Iraq passes preliminary federalism bill, despite walk-out by Sunnis and some Shiites
"Parliament on Wednesday approved a controversial law that will allow Iraq to be carved into a federation of autonomous regions, after Sunni Arabs and some Shiite Muslims stormed out of the session in protest.
The bill passed the 275-member parliament by a vote of 141 to 0, despite a nearly successful attempt by opponents to prevent a quorum by walking out." [1]
"The law allows provinces to hold referendums on whether to merge into larger states, but it imposes an 18-month moratorium on the process. Consent by a third of a province’s governing council or a tenth of its electorate can prompt a referendum, which would then require approval by a majority of voters to pass." [4]
"Shiites defend a decentralized federal system as the only way to ensure that Iraq's communities can live together in peace." [2]
"Critics . . . warn that moves toward federalism could push Sunnis to more violence in trying to stop it." [2]
"The head of the Shiite coalition that dominates parliament, Abdul-Aziz al-Hakim . . . said the law would be a 'factor of unity in the face of the enemies of Iraq _ Baathists, Saddamists, criminals and Takfiris (Islamic radicals) .... who rejected federalism, just like before, when they rejected the constitution.' " [3]
"Mr. Hakim cast the result as a victory for democracy. 'The road is open for all the Iraqi people to form any region they want, and it is up to the Iraqi people basically to decide this issue,' he said." [4]
"Members of the Fadhila Party, a Shiite group wary of Mr. Hakim’s power, had opposed the law because it did not include clauses to prevent the formation of one huge federation across southern Iraq." [4]
Al-Hakim said the Shiite parties were ready to create two regions from the nine mainly Shiite provinces of southern Iraq." [3]
" 'Federalism will lead to stability and security in Iraq,' Hakim told worshippers during the main weekly prayers in Karbala on Friday, a day when the holy city was flooded with tens of thousands of Shiite pilgrims.
'Look at the example of federalism in Kurdistan, it is evidence of the success of this system,' he said. 'We support it strongly because it will keep dictatorship from happening again. All are entitled to enjoy federalism.'
Hakim's party and its semi-official militia, the Badr Organisation, were set up with Iranian backing and he is often accused by his opponents of acting as a proxy for Tehran, a charge he firmly denies." [5]
Before Wednesday's vote, "Sunni leaders fear(ed) that a new bill on federalism . . . could lead to an Iranian-influenced regional administration taking the lion's share of the wealth of Iraq's southern oilfields." [5]
"Sunni Arab leaders [also] fear that any plan to divide Iraq into regions would eventually shift control of its oil wealth to the Kurds in the north and the Shiites in the south, leaving them with the relatively barren central and western regions." [4]
"Sunnis, dominant under Saddam Hussein, want amendments to the constitution to guarantee the sharing of oil revenues." [6]
“ 'We had our objections, and when they were disregarded, we found that the best way to deal with that was to boycott the session,' said Salman al-Jumaili, a legislator from the Iraqi Consensus Front, the largest Sunni bloc." [4]
"Adnan al-Dulaimi, a senior member of the Sunni Accord bloc, considers federalism a 'threat that could divide Iraq.'
. . . To him, the solution in central and southern Iraq could be 'to give more authority to the provinces', in other words to decentralise power to the current governorates without incorporating them into big autonomous regions." [7]
In September, the Sunni parties agreed to allow the bill to be presented to parliament for a vote after reaching a deal with Shiite lawmakers that the law would not come into effect for 18 months and that a committee would be formed to consider constitutional changes sought by the Sunnis.
Still, the Sunnis tried to prevent the vote Wednesday, and Shiite parties accused them of breaking the agreement. During the voting, some lawmakers demanded that the provision putting off regions for 18 months be removed from the law to allow their formation immediately. But in the end, the 18-month delay was grudgingly passed." [3]
"Legislators loyal to the Shiite cleric Moktada al-Sadr, an ardent nationalist, have demanded that any discussion of federalism proceed only after American forces have left Iraq." [4]
"Nasaar al-Rubaie, a lawmaker from the Sadr bloc, said: 'The present conditions are not conducive to establishing regions, because we lack a strong central government that can overrule the regions.' In fact, he added, 'the central authority is actually weakening instead of being solidified and strengthened.' " [1]
source
[1] The Washington Post. Parliament Approves Measure Allowing Autonomous Regions. October 12, 2006.
[2] The Houston Chronicle. (Associated Press). Iraq parliament paves way for federal regions. October 12, 2006.
[3] The Houston Chronicle. (Associated Press). Iraqi parliament passes federalism bill. October 11, 2006.
[4] The New York Times. In Victory for Shiite Leader, Iraqi Parliament Approves Creating Autonomous Regions. October 12, 2006.
[5] Turkish Daily News. (AFP). Iraq PM to visit Iran as federalism row grows. September 10, 2006.
[6] Turkish Daily News. (Reuters). Parliament approves law on autonomous regions. October 12, 2006.
