Ba'athists." (BBC International Reports/Dialog)

Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL). n.d. Kathleen Ridolfo. "Iraqi Homeland Party." http://www.rferl.org/specials/IraqCrisis/specials-politicalgroups2.asp [Accessed 1 Oct. 2004]

Terror Watch. n.d. "Irak-Mouvements terroristes." http://www.terrorwatch.ch/fr/irq_grp.php [Accessed 1 Oct. 2004]

Additional Sources Consulted

Publications: Extremist Groups 2002, Political Handbook of the World 2000-2002,

Political Parties of the World 2002

Internet sites, including: Baghdad Bulletin, BBC Middle East,

The Economist, Iraq Daily, Iraq Today