DAILY IRAQI WEBSITE MONITORING - AUGUST 28, 2005

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 BAGHDAD 003639 SIPDIS STATE FOR INR/R/MR, NEA/PPD, NEA/PPA, NEA/AGS, INR/IZ, INR/P E.0. 12958: N/A TAGS: OPRC KMDR KPAO IZ SUBJECT: DAILY IRAQI WEBSITE MONITORING - AUGUST 28, 2005 SUMMARY: Discussion on the Constitution was the major editorial theme of Iraqi, Arabic language websites on September 5, 2005. END SUMMARY. -------------- TABLE OF CONTENTS -------------- ¶A. "Religious Minorities Still Have a Battle with Democracy's Enemies in the New Iraq" (Al-Rafidayn, 9/5) ¶B. "A Constitution of Disintegration and Sectarian Wars in Iraq and the Region" (Iraq 4 All News, 9/5) -------------- SELECTED COMMENTARIES -------------- ¶A. "Religious Minorities Still Have a Battle with Democracy's Enemies in the New Iraq" (Editorial by Hikmet Seleem, Al-Rafidayn - The Two Rivers Website http://www.alrafidayn.com) "For the first time in Iraq's history religious minorities have the opportunity to be officially acknowledged in Iraq's coming constitution. This event wasn't granted by others but was a result of organized and relentless efforts by religious clerics and educated representatives of these religions, and with the support of the good-hearted Iraqi people from the entire political and national spectrum, and here we should acknowledge the role of Kurdish democratic movements and the Iraqi political left wing. The interpretation of ancient Iraqi religious rights into reality demands great efforts especially since we are facing extremist religious groups that don't believe in the coexistence of pre-Islamic religions, and other Islamic political parties that do believe in freedom of religion but put on a different face during negotiations to gain the support of extremists. And we have seen one of their senior leaders announcing the success of democracy in Iraq by saying the constitution gave rights to all, "even to Mandains and Yazidis." The complex situation and religious extremism demands the following by religious minorities: ¶1. Each group should organize its internal structure and renounce divisions. ¶2. Establishing strong relations among these groups and combining efforts. ¶3. Establishing strong relations with left wing powers and non-extremist Islamic groups. ¶4. Working with international human rights organizations. ¶5. Forming an Iraqi national committee to defend the rights of marginalized religious groups. And finally, the struggle for the freedom of religious minorities should be part of the democratic struggle for all Iraqis." ¶B. "A Constitution of Disintegration and Sectarian Wars in Iraq and the Region" (Editorial by Yaser Al-Za'arta, Iraq 4 All News http://iraq4all.org) "There is no doubt that the difficult domestic conditions surrounding George Bush have dictated the hasty passing of the Iraqi draft constitution without agreement. With increasing domestic criticism over the war in Iraq, and with no solution looming on the horizon to honorably relieve Washington of its predicament, the passing of the draft was a main stage that would hopefully eliminate the phantom of defeat even if no success or guarantee of Iraqi's interests were achieved. When Kurds agreed upon federalism it wasn't a concession for the Shiites who benefit from a wide ranging federal system that places the country in an actual state of division where they control the south and part of the central region. The Kurds will find an opportunity to take over the northern regions they seek including Kirkuk as a step towards their secession and then the virus of separatism will spread throughout the region making it difficult to point towards the Kurd's intentions apart from those of others. When Al-Hakim talks of a Shiite southern region, it's only natural to assume that a third of Basra's population who are Sunnis should leave or be exterminated, and the same can be said for other southern provinces, while Shiites in Baghdad and the north will no longer be his responsibility, so when Al-Hakim says federalism will maintain the unity of Iraq, no one will take him seriously. The worst of all is that Al-Talabani and Al-Hakim's constitution doesn't only threaten Iraq, but the entire Arab world and region and here it's surprising to find a country like Iran in support of such a constitution despite its problems with Sunni aspirations for secession, not to mention that of the Kurds. Once the sequential effect starts, no one can overlook the reality in the Gulf States and specifically Saudi Arabia, where one Shiite website was demanding autonomy for the Shi'a in Saudi Arabia. The Shiites will then face a Sunni reaction that is bound to head towards the extreme with the result of chaos in which both sides lose. We should remember that dividing the region was, and still is, a Zionist project that emerged in the early 90s in the form of the Oslo Agreement, but the failure of this agreement didn't put an end to the project. When the war on Iraq failed to reform the region through military power, due to the fierce Iraqi resistance, thoughts went towards forming a self dividing project established through the constitution to manipulate the Arab-Iranian situation leading to conflict and a state of chaos that would make the Zionist State a resort for all conflicting parties. So confronting the Iraqi draft constitution is a matter of extreme importance, not only for Iraq, but for the whole region, where all should participate in defeating the draft, not through the referendum whose results can be manipulated by Al-Talabani and Al-Hakim, but by contributing to efforts before and after the referendum. What should be clear here that the best reply to the sectarian government is through supporting resistance from within and outside of Iraq, otherwise division and sectarian wars will overrun the region in the favor of Zionist plots." Khalilzad