Thursday, November 30, 2006
Sadrists demand better security and amenities
Politics
Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki must improve security and provide more reliable electricity and other basic services before Shiite politicians end a boycott of the government launched to protest the premier's summit with President Bush, a top legislator said Thursday. The boycott by ministers and lawmakers loyal to anti-American cleric Muqtada al-Sadr is not affecting many vital ministries, and one striking official said work continues at his ministry even with him gone.
But the boycott has driven home the fragility of the Iraqi government, and one of its leaders said in a telephone interview that to end it there must be an increase in the number of well-trained Iraqi security forces. Baha al-Aaraji also said the government must provide more electricity, gas and other basic services, especially in southern provinces that are less violent than central and northern Iraq. In Baghdad and other cities, residents often have no electricity or water supplies for much of the day. Al-Aaraji would not answer further questions.
But the boycott has driven home the fragility of the Iraqi government, and one of its leaders said in a telephone interview that to end it there must be an increase in the number of well-trained Iraqi security forces. Baha al-Aaraji also said the government must provide more electricity, gas and other basic services, especially in southern provinces that are less violent than central and northern Iraq. In Baghdad and other cities, residents often have no electricity or water supplies for much of the day. Al-Aaraji would not answer further questions.
The boycott doesn't affect top ministries in al-Maliki's government such as foreign, defense, oil, finance, interior, justice or trade. The boycotting Shiite Cabinet members include the ministers of agriculture, health, transport and public works. Liwa Smeism, one of the boycotting Cabinet ministers, said Thursday that the Shiite boycott wouldn't stop all work at government offices such as his Ministry of State of Tourism and Archaeological Affairs. "We are protesting, not closing the ministries. The undersecretaries and other officials are running them. If my decision is needed at my ministry, my staff can call me up at home," he said in a telephone interview.
Smeism said the participating ministers are "suspending our participation in the Cabinet meetings until we get new directions from our leaders of the boycott." Like, al-Aaraji, Smeism declined to comment on the decision by al-Maliki and King Abdullah II of Jordan to abruptly back out of a meeting with Bush in Amman on Wednesday night. In announcing the boycott Wednesday, the 30 lawmakers and five Cabinet ministers said their action was necessary because the summit in Jordan constituted a "provocation to the feelings of the Iraqi people and a violation of their constitutional rights." The Sadrists had threatened to quit the government and parliament if al-Maliki went ahead with the summit. But by downgrading their protest to a suspension of membership, they left open a return to their jobs.
Smeism said the participating ministers are "suspending our participation in the Cabinet meetings until we get new directions from our leaders of the boycott." Like, al-Aaraji, Smeism declined to comment on the decision by al-Maliki and King Abdullah II of Jordan to abruptly back out of a meeting with Bush in Amman on Wednesday night. In announcing the boycott Wednesday, the 30 lawmakers and five Cabinet ministers said their action was necessary because the summit in Jordan constituted a "provocation to the feelings of the Iraqi people and a violation of their constitutional rights." The Sadrists had threatened to quit the government and parliament if al-Maliki went ahead with the summit. But by downgrading their protest to a suspension of membership, they left open a return to their jobs.
