Sunni differences over the Iraqi constitution
Iraq, Politics, 10/14/2005

Different stances emerged in the lines of the Arab Sunnis concerning the Iraqi constitution which will be put into a general referendum on Saturday. This will be after the Iraqi parties on Wednesday reached an agreement on new changes introduced to the Iraqi constitution.

Iraqi Sunni leaders in the country, urged the Sunnis to support the new Iraqi constitution in the next referendum and for active participation in the political life.

Chief of al-Daleim tribe Sheikh al-Daleim sad that all members of the of the Iraqi people have to forget their differences and that the Sunni have not to repeat the mistakes of the past by boycotting the referendum and the elections because this is not in their interest.

Al-Daleim stressed that the Sunnis have to confirm their political position at the beginning of voting on the constitution on Saturday and then actively participate in the next elections in order to choose the new parliament.

The Muslim Scholars Commission in Iraq called on all national forces to reject against the new draft constitution by all legitimate means. It described the constitution which will be voted for as a great conspiracy.

The commission's relations official Abdul Salaam al-Kubeisi deplored the support given by the Islamic Party to the constitution. He said that the commission regrets that "the party violated the agreement it had with other opposers of the occupation in rejecting the constitution."

It also called on the Islamic Party to give up its position. It said that the agreement according to which the parliament approved the constitution represents only its writers, stressing the need not to be deceived by the changes recently introduced to the new constitution.

The Scholars Commission official denied the occurrence of splits among the Arab Sunnis, noting that 19 among the national parties and forces are still against the new constitution.

On the other hand, the secretary general of the Islamic party Tareq al-Hashemi said in a press conference that the members agreed on the need that the Iraqis will say "yes" for the constitution on Saturday's referendum, adding that the party aims at negotiating on introducing other changes during the term of office of the new parliament.

Previous Stories:
  Voting for the constitution starts   (10/14/2005)
  US says Iraqi constitutional compromise is very positive   (10/13/2005)
  Agreement over the Iraqi constitution   (10/13/2005)
  Abul-Gheit: Iraqi issue complicated   (10/12/2005)

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