Transparency in Duhok

Dutch lawyer Frank van Haren returned to Kurdistan for a transparency of government training in Duhok. From March 28 till April 5 he did two workshops, one for 15 journalists and one for 18 lawyers and politicians from KDP. IMCK is organising these workshops to increase the trust between press and politicians.

He advised journalists to create a network with politicians they can contact to check facts, and he advised politicians to do the same with journalists they can contact to get their story out. Politicians should not be afraid of journalists. They should react to criticism; this is the way to inform the people, Van Haren said. ,,By reacting they can explain why a decision was made, or why criticism is not reasonable.'' Politicians should learn how they can also use journalists to get their message to the (potential) voters, also through independent media.

Van Haren also had a meeting with judges, whom he advised to make a database of their verdicts. This should be open to outsiders, like politicians, universities. When after a number of verdicts on a certain subject a policy emerges, it can be published. This enhances the trust in the courts, Van Haren said.