IECI CHAIRMAN AND ANBAR GOVERNOR MEET IN RAMADI

C O N F I D E N T I A L BAGHDAD 003648

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/04/2015
TAGS: PREL PGOV KDEM IZ
SUBJECT: IECI CHAIRMAN AND ANBAR GOVERNOR MEET IN RAMADI

Classified By: Acting Political Counselor Michael Adler,
for reasons 1.4(b) and (d)


1. (C) Summary. Independent Electoral Commission of Iraq
(IECI) Board Chairman Izadin traveled to Ramadi August 30 to
meet with Arab Sunni leaders, including Anbar Governor Mamoon
and Provincial Council Chairman Khadir. Izadin told local
Sunni Arab leaders that IECI had decided to extend the Anbar
voter registration period by one week. Regarding Mamoon's
suggestion for use of mosques as polling sites, Izadin
replied that the use of holy places is against international
electoral practice, and IECI preferred schools as polling
sites because they are free from religious and political
associations. Izadin agreed to provide Brigadier General
Williams, Assistant Division Commander, Second Marine
Division, the latest locations of "community protected"
registration sites in Anbar so that Marine patrols can
preclude targeting legitimate voter registration centers in
the fight against the insurgency. Izadin also agreed to
provide future polling site locations. End Summary.


2. (C) Embassy Baghdad and the Second Marine Division
facilitated an August 30 outreach mission to Ramadi led by
IECI Board Chairman Izadin to meet with Arab Sunni leaders,
including Anbar governor Mamoon and Provincial Council
chairman Khadir. Poloffs and USAID deputy director for
democracy and governance accompanied and were met in Ramadi
by Brigadier General Williams.


3. (C) Mamoon pressed Izadin for an extension in the voter
registration period for Anbar, same-day registration and
polling, and use of mosques as polling sites. Mammon said
that recent Friday prayer messages have been filled with
calls for full Sunni participation in the political process.
He said neighborhood people would protect the mosques, if
used as polling sites. Also, noting that the October 15
Referendum will take place during the month of Ramadan,
Mammon asked Izadin to take daytime fasting into account when
establishing polling site hours of operations.


4. (C) Izadin replied that IECI had decided to extend the
voter registration period by one week for Anbar province. He
said requests for extensions in other governorates were
considered but denied, and stressed that further extensions
in Anbar would not be possible because it would jeopardize
the tight electoral timeline and pose considerable risk to
completing electoral preparations on time by October 15.
Izadin explained that same-day registration and voting is
considered a poor electoral practice. However, he told
Mamoon that IECI has not taken same-day registration and
polling off the table entirely but will only consider using
it as a last resort and under the most extraordinary
circumstances. Regarding use of mosques as polling sites,
Izadin clarified that use of holy places as polling sites is
against international practice, and IECI preferred schools as
polling sites because they are free from religious and
political associations. Izadin assured Mamoon that his
concerns would be brought to the attention of the board of
commissioners for further consideration.


5. (C) On security, Izadin agreed to provide Brigadier
General Williams the latest locations of "tribal/community
protected" registration sites so that Marine patrols can
preclude targeting legitimate voter registration centers in
the fight against the insurgency. Izadin said he would push
the Baghdad interagency security coordination group,
comprised of MNF-I, MOI, MOD and IECI, to pass along
locations of the latest registration centers and future
polling sites.


6. (C) COMMENT: Embassy facilitated this direct engagement
between the IECI and Anbar leaders in order to address Sunni
Arab concerns about the fairness of upcoming elections.
Izadin was positive about the cooperation that the visit
promoted and requested Embassy assistance to facilitate more
outreach activities in the future. END COMMENT.
Khalilzad