IN THE NAME OF ALLAH, THE BENEFICENT, THE MERCIFUL

IRAQI HUMAN RIGHTIS NETWORKS IN THE USA

SECTION ONE

Definitions

Introduction

The united Iraqi Networks in the countries of immigration is an Iraqi organization that devotes its attention to all matters concerning Iraqis in the US including cultural, social, educational, and sports related issues and activities. Iraqi Networks oversees the interests of Iraqis regardless of their race and ethnicity. It is an independent organization, not affiliated with any political, religious, partisan, racial or non racial authority. All its decisions are internal and stem from the will and choices of its members and from the US regulations.

The Iraqi Networks (hereafter Network) serves the common interests of Iraqi in their country of immigration without interfering in their lives. Because the Network is not for profit, its members’ activities are done on a voluntary basis and with no remuneration.

The first efforts to create the Network began in November 2006 in the State of Michigan, USA following the initial approval and registration by official authorities. The State of Michigan was chosen as the Network’s main headquarters, but other branches may be established in other States or outside of the US. The IN may also establish information centers and may produce newsletters or periodicals to promote its activities. The IN will be known as “the Network.”

The goals of the Network

The Network aims to achieve the following goals:
1. Activate the interconnections between Iraqi people in their countries of immigration and in Iraq and between them and other Iraqi organizations in the US and abroad, and establish branches for the Network in Iraqi cities.
2. Facilitate the integration and participation of Iraqi immigrants in American society. At the same time, the Network will work to prevent Iraqi immigrants from disintegration in their countries of immigration.
3. Resisting the disappearance of the sense of belonging to the native country, especially among Iraqis in the US. This can be attained by organizing language, cultural, social, and sports activities to revive their sense of belonging to their country of origin.
4. Encourage small Iraqi immigrant communities outside of Michigan to contact the Network and benefit from its services.
5. Sponsor and protect the intellectual production of Iraqi individuals in isolated small Iraqi communities and provide assistance to Iraqi authors and intellectuals and connect them to the Network.
6. Enhance the cultural and mediatic cooperation between Iraqi immigrants and those living in Iraq.
7. Provide appropriate conditions for Iraqi intellectuals to perform their educational and cultural roles for the benefit of Iraqi immigrants.
8. Assist all new Iraqi immigrants to the US to be psychologically established in their country of immigration.
9. The specialized committees of the Network shall advise and help to the new Iraqi immigrants. For example, Iraqi university professors may orient the new Iraqi students to the best universities and appropriate specializations and help them establish contacts with American universities.
10. The Network’s volunteers will establish communication channels with local government authorities, such as Immigration, Traffic, and Social Services, to solve the problems of Iraqi immigrants.
11. Honoring Iraqi immigrants for their outstanding accomplishments through special ceremonies.

SECTION TWO

Organizational Structure of the Network

The organizational structure of the Network consists of three institutional bodies:

First: The Founding Members Body.
Consists of original founding members and the non-founding members who
joined the Network, as will be described below.
Second: The Administrative Body.
Consists of the President of the Administrative Body and Committee Chairs
and elected members by the General Membership Body
Administrative Body Committees:
1. Finance Committee
2. Cultural and Information Committee
3. Sports and Art Committee
4. Public Relations and External Relations Committee
Third: General Assembly body
In addition to the founding members, the General Assembly Body includes
other members who joined the Network, honorary members, and representatives
of other cultural organizations.

ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE OF THE NETWORK

Vice President
President
Secretary General
(Head of the Founding Members Body)

The Founding Members Body
President
Vice President
Secretary


Administrative Body
President Finance Committee
Cultural and Information Committee
Sports and Arts committee
Public and External Relations Committee
Laws and Human Rights Committee


The General Assembly Body

President of the Network
Vice President of the Network
Secretary of the Network
General Assembly of the network


SECTION THREE

The Network’s Procedures and Methods of Work

The Founding Members Body

1. This body is the primary authority of the Network and is constituted by the founding members and the signatories of the Network founding document.
2. Because the founding members were the pioneer creators of the Network, they have absolute immunity and responsibility in managing the affairs of the network. Therefore, non-founding members –individuals or groups- have no authority to demand the dismissal of any founding member or the dissolution of the Network But if the rules were broken more than once, by a member, the president has the right to assign consequences or freeze the member. Non founding members, however, may withdraw their membership -individually or in groups- from the Network.
3. When a position or positions of the founding members become vacant as a result of death, resignation or other reason, the President of Founding Members Body selects three members from the General Membership Body to be elected to fill the vacant post. The newly elected member will become the joining member with authority of the founding members except the right of Veto.
4. The Founding Members Body supervises the work the administrative committees and evaluates their accomplishments. The Founding Members Body may demand the dissolution of any committee because of incompetence or failure to achieve its goal. In this case, the President of the Network will ask the General Assembly to elect new members to replace the dismissed members. If there is disagreement among the Founding Members about the competence of a particular committee, the matter will be relegated to the General Assembly for a vote. If the majority supports the dissolution of a particular committee, the General Assembly will then elect new members to replace the dismissed ones. This procedure ensures overcoming differences between the Founding Members and embodies democratic practices in the Network.


