Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
05BAGHDAD4235
2005-10-15 11:14:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Baghdad
Cable title:  

IRAQI REFERENDUM 001 (OCTOBER 15)

Tags:  PGOV PHUM KDEM KISL PNAT IZ 
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C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 BAGHDAD 004235 

SIPDIS

DEPARTMENT FOR S/S-O: IRAQI REFERENDUM MONITORING
GROUP

E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/15/2015
TAGS: PGOV PHUM KDEM KISL PNAT IZ
SUBJECT: IRAQI REFERENDUM 001 (OCTOBER 15)

Classified By: Political Counselor Robert S. Ford for reasons 1.4
(B) and (D).

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 BAGHDAD 004235

SIPDIS

DEPARTMENT FOR S/S-O: IRAQI REFERENDUM MONITORING
GROUP

E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/15/2015
TAGS: PGOV PHUM KDEM KISL PNAT IZ
SUBJECT: IRAQI REFERENDUM 001 (OCTOBER 15)

Classified By: Political Counselor Robert S. Ford for reasons 1.4
(B) and (D).


1. (S) Summary. As of midday October 15, the Iraqi
constitutional referendum generally was proceeding operating
smoothly with problems most notably in Anbar and Ninewa; in
both
governorates it appears many polling stations did not open.
The
Independent Election Commission of Iraq (IECI) reported that
as
of 0900 hrs, 5879 of 6293 polling stations nationwide are
operating. IECI said that it was still investigating the
status
of the remaining 414 stations. Large voter turnout is
reported
in Mosul, Fallujah and Kirkuk. Most voters interviewed
indicate
that they plan to vote for the draft constitution. The
referendum is not completely without incident. The night
before
the referendum, the press reported insurgent attacks at
polling
centers in the Dora, al-Ilam and Bayaah districts of Baghdad
with no injuries. In Baqubah, Diyala an insurgent attack on
a
polling center left a policeman dead and 4 injured.
Al-Jazeera
TV reported that insurgents set fire to the Iraqi Islamic
Party
headquarters located in Bayji, Salah ad-Din. There is an
unconfirmed report of a suicide bomber in Mosul. IECI is
pleased with the voting process through mid-morning, and they
are working to resolve problems at some centers, e.g. voting
lists shifted to another center, lack of materials. End
Summary.

--------------
BAGHDAD
--------------

IECI reports good turnout in the capital. Poloffs visited
the
Karada and Karkh districts, midmorning. Situation was quiet
and
orderly. A crowd of young men proudly showed us their inked
fingers and said people in their district would not be
deterred
from voting. POLMILOFF visited Sadr City with 3ID and found
the
atmosphere to be festive and crowded. IP's seemed mostly
concerned about their ability to return home on time due to
the
number of people voting.

--------------
IECI
--------------


2. (U) As of 1100, the IECI reported that it could confirm
that

5879 of 6239 polling stations are open. UN Elections
Assistance
Division (EAD) officer told PolOff that the voting
process through mid-morning had run well. He said that the
IECI
is a working to resolve problems at some centers where voting
lists shifted to another center, there are a lack of
materials
at certain centers and that some police and military not able
to
vote because they are stationed out of their district.

--------------
INCIDENTS AND IRREGULARITIES
--------------


3. (U) There was an unconfirmed report of a suicide bomber in
South Mosul and hostage taking in Eastern Ramadi.
Al-Sharquiyah
TV reported that during the night on Friday October 14, in
Baghdad, insurgents attacked four polling centers in the
Dora,
al-Ilam and Bayaah districts. Gunfire exchanged between
insurgents and polling center guards did not result in any
injuries or deaths. However, in Ba'qubah an insurgent attack
on
a polling center resulted in the death of one policeman and
four
injured. Al Jazeera TV reported in Fallujah that insurgents
set
fire to the Iraqi Islamic Party Headquarters. Al Farhat TV
reported that Karbala Iraqi military troops fought with Iraqi
police as they tried to enter the city to take up their
positions at polling centers.

