To whom it may concern:
From IM Satea Husari
Subject : Conflict between Iraqi chess federation and Private organizer from Kurdistan region in Iraq .
Kurdistan is a region belong to Iraq. Usually in all Kurdish government buildings you see Kurdish flag side by side with Iraqi Flag.
Iraqi chess federation has agreed to organize Kurdistan chess festival together with Cabablanki chess institute and Kurdistan chess federation. This agreement took place about 3, 4 months ago and based on that they both invited many players from another countries .
Mr. Dhfer Mazloom the president of Iraqi chess federation asked Kurdish organizers to remove Kurdistan region flag from the tournament flyer just 2 days before the tournament. On the flyer was Iraqi flag side to side with Kurdistan flag like any government building in Erbil, Mr. Zafer wanted Iraqi flag to stay a lone in the flyer despite the tournament is in Erbil (Capital of Kurdistan) and sponsored by Kurdistan!!
The Kurdish chess organizers tried to discuss this issue with Mr. Zafer but Zafer said his decision is final and he wanted to postponed the tournament just 2 days before its start.
The Kurdish organizer refused to follow Mr. Zafer explaining that they already have reserved Air tickets for 8 International players and hotel rooms for many players beside they want to keep their promise to the international players. Mr. Zafer threatened every Iraqi chess players and told them he is not going to make this tournament FIDE rated. This clear abuse using his position and taking advantage of FIDE rules which may allow him to do whatever he wants.
The festival and the tournament took place on 12-12-2012 as planned with 10 Countries and 46 participants among them 3 GMs and 2 IMs. Most players were hosted in 4 Stars hotel . First round and opening ceremony was held in 5 stars hotel. Other rounds and closing ceremony was held in Saad AL, ALL luxury 5 stars hall . Prizes of 10,000 USD was distributed as promised to the open tournament and the side event of blitz tournament, it was great work and great success. All International players said that this tournament is far better than average of many International tournament that they participated in the world before . Those international players were GMs, IMs mostly from Europe: Belgium, Hungary, Poland, Slovakia, Germany, South Africa, Iran and Ukraine.
For future I think if Kurdish region ask permission from their chess federation to organize International event and pay their fee to them and to fide then the maximum interference from federation should be not to allow any bad thing and adjust the date if needed so more Iraqi player may play.
They cannot force who are the arbiters, invited players, invited press and the logo as well. It is so so so so simple I make a tournament in my region Kurdistan I want my flag on it and I want to name it Kurdistan festival . . . if they (Iraq federation) want to participate as guest they are welcome and surely Kurd will give them many free accommodations . . . . .
First Saturday or any Open in Europe has right to make any logo, invite any player as far as they do not hurt their federations .
When Mr. Dhafer say I do not want this logo despite it has in half Iraqi Flag and other Half Kurdish flag it meant he politicize the event not the other way around .
For future event All What Kurdish want is to organize International event and get sponsored in their region so they call the tournament whatever they like ( AS FAR AS IT DOSE NOT HURT ANY IRAQI PRINCIPLE OR RULES ) New Iraq is democrat Country and what Kurd ask is very normal and natural . Even suppose in not democratic country it will be also normal to have the region flag for small international event ( It is not zone tournament or Asia Ch . . . it is just open they can name it in a person name or club or region belong to Iraq and put Iraqi flag on right and their flag on left ).
In Future!! Kurdish via Capablanca chess center wanted to organize IM, GM Norm and open tournament in the April . They simply facing huge hindrances from Iraqi chess federation via Mr. Dhafer who is the Federation president since more than 10 Years ? since Sadam Hussain time because Mr. Dhafer do not allow them to be alone . He forced to interfere in choosing arbiters , logo , system . . . He lives in another region more than 200 KM a way . He does not understand that in open private tournament the organizer can be free to chose many things . . . .
He conditionally ask that he must be part of the organization , he must chose the logo , of course all his expenses and his partners must be fully paid . . . .Kurd simply wanted to organize it by their own without interference of Dhafer who live more than far away.
Question to fide: Can they make a tournament without interference of Mr. Dhafer or not? . Of course they are ready to consult him first about timing of the tournament and they did before last event and he agreed but very very unfortunately he wanted to cancel it 2 days before the event for the last event on which was held on 12-12-2012.
In the last even Kurdistan chess festival he decided to cancel it 2 days before the event started . Do you see more interference and backward , primitive action more than that? He wanted to cancel it 2 days before not caring about 10 Invited International players who already their air tickets was purchased and Their Hotels was reserved . . . . please think about it . which stupid agree with that ? What option Capablanca center has had?
My private opinion which I hope that fide may consider it.
National federation like Iraq for example can interfere directly in only zone, Arab Champion or Asian Championship . In case of open tournament they should give full credit to the organizer and full freedom no interfere no abuse no silly conditions.
Fide may allow open tournaments organizers to contact them directly ( Why not . We all know that member federation do many mistakes. have in many cases less motive, experiences than some organizers . Sometimes federation has problems with fide , they do not pay the Yearly fees for example and that effected players organizers . . . ) If the federation of Iraq do not show enough evidences about why he wanted to stop a tournament from being rated then Fide can contact the registered organizer directly.
This way Fide get the fee they deserve to rate tournaments, Players get the rating they deserve and everybody is happy.
Member federation most job ( I think more than enough for them ) to take care of their national teams from U 10 till Olympic teams and all zone , Continent tournaments connected to it . They better do that job which belong only to them good enough . Open tournaments organizers can be left alone.
Waiting for your positive answer.
IM Satea Husari Manager of foreign relations in Capablanca chess center in Erbil, Kurdistan Iraq.
Chess Daily News from Susan Polgar
This is a mess.
I Watched the report about the Kurdistan chess events . It is really unfair that Iraqi chess federation did not support this great event.
I Watched the report about the Kurdistan chess events . It is really unfair that Iraqi chess federation did not support this great event.