Maysoon Al-Damluji
Encyclopedia
Maysoon Salem Al-Damluji first name also spelt Maysun, is a liberal Iraqi politician and women's rights campaigner. She was Iraq's Deputy Minister of Culture from June 2004 until March 2006 and is currently a member of the Council of Representatives for the secular Iraqi National List
, or "Iraqiya", headed by former Prime Minister Iyad Allawi
. Al-Damluji is the president of the Iraqi Independent Women's Group (IIWG). Her brother, Omar Al-Farouq Al-Damluji, was Iraq's Minister of Housing in 2004-5.
In 2010 Al-Damluji became the official spokesman for Iraqiya.
Having retained her seat in the 2010 parliamentary elections, she was later put on a list of candidates claimed to have ties to the Baath Party
by the highly politicized Justice and Accountability Commission, claims she and others on the Iraqiya list strenuously deny. Attempts to remove her candidature were overturned by the Iraqi appeals court, but at the time of writing (01/06/2010) the dispute was continuing.
to a distinguished family of doctors and politicians. Her great uncle, Abdullah Beg al-Damluji, was the first Foreign Minister of Saudi Arabia
in the 1920s, before he returned to Baghdad, becoming Iraq's first Foreign Minister as well. Later, her uncle Feisal Al-Damluji served as a member of Parliament and a government minister several times before the coup of 1958. Both of Maysoon's parents were renowned professors of medicine; her father, Dr. Salem Al-Damluji was the head of Baghdad's medical school, which was then considered the best in the Arab world.
Al-Damluji moved to London in 1981, after her parents were forced to leave Iraq because they refused to join the Baath Party
. Joining her brother Saad in exile, Maysoon graduated from the Architectural Association in London in 1985 and started a successful practice in West London.
Always intimately connected with her homeland, Maysoon was an important fixture in London's Iraqi community, founding and promoting organizations in support of Iraqi arts, including the Iraqi Artists Association, the Kufa Gallery, and the Studio of the Actor. After 1990 she became increasingly involved in opposition politics and campaigning against the Baath regime.
Just six months after her return she was offered a post in the shadow Iraqi administration that was formed during CPA
rule as Deputy Minister of Culture. Maysoon held on to this post in the Iraqi government that followed the hand over of sovereignty to Prime Minister Iyad Allawi in 2004, as well as the government of Ibrahim al-Jaafari
, who took power after the elections of January 2005.
During this period Al-Damluji campaigned to save many of the major works of art that had been constructed during the Baath regime, as they represented the work of some of Iraq's best artists and often had little or no explicit connection with the Baath party. This activity made her highly unpopular in some circles, especially with religious Shi'ite groups, some of whom favoured a tabula rasa approach to Iraq's recent cultural heritage. In late 2005 Al-Damluji received the keys to the city of Babylon
, in a ceremony celebrating the handing back of the important archaeological site to the Iraqi government, after it had been used as an American and then a Polish military base.
Despite the grave dangers to Iraq's cultural heritage, Maysoon gave up her government role in 2006 to take a place in the Council of Representatives, Iraq's parliamentary body, judging that more urgent matters were at stake in the legislative process. Since February 2006 she has represented the city of Mosul
, her family's city of origin, taking up a seat occupied by her uncle Feisal Al-Damluji over fifty years previously. In the Council, Al-Damluji has continued her efforts to safeguard personal rights and freedoms in the emergent Iraqi legal system, which is dominated by those urging strict adherence to Shari'a (Islamic law).
This activity has threatened Al-Damluji's life on many occasions, as Iraq's increasing climate of religious extremism has made it a dangerous place for outspoken proponents of secular government and women's rights, especially unveiled women such as Al-Damluji. At least two founding members of the IIWG have been killed in recent years - Dr Akila Al-Hashimi, a member of the Iraqi Governing Council
and Dr Amel Mamalchi an advisor at the Ministry of Municipalities and Public Works.
Iraqi National List
The Iraqi National List is a coalition of Iraqi political parties who ran in the December 2005 Iraqi elections and got 8.0% of the vote and 25 out of 275 seats...
, or "Iraqiya", headed by former Prime Minister Iyad Allawi
Iyad Allawi
Ayad Allawi is an Iraqi politician, and was the interim Prime Minister of Iraq prior to Iraq's 2005 legislative elections. A prominent Iraqi political activist who lived in exile for almost 30 years, the politically secular Shia Muslim became a member of the Iraq Interim Governing Council, which...
. Al-Damluji is the president of the Iraqi Independent Women's Group (IIWG). Her brother, Omar Al-Farouq Al-Damluji, was Iraq's Minister of Housing in 2004-5.
In 2010 Al-Damluji became the official spokesman for Iraqiya.
Having retained her seat in the 2010 parliamentary elections, she was later put on a list of candidates claimed to have ties to the Baath Party
Baath Party
The Arab Socialist Ba'ath Party was a political party mixing Arab nationalist and Arab socialist interests, opposed to Western imperialism, and calling for the renaissance or resurrection and unification of the Arab world into a single state. Ba'ath is also spelled Ba'th or Baath and means...
by the highly politicized Justice and Accountability Commission, claims she and others on the Iraqiya list strenuously deny. Attempts to remove her candidature were overturned by the Iraqi appeals court, but at the time of writing (01/06/2010) the dispute was continuing.
