Tuesday, July 31, 2007
Al-Jaafari leads internal revolt against Maliki
Politics
(AP) - Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki faces a revolt within his party by factions that want him out as Iraqi leader, according to officials in his office and the political party he leads. Ibrahim al-Jaafari, al-Maliki's predecessor, leads the challenge and already has approached leaders of the country's two main Kurdish parties, parliament's two Sunni Arab blocs and lawmakers loyal to powerful Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr.
Al-Jaafari's campaign, the officials said, was based on his concerns that al-Maliki's policies had led Iraq into turmoil because the prime minister was doing too little to promote national reconciliation. The former prime minister also has approached Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani, Iraq's top Shiite cleric, proposing a "national salvation" government to replace the al-Maliki coalition. The Iranian-born al-Sistani refused to endorse the proposal, the officials said.
"Al-Jaafari is proposing a national and nonsectarian political plan to save the nation," said Faleh al-Fayadh, a Dawa party lawmaker familiar with the former prime minister's contacts. Other officials, however, said al-Jaafari had only an outside chance of replacing or ousting al-Maliki. But they said the challenge could undermine al-Maliki and further entangle efforts at meeting important legislative benchmarks sought by Washington. They spoke of the sensitive political wrangling only on condition of anonymity.
The officials would not give details of the rift between al-Maliki and al-Jaafari, saying only that it began two months ago when a Dawa party congress voted to replace al-Jaafari with al-Maliki as its leader. Al-Jaafari and other senior Dawa members are questioning the legality of that vote and the former prime minister has since boycotted all official party functions, said al-Fayadh.
The usually secretive Dawa, which is made up of two factions, has 25 of parliament's 275 seats but draws its strength from being a key faction of a large Shiite alliance. Ali al-Dabbagh, the government's spokesman, declined to comment on the rift between al-Maliki and al-Jaafari, arguing that it was a matter for the Dawa to deal with. "There should be no objections for a figure like al-Jaafari to try and put together a new political bloc provided that this will be of service to the political process," he said.
Al-Jaafari's own record in office was not any better than al-Maliki's has been so far, but al-Jaafari was widely perceived as an open-minded Islamist who is at total ease dealing with his American backers. To the Sunni Arabs he is courting now, the officials said, al-Jaafari was proposing a change in Iraq's sectarian, power-sharing formula. He wants the president's job, now held by Jalal Talabani, a Kurd, to be given to a Sunni Arab to achieve a better balance between Iraq's ethnic and religious factions and to improve ties with Arab nations.
To win the support of the Kurds, al-Jaafari is pledging the implementation of a clause in the constitution that provides for a referendum before the end of 2007 on the fate of Kirkuk, an oil-rich city in northern Iraq that the Kurds want to annex. To compensate them for the loss of the presidency, al-Jaafari is proposing that they fill the post of parliament speaker, now occupied by a Sunni Arab.
Al-Jaafari's bid to topple al-Maliki runs counter to ongoing negotiations to form what is being billed an "alliance of the moderates" that would include the country's four largest Shiite and Kurdish parties and independent Shiites. It excludes hardline Shiites and Sunni Arabs. It also comes at a time when al-Maliki is facing a threat by the largest Sunni Arab bloc to pull its ministers from his coalition unless he meets a long list of demands, which include overtures to minority Sunni Arabs, political inclusion and commitment to human rights.
Al-Jaafari's campaign, the officials said, was based on his concerns that al-Maliki's policies had led Iraq into turmoil because the prime minister was doing too little to promote national reconciliation. The former prime minister also has approached Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani, Iraq's top Shiite cleric, proposing a "national salvation" government to replace the al-Maliki coalition. The Iranian-born al-Sistani refused to endorse the proposal, the officials said.
"Al-Jaafari is proposing a national and nonsectarian political plan to save the nation," said Faleh al-Fayadh, a Dawa party lawmaker familiar with the former prime minister's contacts. Other officials, however, said al-Jaafari had only an outside chance of replacing or ousting al-Maliki. But they said the challenge could undermine al-Maliki and further entangle efforts at meeting important legislative benchmarks sought by Washington. They spoke of the sensitive political wrangling only on condition of anonymity.
The officials would not give details of the rift between al-Maliki and al-Jaafari, saying only that it began two months ago when a Dawa party congress voted to replace al-Jaafari with al-Maliki as its leader. Al-Jaafari and other senior Dawa members are questioning the legality of that vote and the former prime minister has since boycotted all official party functions, said al-Fayadh.
The usually secretive Dawa, which is made up of two factions, has 25 of parliament's 275 seats but draws its strength from being a key faction of a large Shiite alliance. Ali al-Dabbagh, the government's spokesman, declined to comment on the rift between al-Maliki and al-Jaafari, arguing that it was a matter for the Dawa to deal with. "There should be no objections for a figure like al-Jaafari to try and put together a new political bloc provided that this will be of service to the political process," he said.
Al-Jaafari's own record in office was not any better than al-Maliki's has been so far, but al-Jaafari was widely perceived as an open-minded Islamist who is at total ease dealing with his American backers. To the Sunni Arabs he is courting now, the officials said, al-Jaafari was proposing a change in Iraq's sectarian, power-sharing formula. He wants the president's job, now held by Jalal Talabani, a Kurd, to be given to a Sunni Arab to achieve a better balance between Iraq's ethnic and religious factions and to improve ties with Arab nations.