Members of the Founding Members Body
The Founding Members Body consists of the following members:
1. President of the Founding Members Body (who is also the President of the Network).
2. Vice President of the Founding Members Body (who is also The Network’s Vice President).
3. Secretary of the Founding Members Body (who is also the Secretary of the Network).

Jurisdictions and Duties of the Founding Members Body

1. This Body elects annually its vice president and secretary among its members and approves the selection of administrative committees elected by the General Assembly.
2. Oversees the work of the committees and their competence, and supports or dissolves the committees and demands the election of new members.
3. Election or dismissal of the committees is done through voting within the Founding Members Body meeting.
4. The Founding Members Body has the authority to select someone as its representative in other organizations in the US or abroad.
5. The Founding Members Body has the authority to freeze the membership of a founding member for a maximum of one year if this member violates the regulations of the Network. In this case, it is necessary that a consensus be attained by all other founding members. And if the members’ violation persists, then the Founding Members Body has the authority to dismiss the member from the Network.
6. Because the Founding Members are equal members Vis-à-vis the law, the dismissed member who contests the decision of the Founding members may take the matter to court for a final decision by the judiciary.


DUTIES OF THE PRESIDENT AND VICE PRESIDENT OF THE FOUNDING MEMBERS BODY

1. Presides over the meetings of the Founding Members Body and presides over the joint meetings between The Founding Members Body and Administrative Body and presides over the meetings of the General Assembly.
2. He calls on extraordinary meetings of the Administrative Body and General Assembly, joint or not, if necessary.
3. The President signs bank checks of the Network in addition to the signature of the Finance Committee for expenses of less than $500.00. Checks over the sum of $500.00 must be approved by the Founding Members Body.
4. In his absence, the President may relegate with a written document authority to his deputy (Vice President). The president must inform the Founding Members and the heads of committees of his absence and the relegation of authority to his deputy. The Vice president will then assume his responsibilities accordingly.
5. The vice present will take responsibility in the president's absence, or when the president assigns him a duty.

DUTIES OF THE SECRETARY OF THE FOUNDING MEMBERS BODY

In addition to being a founding member, this member is also the secretary of the Network.
1. He executes the call to regular and extraordinary meetings, and informs in written documents the members of the time and place of meetings and of any changes regarding the meetings.
2. Takes the minutes of all meetings and provides absent members with the minutes if requested.
3. If the activities of the Network expand, the Secretary may appoint an aid to help him run the Network upon approval of the Founding members.

MEETINGS OF THE FOUNDING MEMBERS BODY
This body holds two types of meetings:
1. Regular meetings: monthly or by weekly.
2. Extraordinary meetings to discuss urgent matters.

PROCEDURES OF THE FOUNDING MEMBERS BODY MEETINGS
This body meets following a call from its president or one of its members to discuss urgent and important matters to find appropriate solutions. The members of this body may hold meeting anytime.

THE QUORUM OF THE FOUNDING MEMEBRS BODY MEETINGS
1. The quorum of this body is attained by the presence of the President of the Network and one of other founding members. If the quorum is not attained, the other two are not present in the extraordinary meeting, then the president of the body may make the necessary decisions which will be passed later to the other two members when they are available for approval or no confidence.
2. If the other two members object the decision of the president, then the latter may call the Administrative Committee for a meeting. The views of the Administrative Committees are not binding to either party. If the disagreement persists, the President may relegate the matter to the General Assembly for a final decision. In this case, a 51% vote will be binding and no Founding member may veto this decision.
3. The decisions of the Founding Members Body are taken by consensus in regards to organizational matters or amendment of the Network bylaws and in matters concerning the Network membership before passing them on to the General Assembly for approval. If there disagreement about the decisions taken, then the President of the Network will call for a joint meeting between the Founding Members and the Administrative Body, composed of heads of committees, to discuss the matters in question. The decisions about administrative matters are approved by a majority vote.
4. If the joining members of the Founding Members Body become a majority, then only the remaining original founding member will have the veto power over any decision.




