Iraqis besiege Garner and aides by demonstrations, doubts
Iraq-USA, Politics, 4/29/2003

The USA has accelerated steps towards forming an interim administration that is expected to stem from "a national congress" decided to be held after 4 weeks, at a time it still faces rejection of cooperation from main Iraqi factions and strong opposition by thousands of citizens who demonstrate on daily basis in protest of the American occupation of their country.

Some representatives of the political groups in Iraq, including the "Higher Council For the Islamic Revolution in Iraq" and the Kurdistani National Federation in conclusion of a meeting held yesterday in Baghdad under an American auspices and was not attended by al-Dawa ( call) party, announced a plenary meeting to be held with the American ruler of Iraq Gen. Jay Garner after one month in order to choose an interim government under his chairmanship.

It was clear that the Iraqi National Congress led by Ahmed Chalabi was not present at Baghdad's conference, as he decided instead to convene an independent meeting for his partisans without an American participation, while the UN had refused an invitation extended to it to attend the meeting because any "political role by the UN on the future of Iraq should be decided at the UN Security Council."

The final statement issued by Baghdad's meeting did not define a mechanism to choose the interim government or the date for its formation. However, Muwafaq al-Rubai, who presided over the meeting announced that the representatives decided to convene a national conference to set the foundation for the formation of an Interim government. While the independent representative Sader Shaker said "we are in need of a representation commission or a council to agree on an Iraqi government because it is very early to organize elections."

While discussions were run inside the tent which was installed by the occupation forces, thousands of Iraqis, mostly Shiite, were demonstrating just few meters apart in protest of the conference, calling for "a new conference" to decided the fate of Iraq and a role for the religious sides to run the affairs of the country especially the Shiite religious complex "al-Hawza."

The demonstrators who were very organized led by scores of scholars who represent "al-Hawza in al-Najaf" ( 160 Km to the south of Baghdad) chanted "we want a new national congress" and "one people and al-Hawza is the leader" and a "national government representing all the Iraqis."

In a step that raised doubts on the extent of the Shiite representation at Baghdad's meeting, and questioned the unity of the Shiite community, a spokesman for Muqtada al-Sader, son of the Shiite clergy Muhammad Sadeq al-Sader who was assassinated in 1999, that the al-Sader trend belongs to Kazem al-Haeri al Husseini who lives in the Iranian city of Qum and that he will not take part in any of the conferences organized by the American administration on Iraq, stressing that there is no legal cover for the "higher council for the Islamic revolution in Iraq" and for al-Da'wa party.

However, Iraqis representing all Iraqi groups in exile agreed on Sunday in conclusion of meetings held in Madrid and that lasted for three days on the need to form a coalition government to include all political forces. They also agreed to "establish a multilateral democratic federal system to be guaranteed by the constitution on basic freedoms and human rights as well as the rights of various nationalities, sects and ethnic groups as well as the rights of the woman." They called for "working to ensure security and stability as soon as possible and to start rebuilding Iraq."

Previous Stories:
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  Chalabi: Saddam Hussein is still alive and is moving in Iraq   (4/28/2003)
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