Monday, September 25, 2006
Committee formed to amend constitution
Politics
On Monday legislators formed a 27-member committee to begin talking about amending Iraq's constitution. Shiite, Sunni Arab and Kurdish political leaders in parliament formed the constitutional committee, which will take about a year to review any changes and get them approved — first by parliament and then by referendum. A separate Shiite-sponsored federalism bill will be read to the legislature Tuesday and then debated for two days before parliament breaks for the Iraqi weekend. The legislation would be read again, with any changes made by legislators, Oct. 1.
A vote would come four days after the second reading, with the bill needing a simple majority for passage. If approved, it would be implemented 18 months later — in 2008 — according to the deal made by the parties.
The deal was a victory for Sunni Arabs, who had been fighting the federalism bill proposed by Shiite cleric Abdel Aziz al-Hakim, the leader of the United Iraqi Alliance. They fear that if not amended, it will splinter the country and deny them a share of Iraq's oil, which is found in the predominantly Kurdish north and the heavily Shiite south.
But they agreed to break a two-week deadlock after all parties accepted a Sunni demand that the parliamentary committee be set up to discuss amending the constitution. Sunni Arabs hope to win an amendment that would make it more difficult to establish autonomous regions. Although federalism is enshrined in the constitution approved by Iraqis in a referendum a year ago, the right to seek amendments to the charter was a key demand made by Sunni Arabs when they agreed to join Shiite Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki's national unity government in the spring.
A vote would come four days after the second reading, with the bill needing a simple majority for passage. If approved, it would be implemented 18 months later — in 2008 — according to the deal made by the parties.
The deal was a victory for Sunni Arabs, who had been fighting the federalism bill proposed by Shiite cleric Abdel Aziz al-Hakim, the leader of the United Iraqi Alliance. They fear that if not amended, it will splinter the country and deny them a share of Iraq's oil, which is found in the predominantly Kurdish north and the heavily Shiite south.
But they agreed to break a two-week deadlock after all parties accepted a Sunni demand that the parliamentary committee be set up to discuss amending the constitution. Sunni Arabs hope to win an amendment that would make it more difficult to establish autonomous regions. Although federalism is enshrined in the constitution approved by Iraqis in a referendum a year ago, the right to seek amendments to the charter was a key demand made by Sunni Arabs when they agreed to join Shiite Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki's national unity government in the spring.
