Thursday, November 23, 2006
Iraq reconciliation conference to be held next week
Politics, Security
Iraq is to hold a twice-postponed national reconciliation conference next week in the latest move to stem the sectarian violence engulfing the country, it emerged today. The prime minister, Nuri al-Maliki, who has come under intense pressure from the US to step up efforts to halt civil strife, will be attending the conference, as will intermediaries from Ba'athist insurgent groups, the Times reported.
The conference is expected to bring together leading politicians from the majority Shia Muslim community as well as from the Sunni, Kurd and even Christian minorities in an attempt to halt the country's slide into anarchy. The powerful Shia leader Moqtada al-Sadr, who supports the prime minister, is backing the conference and Mr Maliki's call for an end to the violence.
But the two main Shia groups, Mr Sadr's Mahdi army and the Badr organisation of Ali Hakim, head of the Supreme Council for the Islamic Revolution in Iraq, are locked in a power struggle for leadership of the Shias.
Reports say the goal is to prepare the ground for a follow-up conference outside Iraq with insurgent leaders themselves. As part of the national reconciliation programme, Mr Maliki is said to be considering a general amnesty for all Iraqis willing to lay down their arms and renounce violence.
The conference is expected to bring together leading politicians from the majority Shia Muslim community as well as from the Sunni, Kurd and even Christian minorities in an attempt to halt the country's slide into anarchy. The powerful Shia leader Moqtada al-Sadr, who supports the prime minister, is backing the conference and Mr Maliki's call for an end to the violence.
But the two main Shia groups, Mr Sadr's Mahdi army and the Badr organisation of Ali Hakim, head of the Supreme Council for the Islamic Revolution in Iraq, are locked in a power struggle for leadership of the Shias.
Reports say the goal is to prepare the ground for a follow-up conference outside Iraq with insurgent leaders themselves. As part of the national reconciliation programme, Mr Maliki is said to be considering a general amnesty for all Iraqis willing to lay down their arms and renounce violence.
COMMENT: It will be interesting to see if the conference goes ahead this time. It may do as levels of violence soar by the day, the U.S. puts pressure on Maliki's government and appears to be siding with the Sunnis, a threat to the current Shia power house, divided as it may be. However, it seems unlikely that the Shia politicians will ever agree to talks with Sunni insurgents or fully reintegrating Baathists. Also, if the meeting does go ahead, it is questionable whether the three sides will be able to agree on anything, particularly with the growing sectarian divide in parliament and endless recriminations. COMMENT ENDS.
