Rayat ash-Shaghilah
Encyclopedia
Rayat ash-Shaghilah was a communist organization in Iraq
, named after its publication with the same name. Rayat ash-Shaghilah was founded in 1953 by a group that had been expelled from the Iraqi Communist Party
. Its main spokesperson was Jamal al-Haidari
. Rayat ash-Shaghilah was the largest communist splinter-group in Iraq at the time.
's leadership. The new party programme called for nationalization
of oil industry, eradication of British interests and the formation of a unified popular front
under communist leadership. The core of the Rayat ash-Shaghilah consisted of al-Haidari, Aziz Muhammad, Abd us-Salam al-Nasiri and Zaki Khairi, who had criticized the positions of the new party programme whilst in prison and had subsequently been expelled from the party by the party leader Basim. Several other Communist Party members, who were seen as supportive of the dissidents, were also expelled. Amongst them was Abd ur-Razzak as-Safi. In February 1953 the Communist Party main organ, al-Qaidah, denounced the dissidents as 'opportunists and subversives'. Moreover, al-Qaidah made the names of the dissidents public, thus revealing their identities to the police. In response, the dissidents launched the eponymous publication. The Iraqi Communist Party would continue to attack Rayat ash-Shaghilah group throughout 1953–1954 and names of Rayat ash-Shaghilah members continued to be publicized in al-Qaidah. Rejecting the dissidents, al-Qaidah branded the group as 'royalists, deviationists and destructive' and collaborators of the security police.
. The group sought recognition from the World Communist Movement as the legitimate representative of the Iraqi communist movement, thus challenging the international position of the Iraqi Communist Party. Rayat ash-Shaghilah sent its own delegation to the 5th World Festival of Youth and Students
held in Warsaw
, Poland
, in 1955. The Communist Party of the Soviet Union
did however not recognize the group and continued to identify it as a splinter-group.
became the new general secretary of the Iraqi Communist Party. Rapidly, he undertook moves towards unity with various dissident groups. On July 22, 1955, Adil presented a proposal to Rayat ash-Shaghilah for unification into the Communist Party. The proposal consisted of four points. Rayat ash-Shaghilah responded that they were positive in principle. However, they continued to publish political assaults on al-Qaidah.
In March 1956, the Iraqi Communist Party issued a public appeal to all splinter-groups to return to the party. The appeal specifically mentioned Rayat ash-Shaghilah, stating that reasons for their departure from the party had ceased to be relevant after the 20th Congress of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union. In April 1956 another faction, the Unity of Communists of Iraq, merged with the Communist Party. That merger speedied up the merger talks between the Communist Party and Rayat ash-Shaghilah. The unification between the two groups finally took place in June 1956, after a series of negotiations facilitated by the Syrian communist
leader Khalid Bakdash
. The last issue of Rayat ash-Shaghilah was published in mid-June 1956, in which the group expressed self-criticism
over having acting divisively in the communist movement. The Communist Party on its behalf also regretted its actions during the split, claiming that the 1952 expulsions had been 'childish and bureaucratic'.
Iraq
Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
, named after its publication with the same name. Rayat ash-Shaghilah was founded in 1953 by a group that had been expelled from the Iraqi Communist Party
Iraqi Communist Party
Since its foundation in 1934, the Iraqi Communist Party has dominated the left in Iraqi politics. It played a fundamental role in shaping the political history of Iraq between its foundation and the 1970s. The Party was involved in many of the most important national uprisings and demonstrations...
. Its main spokesperson was Jamal al-Haidari
Jamal al-Haidari
Jamal al-Haidari was an Iraqi communist politician. He joined the Iraqi Communist Party in 1946, and became the leader of a rebel communist faction during the 1950s. After rejoining the Communist Party in 1956 he became a prominent leader but was entangled in the internal disputes of the party...
. Rayat ash-Shaghilah was the largest communist splinter-group in Iraq at the time.
Split in the Iraqi Communist Party
In 1952 the Iraqi Communist Party had adopted a new party programme, which was more radical in its call for action than the programme in use during FahdYusuf Salman Yusuf
Fahd , the nom de guerre of Yusuf Salman Yusuf , an ethnic Assyrian and Christian was one of the first Iraqi communist activists and was first secretary of the Iraqi Communist Party from 1941 until his death on the gallows in 1949. He is generally credited with a vital role in the party’s rapid...