Administrative Body

The General Assembly elects the Administrative Body President and its members. The General Assembly may increase or decrease the members of the committees following a proposal from the President of the Administrative Body. The proposal is then passed by the President of Network to the General Assembly for discussion and vote.

DUTIES OF THE ADMINISTRATIVE BODY PRESIDENT
After the selection of the president and members of the Administrative Body by the General Assembly, the president of the Administrative body will take charge and coordinate the work of administrative committees.
He is responsible over administrative matters of the Network and over coordination between the Founding Members Body and the general Assembly. The Administrative Body is constituted by the follow committees:
1. Finance Committee
2. Cultural and Information Committee
3. Sports and Art Committee
4. Public Relations and External Relations Committee
5. Laws and Human Rights Committee
The number of members in each committee must be an odd number so that the head of the committee will have the deciding vote if necessary. The General Assembly decides on the number of members in each committee. Each committee is presided by one of its members following a vote of committee members.
If a member losses membership in a committee for any reason, then next member who attained a higher number of votes will replace him until the following elections of new members.

DUTIES OF ADMNISTRATIVE COMMITTEES

Finance Committee

The Head of Finance Committee is responsible over all financial matters of the Network and presents his reports to the Administrative Body. He also presents the annual financial report to the General Assembly. The head of the Finance Committee is responsible over:
1. Overseeing the budget of the Network.
2. Holds and signs bank checks along with the signature of the President of the Network.
3. Accept donations that support the activities of the Network after presenting them to the General Assembly. Donations not accepted must be returned to the donors.

Cultural and Information Committee

Activities of the Committee:
Its function is organizational and technical. It translates the decisions of the Founding Members Body into informational material such as newsletters, brochures, booklets, etc….

Informational activities:
1. Text writing and designing of ads and posters and other printed material.
2. Preparation of periodical newsletters and news briefs of the Network and its adverting.
3. Provide the Public Relations and External Relations Committee with informational data and documents for its activities.
4. Follow the news and activities of similar organizations and present them to the Administrative Body.
5. No interference or duplicate work with the responsibilities of Public Relations
and External Relations Committee.

Cultural activities:
The activities of the Cultural and Information Committee are must be approved by the Administrative Body. The Head of the Committee is responsible over executing the decisions of the Administrative Body. Its activities are as follows:
1. Preparation of different conferences and seminars.
2. Assisting members to publish their intellectual products.
3. Organize poetry sessions and conferences in cooperation with Sports and Arts Committee and the Public and External Relations Committee.

Sports and Arts Committee
The activities of this committee are related to the increase in the membership of the Network and the number of talented individuals within Iraqi communities. The sports activities are organized by the Head of the Committee with the supervision of the Administrative Body. Its activities include:
1. Forming sports teams among the children of the Network members and finding sports outlets in coordination with other sports teams and leagues.
2. Organize sports games and tournaments.
3. Create and train chess team and encourage other mental activities.
4. Organize art exhibits of the artistic products of members or their children.

Public and External Relations Committee

This Committee is the heart and soul of the Network. Every member of the Network is a member of this committee. This Committee represents the image of the Network to the outside world.
This Committee is responsible for executing the informational policies after approval by the President of the Network. Its activities are open but bound to the general policies of the Network. Its activities include:

1. Welcoming Iraqi official and non official guests who visit the US. Welcoming Iraqi poets and artists who visit the US when they are in Michigan.
2. Proposing other activities that will contribute to the well functioning of the Network.
3. Welcoming the guests of the Network and prepare their meeting with the Network’s officials.
4. Organizing conferences and meetings and advertising for these events.
5. Execute the decisions of the Administrative Body about external relations matters.
6. Contacting all types of media.
7. The President of the Network is the Official spokesperson for the Network. The Head of Public and External relations Committee may act as spokesperson on behalf of the President of the Network with his approval.

Meetings of the Administrative Body

President and Members of the Administrative Body:
1. Following the election of its President and member of its committees and their approval by the President of the Network, the President is responsible for coordinating the work between of different committees.
2. Every committee holds a meeting to elect a head among its members.
3. Every committee holds a meeting once a month to prepare its monthly report to the President of the Administrative Body. Two copies of the report must be produced: one copy to the President of the Administrative Body, and the other copy with original documents and receipts must be kept by the Head of the Committee and presented if requested by the general Assembly.
4. The President of the Administrative Body must prepare a summary of the reports of different Committees to the President of the Network and keeps a copy for himself.
5. The President of the Administrative Body may request an emergency meeting to discuss matters that demand urgent decisions.