Background and Exile
Al-Damluji was born in 1962 in BaghdadBaghdad
Baghdad is the capital of Iraq, as well as the coterminous Baghdad Governorate. The population of Baghdad in 2011 is approximately 7,216,040...
to a distinguished family of doctors and politicians. Her great uncle, Abdullah Beg al-Damluji, was the first Foreign Minister of Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia , commonly known in British English as Saudi Arabia and in Arabic as as-Sa‘ūdiyyah , is the largest state in Western Asia by land area, constituting the bulk of the Arabian Peninsula, and the second-largest in the Arab World...
in the 1920s, before he returned to Baghdad, becoming Iraq's first Foreign Minister as well. Later, her uncle Feisal Al-Damluji served as a member of Parliament and a government minister several times before the coup of 1958. Both of Maysoon's parents were renowned professors of medicine; her father, Dr. Salem Al-Damluji was the head of Baghdad's medical school, which was then considered the best in the Arab world.
Al-Damluji moved to London in 1981, after her parents were forced to leave Iraq because they refused to join the Baath Party
Baath Party
The Arab Socialist Ba'ath Party was a political party mixing Arab nationalist and Arab socialist interests, opposed to Western imperialism, and calling for the renaissance or resurrection and unification of the Arab world into a single state. Ba'ath is also spelled Ba'th or Baath and means...
. Joining her brother Saad in exile, Maysoon graduated from the Architectural Association in London in 1985 and started a successful practice in West London.
Always intimately connected with her homeland, Maysoon was an important fixture in London's Iraqi community, founding and promoting organizations in support of Iraqi arts, including the Iraqi Artists Association, the Kufa Gallery, and the Studio of the Actor. After 1990 she became increasingly involved in opposition politics and campaigning against the Baath regime.
Return to Iraq
Just weeks after the war to topple Saddam Hussein ended, Al-Damluji returned to Iraq, initially intending to stay for only a short time. However, she soon became involved in promoting women's rights, founding the Iraqi Independent Women's Group, of which she is president, and editing its magazine, "Noon".Just six months after her return she was offered a post in the shadow Iraqi administration that was formed during CPA
Coalition Provisional Authority
The Coalition Provisional Authority was established as a transitional government following the invasion of Iraq by the United States and its allies, members of the Multi-National Force – Iraq which was formed to oust the government of Saddam Hussein in 2003...
rule as Deputy Minister of Culture. Maysoon held on to this post in the Iraqi government that followed the hand over of sovereignty to Prime Minister Iyad Allawi in 2004, as well as the government of Ibrahim al-Jaafari
Ibrahim al-Jaafari
Ibrahim abd al-Karim Hamzah al-Eshaiker al-Jafari is an Iraqi politician who was Prime Minister of Iraq in the Iraqi Transitional Government from 2005 to 2006, following the January 2005 election. He was previously one of the two Vice-Presidents of Iraq under the Iraqi Interim Government from 2004...
, who took power after the elections of January 2005.
During this period Al-Damluji campaigned to save many of the major works of art that had been constructed during the Baath regime, as they represented the work of some of Iraq's best artists and often had little or no explicit connection with the Baath party. This activity made her highly unpopular in some circles, especially with religious Shi'ite groups, some of whom favoured a tabula rasa approach to Iraq's recent cultural heritage. In late 2005 Al-Damluji received the keys to the city of Babylon
Babylon
Babylon was an Akkadian city-state of ancient Mesopotamia, the remains of which are found in present-day Al Hillah, Babil Province, Iraq, about 85 kilometers south of Baghdad...
, in a ceremony celebrating the handing back of the important archaeological site to the Iraqi government, after it had been used as an American and then a Polish military base.
Despite the grave dangers to Iraq's cultural heritage, Maysoon gave up her government role in 2006 to take a place in the Council of Representatives, Iraq's parliamentary body, judging that more urgent matters were at stake in the legislative process. Since February 2006 she has represented the city of Mosul
Mosul
Mosul , is a city in northern Iraq and the capital of the Ninawa Governorate, some northwest of Baghdad. The original city stands on the west bank of the Tigris River, opposite the ancient Assyrian city of Nineveh on the east bank, but the metropolitan area has now grown to encompass substantial...
, her family's city of origin, taking up a seat occupied by her uncle Feisal Al-Damluji over fifty years previously. In the Council, Al-Damluji has continued her efforts to safeguard personal rights and freedoms in the emergent Iraqi legal system, which is dominated by those urging strict adherence to Shari'a (Islamic law).
This activity has threatened Al-Damluji's life on many occasions, as Iraq's increasing climate of religious extremism has made it a dangerous place for outspoken proponents of secular government and women's rights, especially unveiled women such as Al-Damluji. At least two founding members of the IIWG have been killed in recent years - Dr Akila Al-Hashimi, a member of the Iraqi Governing Council
Iraqi Governing Council
The Iraqi Governing Council was the provisional government of Iraq from July 13, 2003 to June 1, 2004. It was established by and served under the United States-led Coalition Provisional Authority...
and Dr Amel Mamalchi an advisor at the Ministry of Municipalities and Public Works.
External links
- Rosemary Bechler, "The Promise of Iraq - Maysoon Al-Damluji", Open Democracy (2005)
- Iraqi Independent Women's Group