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Zarqawi tells Sunnis not to vote in national referendum
Iraq's most feared terrorist group on Tuesday warned Sunni Arabs against taking part in the October referendum on the constitution, saying their participation would make them infidels - and therefore subject to the same treatment as occupation forces.In a statement posted on the Internet, al-Qaida in Iraq slammed recent calls by some Sunni leaders encouraging the religious minority, who form the core of the current insurgency, to get involved in the political process. The statement's authenticity could not be verified but its comments reflect al-Qaida's position on developments in Iraq. "The saying that elections are the best way to save the Sunnis from the current crisis is wrong and baseless," the group said. "Some people who wear Islamic dresses and falsely ride the wave of resistance have ruled that Sunnis can enter the elections under the pretext of political work and to avoid bloodshed and that the U.S. withdrawal will not be achieved unless Sunnis are involved in the elections." Members of a constitutional drafting committee have been rushing to finish up a draft of the new Iraqi constitution, which has an Aug. 15 deadline for approval by the Iraqi National Assembly. After that, a public referendum on the charter is scheduled to be held two months afterward. General elections could come as soon as the end of the year. U.S. officials have been pushing Iraqis to finish the charter, hoping that the establishment of a broad-based government will ease growing tensions and curb a restive insurgency. In January, many Sunnis stayed away from nationwide elections to install a National Assembly and local government bodies, heeding boycott calls by Sunni leaders. However, their failure to participate left them only a handful of seats in parliament - a political disaster since Sunnis make up 20-30 percent of the estimated 25 million population in Iraq. The group's statement condemns democracy, saying that it goes against Islamic law, and states that "anyone who participates in it is infidel and apostate even if he claims to be a Muslim." The statement ends with an indirect threat against the National Assembly as well as polling stations, and calls on Sunnis to take up arms against coalition forces to force them out of Iraq. "We will have no option to uproot this sedition, but to fight for the sake of God....We swear to God that elections and political games will not frighten them, will not get them out of your land," it said. Posted by: Dan Darling 2005-07-26 |
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