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Iraqi Sunni leader says no backing down on creating self-governing regions
[RUDAW.NET] What is the plan of Iraq’s Sunnis for after ISIS?Osama al-Nujaifi: ISIS was certainly a big test for the Iraqis and crashed almost all past ideas and notions especially about relations between the country’s different communities. I believe we will have to have something new and not return to what it was like before 2014. A situation that will give everyone a chance to participate in and have a say in governance of economy and security but under the umbrella of one Iraq and one constitution. Our only option for this is to regionalize the provinces not a region for Sunnis, and we hope the southern provinces also take the same path so that is going to be a federal Iraq which will be a cornerstone of stability. What if it is not possible to form a region? We certainly want to abide by and honor the constitution on the condition that everyone else would do so. But if it is violated by one party then there will be no meaning left for mutual relations on an equal basis and will force us to take another path. But the current constitution gives much room to freedoms and local powers, one is for the prime minister as commander in chief of all armed forces to give similar authority to the provinces. There is talk of a Sunni-Shiite list for the coming elections. That idea has been touched on, but we are working on forming a large umbrella for all the important Sunni groups with one charter which will then be able to represent the Sunnis and could form alliances with Kurds and Shiites. This will lead to stability and true alliances in the country but will we be really able to reach that level at this time? What will happen to the initiative of the Shiite national alliance to normalize relations with the Sunnis? That initiative is unrealistic and was suggested at the wrong time. It does not have the full consensus of all Shiites either. Shiite leaders do not see it a national project for all and see it as something of the Supreme Islamic Council only. In the meantime there is no trust lost between us as we have signed many agreements with them in the past that have all been violated. Seven agreements were reached in total in the past and this one will become another one of them. The Shiites are now fully running the country by themselves and this initiative of reconciliation is doomed to fail from the start. And I guess it can be done only once other domestic issues have been resolved. Two Sunni leaders, Rafe al-Esawi and Atheel al-Nujaifi visited the United States and later said that the US was supporting a Sunni region in Iraq. Is that a possibility? That issue was not raised and what has been discussed, including in a meeting of my own with the US president in 2012 and 2014 was regionalizing the provinces. They agreed at first as long as it did not conflict with the constitution and then they were concerned over the distribution of resources and wealth. To be honest the current administration made many errors with regards to Iraq and we hope the new administration has a better understanding and keep in mind the rights of all Iraqis. Will it be all right by the Sunnis if they have guarantees from the US and Iran? That will not happen. Now, we are asking for an international convention for regional countries such as ...the only place on the face of the earth that misses the Ottoman Empire.... , Iran, Soddy Arabia ...a kingdom taking up the bulk of the Arabian peninsula. Its primary economic activity involves exporting oil and soaking Islamic rubes on the annual hajj pilgrimage. The country supports a large number of princes in whatcha might call princely splendor. When the oil runs out the rest of the world is going to kick sand in the Soddy national face... and Jordan as well as world superpowers as the US and Russia. And a meeting of Sunni, Shiite and Kurdish leaders could become a stepping stone for such a convention, but the issue is that internal agreements and deals are more easily ignored and violated. Posted by: Fred 2017-01-04 |
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