[7] Institute for War & Peace Reporting. Iraq’s Federalism Debate Rages On. September 21, 2006.
related posting
Baker says federalism probably not the answer. October 10, 2006.
posted: thursday, october 12, 2006, 11:38 AM ET
update: friday, october 13, 2006, 4:42 PM ET
The bill passed the 275-member parliament by a vote of 141 to 0, despite a nearly successful attempt by opponents to prevent a quorum by walking out." [1]
"The law allows provinces to hold referendums on whether to merge into larger states, but it imposes an 18-month moratorium on the process. Consent by a third of a province’s governing council or a tenth of its electorate can prompt a referendum, which would then require approval by a majority of voters to pass." [4]
"Shiites defend a decentralized federal system as the only way to ensure that Iraq's communities can live together in peace." [2]
"Critics . . . warn that moves toward federalism could push Sunnis to more violence in trying to stop it." [2]
"The head of the Shiite coalition that dominates parliament, Abdul-Aziz al-Hakim . . . said the law would be a 'factor of unity in the face of the enemies of Iraq _ Baathists, Saddamists, criminals and Takfiris (Islamic radicals) .... who rejected federalism, just like before, when they rejected the constitution.' " [3]
"Mr. Hakim cast the result as a victory for democracy. 'The road is open for all the Iraqi people to form any region they want, and it is up to the Iraqi people basically to decide this issue,' he said." [4]
"Members of the Fadhila Party, a Shiite group wary of Mr. Hakim’s power, had opposed the law because it did not include clauses to prevent the formation of one huge federation across southern Iraq." [4]
Al-Hakim said the Shiite parties were ready to create two regions from the nine mainly Shiite provinces of southern Iraq." [3]
" 'Federalism will lead to stability and security in Iraq,' Hakim told worshippers during the main weekly prayers in Karbala on Friday, a day when the holy city was flooded with tens of thousands of Shiite pilgrims.
'Look at the example of federalism in Kurdistan, it is evidence of the success of this system,' he said. 'We support it strongly because it will keep dictatorship from happening again. All are entitled to enjoy federalism.'
Hakim's party and its semi-official militia, the Badr Organisation, were set up with Iranian backing and he is often accused by his opponents of acting as a proxy for Tehran, a charge he firmly denies." [5]
Before Wednesday's vote, "Sunni leaders fear(ed) that a new bill on federalism . . . could lead to an Iranian-influenced regional administration taking the lion's share of the wealth of Iraq's southern oilfields." [5]
"Sunni Arab leaders [also] fear that any plan to divide Iraq into regions would eventually shift control of its oil wealth to the Kurds in the north and the Shiites in the south, leaving them with the relatively barren central and western regions." [4]
"Sunnis, dominant under Saddam Hussein, want amendments to the constitution to guarantee the sharing of oil revenues." [6]
“ 'We had our objections, and when they were disregarded, we found that the best way to deal with that was to boycott the session,' said Salman al-Jumaili, a legislator from the Iraqi Consensus Front, the largest Sunni bloc." [4]
"Adnan al-Dulaimi, a senior member of the Sunni Accord bloc, considers federalism a 'threat that could divide Iraq.'
. . . To him, the solution in central and southern Iraq could be 'to give more authority to the provinces', in other words to decentralise power to the current governorates without incorporating them into big autonomous regions." [7]
In September, the Sunni parties agreed to allow the bill to be presented to parliament for a vote after reaching a deal with Shiite lawmakers that the law would not come into effect for 18 months and that a committee would be formed to consider constitutional changes sought by the Sunnis.
Still, the Sunnis tried to prevent the vote Wednesday, and Shiite parties accused them of breaking the agreement. During the voting, some lawmakers demanded that the provision putting off regions for 18 months be removed from the law to allow their formation immediately. But in the end, the 18-month delay was grudgingly passed." [3]
"Legislators loyal to the Shiite cleric Moktada al-Sadr, an ardent nationalist, have demanded that any discussion of federalism proceed only after American forces have left Iraq." [4]
"Nasaar al-Rubaie, a lawmaker from the Sadr bloc, said: 'The present conditions are not conducive to establishing regions, because we lack a strong central government that can overrule the regions.' In fact, he added, 'the central authority is actually weakening instead of being solidified and strengthened.' " [1]
source
[1] The Washington Post. Parliament Approves Measure Allowing Autonomous Regions. October 12, 2006.
[2] The Houston Chronicle. (Associated Press). Iraq parliament paves way for federal regions. October 12, 2006.
[3] The Houston Chronicle. (Associated Press). Iraqi parliament passes federalism bill. October 11, 2006.
[4] The New York Times. In Victory for Shiite Leader, Iraqi Parliament Approves Creating Autonomous Regions. October 12, 2006.
[5] Turkish Daily News. (AFP). Iraq PM to visit Iran as federalism row grows. September 10, 2006.
[6] Turkish Daily News. (Reuters). Parliament approves law on autonomous regions. October 12, 2006.
[7] Institute for War & Peace Reporting. Iraq’s Federalism Debate Rages On. September 21, 2006.
related posting
Baker says federalism probably not the answer. October 10, 2006.
posted: thursday, october 12, 2006, 11:38 AM ET
update: friday, october 13, 2006, 4:42 PM ET
posted by eric at 9:26 AM
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