To win the support of the Kurds, al-Jaafari is pledging the implementation of a clause in the constitution that provides for a referendum before the end of 2007 on the fate of Kirkuk, an oil-rich city in northern Iraq that the Kurds want to annex. To compensate them for the loss of the presidency, al-Jaafari is proposing that they fill the post of parliament speaker, now occupied by a Sunni Arab.
Al-Jaafari's bid to topple al-Maliki runs counter to ongoing negotiations to form what is being billed an "alliance of the moderates" that would include the country's four largest Shiite and Kurdish parties and independent Shiites. It excludes hardline Shiites and Sunni Arabs. It also comes at a time when al-Maliki is facing a threat by the largest Sunni Arab bloc to pull its ministers from his coalition unless he meets a long list of demands, which include overtures to minority Sunni Arabs, political inclusion and commitment to human rights.
Labels: al Sadr, Article 140, Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani, Dawa party, Ibrahim al-Jaafari, Kirkuk, Kurdish Coalition, Nouri Al-Maliki
Monday, July 16, 2007
Kurdish Parliament Member: The Kurdish Coalition Insists On The Implementation Of Article 140 Within The Stated Time Limit
Politics
(Al Mashriq Newspaper) - 16 JUL - Kurdish Coalition Parliament member, Khalid Schwan, said that the Kurdish Coalition insists on the implementation of Article 140 regarding the normalization of Kirkuk within the stated time limit and without further delay.
Schwan stated in Irbil, “The Kirkuk issue has been delayed two times. The first delay occurred during Ayad Allawi’s government and the second during Ibrahim Al Jaafari’s government. This issue was addressed in Article 158 of the Transitional Administrative State Law. At this time, we will not accept any further delay even if the government demands that. Kirkuk’s referendum will be conducted with the stated time limit. In accordance with Article 140 of the constitution, a referendum should be conducted to determine the destiny of Kirkuk by the end of this year, as to whether it ill be joined to Kurdistan or not.”
Article 140 states that Kirkuk’s normalization should have three stages starting with normalization and ending with the referendum. This article also states that Arabs who came to Kirkuk should be returned to their original areas and those who were previously displaced should be returned to Kirkuk. The Article 140 Committee has issued a decision to compensate Arabs, who came from other areas, with 20 million ID, a parcel of land, and the transferal of their to their old area.
The German News Agency has mentioned, based on the statement of the Sadr Movement’s Parliament spokesman [Bahaa Al Araji], that the Sadr Movement is committed to federalism and Article 140 of the constitution. The spokesman confirmed, “The Kurdistan region is a special case that has been clearly mentioned in the constitution.
Article 140 states that Kirkuk’s normalization should have three stages starting with normalization and ending with the referendum. This article also states that Arabs who came to Kirkuk should be returned to their original areas and those who were previously displaced should be returned to Kirkuk. The Article 140 Committee has issued a decision to compensate Arabs, who came from other areas, with 20 million ID, a parcel of land, and the transferal of their to their old area.
The German News Agency has mentioned, based on the statement of the Sadr Movement’s Parliament spokesman [Bahaa Al Araji], that the Sadr Movement is committed to federalism and Article 140 of the constitution. The spokesman confirmed, “The Kurdistan region is a special case that has been clearly mentioned in the constitution.
After his meeting with the PUK political office in Sulaymaniya, Al Araji said, “The Sadr Movement supports the full implementation of Article 140 because it is in a constitutional article.” Regarding Kirkuk joining the Kurdistan region, Al Araji said, “This issue will be decided by Kirkuk’s citizens through a referendum. The Sadr Movement opposes the gathering of Turkish troops on the border because Kurdistan is a part of Iraq. We do not accept any interference in Kurdistan’s internal affairs by any country.”
Labels: Article 140, Bahaa Al Araji, Khalid Schwan, Kirkuk, Kirkuk referendum, Kurdish Coalition, Sadrist bloc
Sunday, May 27, 2007
Al-Hashimi met with Allawi about forming a new party
Politics
(Al Mashriq Newspaper AR.) - 28 MAY - Accord Front spokesman, Salim Al Jabouri, confirmed that there will soon be a new national front. He also confirmed that a few days ago VP Tariq Al Hashimi met with former PM, Ayad Allawi, the chief of the Iraqi List. They discussed creating a new front. Al Jabouri said to an Emirate newspaper that there are continuing communications with influential groups and parties, such as Fadhila Party, National Dialogue Front, and the Kurdish Coalition.
He added that there have been meetings with these groups and parties as well. He denied that these meetings area targeted at having a coup against the current government, rather, he described it as a democratic political activity targeted to create a new national front to represent the majority of Iraqis and be away from sectarianism. This new front will have patriotic programs and will serve all Iraqis. Finally, Al Hashimi stated in Amman yesterday that he has three choices: to dialog with the current government; withdraw from the current government; or create a new front.
Labels: Fadhela party, Iraqi Accord Front, Iraqi List, Iyad Allawi, Kurdish Coalition, National Dialogue Front, Salim Al Jabouri, Tariq al-Hashimi
