Members of the provisional leadership of the Kurdistan Democratic Party who split from the Ninth Congress formed a new party in late 1980, which they named the (Kurdistan Democratic People's Party). On November 28, 1980, the Iraqi National Democratic Front (JWD) was formed, which included Kurdistan Democratic Party and six other Kurdish and Iraqi parties. Then the Iran-Iraq War began, which lasted for eight years on September 22, 1980, and which occupied the Kurdish forces throughout the war period.
During this period, the civil war ravaged most of the Kurdish forces and parties, especially Kurdistan Democratic Party and the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan until it ended at the Tehran Conference in October 1986. Also, the early death of Idris Barzani on December 31, 1987, the formation of the Kurdistan Front on May 2, 1988, which included seven Kurdish parties. Then came the cessation of the Iran-Iraq War after eight years on August 20, 1988, the brutal attacks of the Ba'ath regime on Kurdistan in 1988, the chemical attacks, the Anfal of Kurdistan, and many other important events during that period.
According to the party's internal regulations, the 10th Congress was scheduled to be held in 1983 or 1984, but it was postponed due to unsuitable circumstances and undesirable developments. Finally, it was decided in the Central Committee meeting in June 1989 to hold the congress. It was also decided in the same meeting to form a preparatory committee for the congress, provided that none of them were members of the Central Committee. A committee was formed under the chairmanship of Nechirvan Idris Barzani. In July of the same year, elections began to nominate members of the congress from among the military and party organizations, and in October 1989, preparations for the congress were completed.
Holding the CongressThe congress was held from December 2 to 12, 1989, in the village of Hishmawa in eastern Kurdistan, with the participation of 332 delegates elected from the liberated areas outside the control of the Iraqi government and delegates appointed from the occupied areas. It began its work under the slogan (Continuing the struggle for democracy for Iraq and autonomy for Kurdistan).
The political report of the congress was read by Ali Abdullah, Secretary of the Central Committee, then the telegrams of 130 friendly parties and political organizations to the Kurdistan Democratic Party were read. The congress decided for the second time in the party's history to update the position of Vice President.
In the First Congress (the first merger), the President had two deputies, but contrary to that, the position of Secretary, which was alongside the deputy in the First Congress, was removed. On this basis, and based on the proposal of the President Masoud Barzani Ali Abdullah was appointed as Secretary to the President, and the delegates at the congress agreed to this.
In this congress, a number of decisions were made, Article (5) of the program was completely amended, and changes were made to the powers of the President of the Kurdistan Democratic Party The powers of the Party Secretary were abolished, and it was decided instead of the Secretary to appoint the Vice President by the President. Masoud Mustafa Barzani was re-elected unanimously as President of the Kurdistan Democratic Party.
The structure of the Kurdistan Democratic Party based on the internal regulations of the 10th Congress, included cells, main cells, organization committees, local committees, branch committees, the Central Committee, the Political Bureau, and the President. The Central Inspection Committee was also elected by the Political Bureau, and it consisted of one member from the Political Bureau and two members from the Central Committee, and its members were changed periodically.
The leadership elected by the 10th Congress:Dr. Roj Nuri Shawis
Hoshyar Mahmoud Mohammed Faris
Falekaddin Kakayi
Masoud Salayi
Christopher Yalda Tarkhan
Azad Qardaghi
Dr. Kamal Kirkuki
Qadir Qadir Ali
Dr. Ali Baba Shawis
Darwish Abdulrahman Agha
Omar Osman Mirgasori
The alternate members of the Central Committee were also elected as follows:
Dr. Naseh Ghafoor
Younis Rojbayani
Younis Rojbayani
In the first meeting of the Central Committee, the new members of the Political Bureau were elected, namely:
Nechirvan Barzani, Fazel Mirani, Dr. Roj Nuri Shawis, Dr. Jirjis Hassan, Jawhar Namiq, Hoshyar Zebari and Leader Ali.
Since the situation had completely deteriorated in Kurdistan after the Anfal operations, an attempt was made after the congress to make changes in the branches and return the Peshmerga detachments to Kurdistan.
Sources:1- Mohammed Malla Qadir, Khabatnama, A Brief History of the Party and the Immortal Barzani, Third Edition, (Erbil - Aras Press - 2012).
2- History of the Kurdistan Democratic Party, Congress and Conference (Program and Internal Regulations), Kurdistan Democratic Party Encyclopedia Board, Volume Two, (Erbil - Roxana Press - 2021).
3- Habib Mohammed Karim, History of the Kurdistan Democratic Party - Iraq (In Key Stations) 1946 - 1993, (Duhok - Khabat Press - 1998 AD).
4- Holding the 10th Congress of the Kurdistan Democratic Party, Zagros Newspaper, Issue One, February 1990 AD.
5- Karim Habib Haji, My Memoirs in the Glorious September and Golan Revolutions, Second Edition, (Duhok - Khani Press - 2016 AD).
6- Kurdistan Democratic Party, Internal Regulations of the 10th Congress, (No Place - Khabat Press - No Year).
7- Archive of the Encyclopedia Board of the Kurdistan Democratic Party.
8- List of names of candidates of the Kurdistan Democratic Party for the National Council in Kurdistan, Peshkawtin Newspaper, Organ of the Kurdistan Democratic Students and Youth Union - Iraq, Issue 26, May 1992 AD.
9- The Struggling Comrade Sayyid Salih Passes Away, Khabat Newspaper, Organ of the Kurdistan Democratic Party, Issue 618, March 1992 AD.