--------------
POLITICAL DEVELOPMENTS
--------------


4. (U) News reports indicated that President Talabani was the
first person to vote at the Convention Center polling
station.
Prime Minister Jaafari was not far behind. Both made
positive
statements about the ancipated success of the referendum.
Television reporting indicated that the Muslim Ulema Council
(MUC) may have confused its voters with its stance on the
referendum. MUC Spokesman Issam al-Rawi told one television
correspondent that the MUC was split between those who wanted
a
boycott of the referendum and those who urged a "No" vote.
Rawi
said that he personally would go to the polls and vote no and
that the MUC had not explicitly forbidden voting. Umma Party
leader Mithal Alusi, himself a Sunni Arab from Anbar,
lambasted
the Ulema Council and National Dialogue Council in an
interview
on al-Hurra. He asked why those who had called for a no vote
had not produced an alternative constitution. They simply
want
to block the entire political process, he answered, and they
have no alternative to offer but a return to fascism and
massacres. Alusi joked that if groups like the MUC were to
write a constitution of their own its theme would be "Unity,
Freedom, and Socialism," the infamous Ba'ath Party slogan.

--------------
PROVINCIAL TIDBITS
--------------


5. (C) Color from the provinces:

-- Al Anbar: Of the 207 polling stations in Al-Anbar, 144
were
open as of 0900 hrs. (NOTE: In anticipation that not all
sites
would be open, the IECI rules allow Anbaris to vote at any
station in the governorate.) Al-Anbar surge team reported
that
there are no problems at the polling locations. Coordination
with IP has been excellent. Fallujah Chief of Police told
the
team late night Ramadan activities may have kept many in bed
this morning. He said he expected increased voter
participation
as the day progresses. Imams encouraged participation at
Friday
prayers but most did not specifically call for a "No" vote.

-- Ninewa: 236 of 520 polling stations are open. Mayor of
Rabiya complained to an election monitor that some stations
lacked voter materials. IECI is investigating. Mayor of
Qaraqosh told election monitors that everything was running
smoothly in his district. A Regional Coordinator reported
that
people mulling about downtown Mosul complained they did not
have
n oppotuniyto rad te rft cntituton before voting.
Council member of the Chaldean Democratic Union Party told
PolOff that there has been a good turnout and no security
problems in Telesqof, Telkaif, Batnaya, and Alnosh.

-- Kirkuk: REO reports that the security plan in Kirkuk seems
to
be working with large numbers of people voting without
incident.

-- Salah ah-Din: IECI reports all polling stations are open.

-- Babil/Hillah: The Hillah Surge Team reported that
spontaneous
celebrations broke out in the streets as journalists traveled
to
the polling sites. The mayor of Hillah told the team that
there
are fairly large numbers across south central, with
reportedly
large numbers of female voters.

Early morning reports from local Hillah polling stations
indicate heavy initial voter turnout amid equally heavy
security. Police are searching everyone, including IECI
staff,
entering the voting centers, according to REO Hillah staff on
the scene. Local mosques are actively encouraging a "yes"
vote.
Political party representatives are present at the polling
stations along with local observers.

-- Diyala: IECI reports that all polling stations are open.
PolOff reported that voter turnout is so high in the Khalis
district that they opened two new stations at the existing Hi
Gin and Jadeida polling centers.

-- Wasit: REO reported that in Wasit Province, turnout has
been
"good", according to a local contact who visited several
polling
sites in provincial capital Kut. About 20-30 people were in
line at each of the four polling places visited. No security
problem has been reported. About 4,000 Iraqi army recruits
who
were training in Numaniyah where there's a massive military
base
were unable to vote because they were not registered in Wasit
Province, according to an IECI official. The recruits were
reportedly "very upset".

-- Basrah: At the al-Ashaws polling center 945010 there was
an
average wait was 15 minutes to vote. The unalphabetized
registration list has caused delays in processing at many
centers. Most people interviewed indicated that plan to vote
Yes on the constitution. Many complained about the 1-2 km
distance to reach the polling center to vote. Several old
women
chanted at the Mroj polling center, "We Win, We Win."

-- Karbala: A police officer from the Karbala Joint
Coordination
Command (JCC) reported that "many people" were streaming
toward
polling sites and things are "very quiet". In addition, Iraqi
army forces are roving throughout the province.
Khalilzad