's leadership. The new party programme called for nationalization
Nationalization
Nationalisation, also spelled nationalization, is the process of taking an industry or assets into government ownership by a national government or state. Nationalization usually refers to private assets, but may also mean assets owned by lower levels of government, such as municipalities, being...
of oil industry, eradication of British interests and the formation of a unified popular front
Popular front
A popular front is a broad coalition of different political groupings, often made up of leftists and centrists. Being very broad, they can sometimes include centrist and liberal forces as well as socialist and communist groups...
under communist leadership. The core of the Rayat ash-Shaghilah consisted of al-Haidari, Aziz Muhammad, Abd us-Salam al-Nasiri and Zaki Khairi, who had criticized the positions of the new party programme whilst in prison and had subsequently been expelled from the party by the party leader Basim. Several other Communist Party members, who were seen as supportive of the dissidents, were also expelled. Amongst them was Abd ur-Razzak as-Safi. In February 1953 the Communist Party main organ, al-Qaidah, denounced the dissidents as 'opportunists and subversives'. Moreover, al-Qaidah made the names of the dissidents public, thus revealing their identities to the police. In response, the dissidents launched the eponymous publication. The Iraqi Communist Party would continue to attack Rayat ash-Shaghilah group throughout 1953–1954 and names of Rayat ash-Shaghilah members continued to be publicized in al-Qaidah. Rejecting the dissidents, al-Qaidah branded the group as 'royalists, deviationists and destructive' and collaborators of the security police.
International profile
Internationally, the group proclaimed its loyalty to the Soviet UnionSoviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
. The group sought recognition from the World Communist Movement as the legitimate representative of the Iraqi communist movement, thus challenging the international position of the Iraqi Communist Party. Rayat ash-Shaghilah sent its own delegation to the 5th World Festival of Youth and Students
5th World Festival of Youth and Students
The Fifth World Festival of Youth and Students was held in 1955, in Warsaw, the capital of the then People's Republic of Poland.The World Federation of Democratic Youth organized this festival during the rise of the peaceful coexistence concept introduced by Nikita Khrushchev among the socialist...
held in Warsaw
Warsaw
Warsaw is the capital and largest city of Poland. It is located on the Vistula River, roughly from the Baltic Sea and from the Carpathian Mountains. Its population in 2010 was estimated at 1,716,855 residents with a greater metropolitan area of 2,631,902 residents, making Warsaw the 10th most...
, Poland
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
, in 1955. The Communist Party of the Soviet Union
Communist Party of the Soviet Union
The Communist Party of the Soviet Union was the only legal, ruling political party in the Soviet Union and one of the largest communist organizations in the world...
did however not recognize the group and continued to identify it as a splinter-group.
Merger with the Iraqi Communist Party
In mid-1955 Salam AdilHusain al-Radi
Husain Ar-Radi , also known as Hashiim, Ammar, and Salam Adil, was an Iraqi communist politician as well as a poet and painter...
became the new general secretary of the Iraqi Communist Party. Rapidly, he undertook moves towards unity with various dissident groups. On July 22, 1955, Adil presented a proposal to Rayat ash-Shaghilah for unification into the Communist Party. The proposal consisted of four points. Rayat ash-Shaghilah responded that they were positive in principle. However, they continued to publish political assaults on al-Qaidah.
In March 1956, the Iraqi Communist Party issued a public appeal to all splinter-groups to return to the party. The appeal specifically mentioned Rayat ash-Shaghilah, stating that reasons for their departure from the party had ceased to be relevant after the 20th Congress of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union. In April 1956 another faction, the Unity of Communists of Iraq, merged with the Communist Party. That merger speedied up the merger talks between the Communist Party and Rayat ash-Shaghilah. The unification between the two groups finally took place in June 1956, after a series of negotiations facilitated by the Syrian communist
Syrian Communist Party
The Syrian Communist Party was a political party in Syria, founded in 1944. It became a member of the National Progressive Front in 1972...
leader Khalid Bakdash
Khalid Bakdash
Khalid Bakdash was the leader of the Syrian Communist Party from 1936 until his death. In 1954 Bakdash became the first member of a communist party to be elected to an Arab parliament. He has since been called the "dean of Arab communism."-Early life:Bakdash was a Damascus native of Kurdish origin...
. The last issue of Rayat ash-Shaghilah was published in mid-June 1956, in which the group expressed self-criticism
Self-criticism
Self-criticism refers to the pointing out of things critical/important to one's own beliefs, thoughts, actions, behaviour or results; it can form part of private, personal reflection or a group discussion.-Philosophy:...
over having acting divisively in the communist movement. The Communist Party on its behalf also regretted its actions during the split, claiming that the 1952 expulsions had been 'childish and bureaucratic'.