.Iraqi lawmaker urges resolution of minority issue
BAGHDAD (AP) - A senior Iraqi lawmaker on Monday called for an urgent resolution to Christian demands for a minority quota system in upcoming provincial elections, while the electoral commission ruled out any possibility of holding the vote this year.
Dozens of Christians protested over the issue at a rally near a church in Baghdad, saying the exclusion of the quota would marginalize their community, which comprises an estimated 3 percent of Iraq's 26 million people.
"We do not want to immigrate to the U.S. or Britain - we want to stay in Iraq and have our representatives in both the provincial councils and the legislature," said the Rev. Louis al-Shabi, a preacher at a Chaldean church in Baghdad.
"We want to be treated equally as Iraqis living with the Muslims and other nationals in a united brotherly spirit," he added.
The issue has threatened to overshadow preparations for the upcoming vote for provincial councils throughout Iraq.
Faraj al-Haidari, the head of Iraq's independent electoral commission, said it would not be possible to hold the vote this year as had been hoped but said the panel would do its best to meet a Jan. 31 legal deadline.
Al-Haidari said there's not enough time to finish preparations for the election before year's end and a dispute over minority demands for a quota system was also complicating matters.
"It is definitely impossible to hold the elections this year," al-Haidari told The Associated Press in a telephone interview on Monday from Beirut, Lebanon.
He said the date for the vote will be announced within two weeks.
In preparation, the independent elections commission will start registering candidates and political blocs on Oct. 15, he said. Officials also need to update voter lists, design the ballot papers and other technicalities, he added.
Iraq's parliament last month finally approved a law paving the way for elections to be held by Jan. 31 for provincial councils after months of deadlock but minorities were upset that it excluded quotas for them.
Deputy parliamentary speaker Khalid al-Attiyah, a Shiite, said options included passing an amendment based on that article or using outdated prewar census data to come up with a different formula.
"No political bloc in parliament has the intention of denying small ethnic minorities their constitutional rights," al-Attiyah said at a press conference. "There is an urgent need to solve this matter."
The vote, which U.S. officials hope will promote national unity and stem support for violence, initially was due to be held in October.
In a separate development, a plane carrying Iraq's Sunni parliamentary speaker was not allowed to land Monday in Iran, forcing him to return to Baghdad, an official said.
Mahmoud al-Mashhadani was on an Iraqi Airways commercial flight to Tehran, but the plane was turned away after airport officials were informed dignitaries were on board, the official said.
The official from al-Mashhadani's office, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he wasn't authorized to release the information, said Iranian authorities gave no reason for denying permission for the plane to land.
Later, however, Iran's official IRNA news agency quoted a senior Iranian lawmaker, Mohsen Koohkan, as saying the problem was the type of plane and not with al-Mashhadani.
Koohkan did not specify the aircraft type or say what the problem with it was.
According to the report, Koohkan said Iran's parliamentary speaker Ali Larijani talked to al-Mashhadani by phone about the incident. "There is no problem for al-Mashhadani to come to Tehran," Koohkan was quoted as saying.
Iraqi media earlier had reported that al-Mashhadani was leading a parliamentary delegation on an official visit to mainly Shiite Iran.
Iran's hard-line Shiite theocracy maintains close ties to Iraqi Shiites, who make up about 60 percent of the country's population and dominate the government.
Iraq's Sunni minority is highly suspicious of such ties, while the U.S. military has accused Iran of trying to undermine the American effort to stabilize the country.
Al-Mashhadani has traveled to Iran before, but his last visit was in 2007, according to his office.
MyWay
I'm against quotas for anyone.
Dozens of Christians protested over the issue at a rally near a church in Baghdad, saying the exclusion of the quota would marginalize their community, which comprises an estimated 3 percent of Iraq's 26 million people.
"We do not want to immigrate to the U.S. or Britain - we want to stay in Iraq and have our representatives in both the provincial councils and the legislature," said the Rev. Louis al-Shabi, a preacher at a Chaldean church in Baghdad.
"We want to be treated equally as Iraqis living with the Muslims and other nationals in a united brotherly spirit," he added.
The issue has threatened to overshadow preparations for the upcoming vote for provincial councils throughout Iraq.
Faraj al-Haidari, the head of Iraq's independent electoral commission, said it would not be possible to hold the vote this year as had been hoped but said the panel would do its best to meet a Jan. 31 legal deadline.
Al-Haidari said there's not enough time to finish preparations for the election before year's end and a dispute over minority demands for a quota system was also complicating matters.
"It is definitely impossible to hold the elections this year," al-Haidari told The Associated Press in a telephone interview on Monday from Beirut, Lebanon.
He said the date for the vote will be announced within two weeks.
In preparation, the independent elections commission will start registering candidates and political blocs on Oct. 15, he said. Officials also need to update voter lists, design the ballot papers and other technicalities, he added.
Iraq's parliament last month finally approved a law paving the way for elections to be held by Jan. 31 for provincial councils after months of deadlock but minorities were upset that it excluded quotas for them.
Deputy parliamentary speaker Khalid al-Attiyah, a Shiite, said options included passing an amendment based on that article or using outdated prewar census data to come up with a different formula.
"No political bloc in parliament has the intention of denying small ethnic minorities their constitutional rights," al-Attiyah said at a press conference. "There is an urgent need to solve this matter."
The vote, which U.S. officials hope will promote national unity and stem support for violence, initially was due to be held in October.
In a separate development, a plane carrying Iraq's Sunni parliamentary speaker was not allowed to land Monday in Iran, forcing him to return to Baghdad, an official said.
Mahmoud al-Mashhadani was on an Iraqi Airways commercial flight to Tehran, but the plane was turned away after airport officials were informed dignitaries were on board, the official said.
The official from al-Mashhadani's office, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he wasn't authorized to release the information, said Iranian authorities gave no reason for denying permission for the plane to land.
Later, however, Iran's official IRNA news agency quoted a senior Iranian lawmaker, Mohsen Koohkan, as saying the problem was the type of plane and not with al-Mashhadani.
Koohkan did not specify the aircraft type or say what the problem with it was.
According to the report, Koohkan said Iran's parliamentary speaker Ali Larijani talked to al-Mashhadani by phone about the incident. "There is no problem for al-Mashhadani to come to Tehran," Koohkan was quoted as saying.
Iraqi media earlier had reported that al-Mashhadani was leading a parliamentary delegation on an official visit to mainly Shiite Iran.
Iran's hard-line Shiite theocracy maintains close ties to Iraqi Shiites, who make up about 60 percent of the country's population and dominate the government.
Iraq's Sunni minority is highly suspicious of such ties, while the U.S. military has accused Iran of trying to undermine the American effort to stabilize the country.
Al-Mashhadani has traveled to Iran before, but his last visit was in 2007, according to his office.
MyWay
I'm against quotas for anyone.
posted by madtom at 2:57 PM
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