Worker-Communist Party of Iraq

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Iraq
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The Worker-Communist Party of Iraq (Arabic: Hizb al-Shuyu'i al-'Ummali al-'Iraqi) is a Marxist political party in Iraq and amongst Iraqi exiles. Rebwar Ahmed is the current leader of this party. It was Established in July 1993 through a merger of communist groups.

They opposed both Saddam Hussein and the American-led new administration. Under the Ba'athist regime, the group was persecuted, and so operated primarily in the Kurdistan region, and overseas in the United Kingdom and Australia (where they were among the founders of the Socialist Alliance).

They are involved in the Federation of Workers Councils and Unions in Iraq, the Organization of Women's Freedom in Iraq and the Union of the Unemployed in Iraq. They was produce a newsletter called Iraq Weekly.

It is a sister party of the Worker-Communist Party of Iran - Hekmatist. The English version of the political party's platform (written in 1994) called for many social reforms, including the liberalization of laws concerning abortion, homosexuality and cohabitation. The Iraqi branch of the party has since removed its platform from its website, although the Iranian branch still has the platform online.

In March 2005, members of the WCPI, along with members of other groups and other individuals, formed the Iraqi Freedom Congress with the purpose of forming a secular and democratic Iraq.

[edit] Published works

Batatu, Hanna. The Old Social Classes and New Revolutionary Movements of Iraq, London, al-Saqi Books. 1978, republished, 2004. ISBN 0-86356-520-4
Salucci, Ilario. A People's History of Iraq: The Iraqi Communist Party, Workers' Movements and the Left 1923-2004. Haymarket Books (2005) ISBN 1-931859-14-0