SUNNI LEADER REJECTS CONSTITUTION, ALLEGES POLICE

C O N F I D E N T I A L BAGHDAD 003567

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/31/2015
TAGS: PGOV QA IZ
SUBJECT: SUNNI LEADER REJECTS CONSTITUTION, ALLEGES POLICE
ABUSE

Classified By: CLASSIFIED BY AMBASSADOR ZALMAY KHALILZAD FOR REASONS 1.
4 (b) AND (d)


1. (C) SUMMARY. Adnan al-Dulaimi told Ambassador on August
30 that Minister of Interior Baqr Jabr should be removed due
to allegations of arbitrary arrest, abuse, and murder of
Sunnis by Iraqi Police (IP). Dulaimi worried that federalism
would divide the country and urged that the referendum be
deferred until after the elections. Dulaimi also said Sunnis
would vote against the constitution. He requested a
countrywide 10-day extension for voter registration and said
the recent release of 1,000 detainees was a welcome gesture
of goodwill. Ambassador emphasized the necessity for
continued Sunni participation in the political process,
urging Dulaimi to withhold judgment on the constitution until
the final text has been released. Ambassador said he would
continue to press MoI to address allegations of abuse and
extra-judicial killings by IP and said he would look into the
requested extension for voter registration. END SUMMARY.

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ALLEGATIONS OF MOI ABUSE
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2. (C) Adnan al-Dulaimi in an August 30 meeting with
Ambassador called for the removal of Minister of Interior
Baqr Jabr, alleging arbitrary arrest, abuse, and murder of
Sunnis by the Iraqi Police (IP). As an example, Dulaimi
pointed to the recent discovery in Wasit Province of 36
bodies identified as Sunnis, who were allegedly detained by
IP (septel). Dulaimi alleged Iraqi Government complicity.
The Ambassador said he would press MOI to address the
allegations of abuse and extra-judicial killings by the IP.

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DULAIMI SAYS SUNNIS TO REJECT CONSTITUTION
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3. (C) Dulaimi worried that federalism would divide the
country, and urged that the referendum be deferred until
after the next elections. Ambassador emphasized that Iraq
must stay together and that Sunnis must participate in that
process. The constitution is a living document, he added,
and to affect it, the Sunni community must be fully engaged
in the political process. Dulaimi stated that "We will
definitely vote against it"; Ambassador responded that the
democratic process is all about giving individuals the right
to express their opinions in a meaningful peaceful manner.
He urged Dulaimi to study the text and its compromises
carefully and to withhold judgment until the final text is
out.

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DETAINEE RELEASE WELCOMED; REQUEST FOR EXTENSION
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4. (C) Citing security problems hampering voter registration
in some provinces, Dulaimi requested a 10-day extension for
registration throughout the country. He emphasized his
efforts to encourage Sunnis to vote and suggested that such
an extension would be a welcome gesture of goodwill. Dulaimi
said that the Sunni community positively received the recent
American release of 1,000 detainees and urged more of these
releases, emphasizing they should be done quickly.
Ambassador stated that more detainees would be released and
agreed to look into the possibility of the requested
extension.
Khalilzad