The Quorum of the Administrative Body meetings

1. The quorum for the meetings of the Administrative Body is the presence of 60% of committee heads or their representatives. The meeting must take place with the presence of the President of the Administrative Body or his representative.
2. The decisions of the Administrative Body are binding with 75% of the votes. If a decision has less than 75% of the votes, then the President of the Administrative Body will request a joint meeting with the Founding Members Body to overcome the differences among the Heads of Committees. And if this fails, then the matter will be presented to the General Assembly for discussion and vote. The decision of the General Assembly will be binding with 51% vote.

The General Assembly

1. The general assembly is the “Parliament” of the Network because it makes the final decisions. The Assembly amends or changes the regulations of the Network. The Founding Members, however, may object to any decision taken by the assembly if it contradicts the principles of the Network.
2. According to the Hierarchical system of the Network, the Founding Members Body is at the top of the Hierarchy. Therefore, no member from the General Assembly had the right to demand the dismissal of a founding member. The non-founding members of the Founding Members Body may be dismissed by the General Assembly following a proposition by a third of the Assembly’s members and a 51% vote on it.
3. The vacant post of a committee member, for any reason, is filled through the appointment of new member by the General Assembly.

The General Assembly Meetings

1. The Assembly holds a meeting every six months to discuss the semi-annual report of the President of the Network about the activities of the all bodies of the organization.
2. The President of the Network calls the semi-annual meeting.
3. The Secretary of the Network makes all the preparations for the meeting.

The Quorum of the General Assembly Meeting

1. The quorum of the assembly meeting is the presence of 60% of its members. If the quorum is not attained, then the President of the Network calls another meeting in which the quorum is attained by the presence of 51% of the members.
2. The decisions of the general Assembly are binding with a 60% vote. If 60% was not attained, then another vote will be taken and the decision will be binding with 51% of the votes.
3. One third of the General Assembly members have the right to request from the President of the Network an explanation of a particular matter. The President of the Network will then either send a response or appoint the President of the Administrative Assembly to respond to the inquiry.
4. The General Assembly may propose amendments to certain regulations if they are not contradictory to the principles set by the founding members.
5. Every member of the Assembly may request the clarification of particular parts of the semi-annual report and may request seeing particular documents within the report. The request must be done in writing and will be replied to within a period of no more than 40 days from the date of request. If the request was not followed by a proper response within the set deadline, then the member may gather the signatures of one third of the Assembly’s members to question the work of a particular committee. The committee in question will be dissolved upon a non confidence vote of 51% of the Assembly.

SECTION FOUR

Membership within the Network

Joining the Network

Every Iraqi familiar with the bylaws of the Network has the right to be a member of the Network. Conditions for joining the Network:
1. Membership within the Network must not be for attaining personal goals. The Network welcomes members of other than the new immigrants, Iraqi Americans, and those living in Iraq. Members of the Network outside of the State of Michigan (in Iraq, other US States, or other countries) are exempt from participating in the Network’s meetings.
2. A membership application must be sent to the Network. The Founding Members Body will respond to the request within thirty days of receiving the membership application.
3. The accepted member must certify to:
- Participate actively in the Network’s activities.
- Attend the Network’s meetings except the member resides outside of Michigan.
- The member must be a legal resident of his country of immigration.
- Abiding by the bylaws of the Network band respecting other members.
- The Founding Members Body may grant honorary memberships to individuals deemed of interest to the Network.

End of Membership within the Network

Membership within the Network may end because of one of the following reasons:
1. Death or resignation of the member, or the return of the member to Iraq with a request of ending membership.
2. A decision by the Founding Members to suspend the membership of a particular member following persistent violations of the Network’s bylaws.
3. Causing problems for the Network with outside parties or creating conflict among the members of the Network.
4. The dismissed member may request to rejoin the Network if the causes of his dismissal no longer exist. The Founding Members Body must unanimously approve re-admittance of the member in question.


SECTION FIVE

Dissolution of the Network

The network is legally dissolved following one of the following conditions:
1. The Founding Members may unanimously decide to dissolve the Network and its assets. Non founding members may resign but have no right to dissolve the Network.
2. Regular members of the Network may negotiate with the Founding members to keep the Network and replace the Founding members. All the Founding Members must withdraw their rights voluntarily. In this case, the members have to pursue the legal procedures to do so.
3. If a Founding Member refuses to give up his rights within the Network, then regular members have to register their organization under another name with new founding members.
4. The Network will be dissolved if the State government decides to do so. In this case, the Founding Members may resort to a legal action against the decision of the government. If the case is won, then the Founding Members will hold a meeting to reorganize the affairs of the Network.

The bylaws of this organization were adopted by a meeting of the founding members of Iraqi Networks in the US.

Date: January 8, 2007