First campaign against Iraq's transitional governing council
Iraq, Politics, 7/19/2003

Imams of the Sunni mosques in Baghdad yesterday launched a campaign against the transitional Iraqi Governing Council calling on Iraqis not to recognize it and to reject its decisions, while a commission for their scholars criticized the "sectarian and ethnic" composition of the council which "gives a certain sect a majority at the expense of the Iraqi people group and without a referendum."

On the other hand, the Imam of al-Kofa mosque Muqtada al-Sader strongly criticized the USA and the "illegal council" which it had formed, announcing the formation of an army of volunteers in the name of the "army of the Mahdi " to defend the al-Hawza al-Ilmeyah ( religious center ) in al- Najaf.

The son of the late Shiite reference Muhammad Sadeq al-Sader who was assassinated in 1999 in al-Najaf strongly criticized the USA and the "illegal council" which was founded by "the US and its servants."

Al-Sader said following Friday's prayers in Kofa that members of the governing council "handed over this Muslim and peaceful country to foreign forces." Al-Sader also called for formulating a constitution in Iraq, representing the Iraqi people. He described member of the council as "Kuffar" ( non believers) who do not represent the people.

He added "we will not cooperate with the council and will form our own council. Then Iraq will have two councils one for the good and another for the bad." Thousands of worshippers, who were invited to take part in the prayers in white dress which symbolizes a funeral, chanted slogans against the American "no for America ... no for Israe ... no for the transitional governing council."

In a press statement al-Sader said he will form a parallel government and the formulation of a new constitution together with other Islamic movements in the country. He said "it is evident, we will have a referendum and elections separate from the Americans." In Baghdad, thousands of Iraqi worshippers demonstrated after the end of Friday's prayers in protest of the formation of the transitional governing rule in which they found as "not reflecting the reality" of Iraq. The demonstrators came from several Sunni mosques in Baghdad and gathered in Um al-Qura mosque ( formerly Um al-Maa'rek ), to the west of Baghdad at the invitation of Iraq's scholars commission raising banners saying "the transitional governing council is appointed at an order by the dictatorship "No discrimination, not for Sunni, nor for Shiite."

Previous Stories:
  Multi- phase process with a referendum in April, 2004, technical- political committee to formulate Iraqi constitution   (7/18/2003)
  Iraqi police detains al-Jazira correspondent in al-Ramadi   (7/18/2003)
  Saddam's wife, daughters are in the UAE   (7/18/2003)

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