Hamoudi: Corruption Legacy of Post-2003 Occupation, Fostered State Looting and Prominent Contractors
The head of the Supreme Islamic Council, Hamam Hamoudi, affirmed on Sunday the necessity of continuing the anti-corruption campaign with a comprehensive vision and project. Hamoudi, speaking at a dialogue forum, expressed his blessing for the "Fajr Assault" against corruption, deeming it essential for purifying and cleansing Iraq's political project, despite the pain, effort, loss, and exceptional measures involved. He stressed the importance of the anti-corruption campaign continuing within a comprehensive vision and project, free from any politicization or exploitation, addressing the root causes of the problem, and stemming from the question: "What kind of Iraq do we want?" Hamoudi questioned: "The people have the right to ask: Where was governmental integrity, financial oversight, and parliamentary follow-up regarding the northern oil crimes that have come to light today? There is clear negligence." He clarified that the current parliamentary system, built on the constitution and established by Sayyid Sistani and the struggling people, would not be shaken by the removal of corrupt individuals, regardless of their position. He indicated that the Supreme Marja'iya was the first to call for fighting corruption since the beginning of the new system, out of its concern for the political project and its awareness that corruption leads to societal collapse and the end of the state. Hamoudi explained that corruption is part of the legacy of the post-2003 occupation, which encouraged the looting of state institutions and created contractors and prominent figures from those who worked with it. To achieve success, he emphasized the need to transform the issue of integrity and fighting corruption into a societal culture, derived from Imam Ali's letter to Malik al-Ashtar, to be instilled in schools, universities, and government departments, requiring cooperation between the people, government, and parliament. Hamoudi concluded by stating: "We want respected integrity, bravely confronting any inflation of funds, monitoring election spending, and preventing violations and the rise of opportunists."
