- Title: IRAQ: Banned Sunni politician appeals for national reconciliation
- Date: 13th February 2010
- Summary: BAGHDAD, IRAQ (FEBRUARY 12, 2010) (REUTERS FOR AGENCY POOL) TRAFFIC SCENE IN KARRADA DISTRICT IN BAGHDAD VARIOUS OF ELECTION POSTER BEING HANGED ON ELECTRICITY POLE TRAFFIC SCENE IN KAHRAMANA SQUARE IN KARRADA DISTRICT IN CENTRAL BAGHDAD ELECTION POSTER OF IRAQI PM BEING PUT IN KAHRAMANA SQUARE IN BAGHDAD ELECTION POSTER ELECTION BANNER U.S. VEHICLES DRIVING THROUGH STREET IN KARRADA DISTRICT IN BAGHDAD
- Embargoed: 28th February 2010 12:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Iraq
- Country: Iraq
- Topics: Domestic Politics
- Reuters ID: LVA7P3VWQ6IES82WBSKT97KYFDRA
- Story Text: A prominent Sunni Arab politician banned from taking part in Iraq's upcoming parliamentary elections called for national reconciliation on Friday (February 12).
Lawmaker Salih Al-Mutlaq is one of 500 candidates who were banned from taking part in election of March 7 by the Justice and Accountability Commission for alleged links to Saddam Hussein's outlawed Baath party.
"If this decision passes we have to know that the national reconciliation would not be achieved by the politicians who lead the political process. It is impossible with the law that I used to call it Enmity and Accountability but not Justice and Accountability law. We can not imagine national reconciliation in the country," Mutlaq told Reuters during an interview held at headquarters of National Dialogue Front in Baghdad.
The commission, controlled by Shi'ite Muslim politicians, is tasked with rooting out Saddam loyalists, but Iraq's minority Sunnis feel the ban is a move to sideline them before the polls.
Mutlaq said that decision was in contradiction to the democratic process in Iraq.
"We will not be surprised if there is a political decision despite the fact that the decision could be unjust, but we will be frustrated and surprised if the appeal court issued a decision against us. I would like to tell the appeal court and Iraqi people that the National Dialogue Front is innocent of Iraqi blood and money," he said.
Many of the banned election candidates were replaced by their parties and some have had their ban lifted, leaving 177 cases lodged in the appeals process. But only 37 of those appeals were lodged correctly.
The appeals should have been lodged with Iraq's election watchdog, which would have forwarded them to an appeals panel.
Mutlaq voiced concerns about election fraud and threatened boycott the polls if the international observation can not guarantee election integrity.
"If I feel that the international observation (on the election) can guarantee electoral integrity I will encourage my supporters to go to the polls, but if I feel that the election goes to the fraud I will not encourage my supporters to go to the polls."
Iraq has only just emerged from years of sectarian conflict since Saddam's fall in 2003, and Sunni participation in the vote is seen as crucial if Iraq's shaky stability is to hold. A number of Shi'ite candidates were also disqualified.
Former Prime Minister Iyad Allawi, who heads an election list of which Mutlaq is general secretary, on Monday, warned that the candidate ban could re-ignite sectarian violence.
Meanwhile, election campaigning started with party workers putting up election advertisements across Baghdad, and like last year's provincial election, fierce competition is likely to turn cities once more into forests of banners and posters.
Iraqi and U.S. officials hope the March 7 parliamentary election will solidify the country's young democracy and draw former insurgents and militias into the political process just as U.S. troops prepare to withdraw. - Copyright Holder: POOL (CAN SELL)
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