Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
04MANAMA1707
2004-11-10 15:14:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Manama
Cable title:  

SHOUTING MATCH ERUPTS IN PARLIAMENT OVER FALLUJAH

Tags:  PGOV PREL BA IZ 
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C O N F I D E N T I A L MANAMA 001707 

SIPDIS

STATE FOR NEA/ARPI

E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/10/2014
TAGS: PGOV PREL BA IZ
SUBJECT: SHOUTING MATCH ERUPTS IN PARLIAMENT OVER FALLUJAH
STATEMENT

Classified by DCM Susan L. Ziadeh for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).

C O N F I D E N T I A L MANAMA 001707

SIPDIS

STATE FOR NEA/ARPI

E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/10/2014
TAGS: PGOV PREL BA IZ
SUBJECT: SHOUTING MATCH ERUPTS IN PARLIAMENT OVER FALLUJAH
STATEMENT

Classified by DCM Susan L. Ziadeh for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).


1. (U) Shia and Sunni deputies in the Council of
Representatives (COR) engaged in a heated shouting match
November 9 during debate over a statement condemning the U.S.
attack in Fallujah. Twenty-four of the 40 COR members
forwarded a written request to issue a statement to chairman
Khalifa Al Dhahrani, who called for discussion of the issue.
The Ambassador, who had just met with the leadership of the
Shura Council, the appointed upper house of parliament,
witnessed the fracas from the visitors balcony.


2. (U) The head of the Islamic bloc (Shia),Ali Samaheji,
took the floor and called the insurgents in Fallujah
"merciless killers and terrorists." He continued, "We should
focus on backing others who are in real distress and not a
bunch of criminals who are causing chaos and destruction in
Iraq." He asked why the COR should issue a statement
condemning the attack when the Interim Iraqi Government
supported it. By the passing the resolution, they are
interfering in the internal affairs of another Arab country.
Dhahrani tried to bring the matter to a vote, but Independent
bloc president Abdul Aziz Al Moussa demanded that Samaheji
first withdraw his "insulting" remarks. Others jumped into
the fray, shouting and calling each other "childish" and
"irrational." The COR eventually issued the statement.


3. (C) Comment: The controversy broke down along sectarian
lines. The Sunnis members, concerned about their
co-religionists in Fallujah, pushed for and succeeded in
getting the statement condemning the attack. Only the
Islamic bloc, the sole Shia grouping in the COR, opposed. In
August, while the conflict in (Shia) Najaf was underway,
Bahrainis of both sects supported a COR statement against the
American role there and several Sunni leaders joined in Shia
marches against the U.S. action. Shia deputies do not feel
the same need to close ranks on the Fallujah situation
because they consider the insurgents there to be foreign
terrorists, not Iraqis.

MONROE