Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
05BAGHDAD4311
2005-10-19 13:23:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Baghdad
Cable title:  

SUNNI ARAB REACTION TO REFERENDUM RESULTS: SOME

Tags:  PGOV PNAT PHUM IZ 
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This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.
C O N F I D E N T I A L BAGHDAD 004311 

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/18/2015
TAGS: PGOV PNAT PHUM IZ
SUBJECT: SUNNI ARAB REACTION TO REFERENDUM RESULTS: SOME
WORRY, SOME SCREAM FRAUD

REF: BAGHDAD 4268

Classified By: Political Counselor Robert Ford for reasons
1.4(b) and (d)

C O N F I D E N T I A L BAGHDAD 004311

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/18/2015
TAGS: PGOV PNAT PHUM IZ
SUBJECT: SUNNI ARAB REACTION TO REFERENDUM RESULTS: SOME
WORRY, SOME SCREAM FRAUD

REF: BAGHDAD 4268

Classified By: Political Counselor Robert Ford for reasons
1.4(b) and (d)


1. (C) Iraqi Islamic Party (IIP) General Secretary Tariq
al-Hashimi told the Ambassador October 18 he is gravely
concerned that a disputed referendum result in Ninewa
handled indelicately would lead to a "disaster." He
recommended the Independent Electoral Commission of Iraq
(IECI) delay an announcement of final results until they
invite representatives from all political parties to a
special investigative session with senior officials. The
goal would be to reconcile allegations on the spot as a
means to gain public acceptance of the referendum results.


2. (U) In an October 18 interview on Al-Arabia TV, ICND
Spokesman Saleh al-Mutlak accused the IECI of attempted
fraud. He claimed ICND polling data reflected an eighty
percent vote against the constitution in Anbar, Diyala, and
Salah ad Din Provinces. He also accused the Iraqi Police
of taking ballot boxes in Diyala, and Peshmerga militia of
intimidating voters at polling sites across the country.


3. (C) Dr. Hassan al-Bazazz, a well-known Sunni Arab and
Baghdad University Political Science professor, told Pol
FSN October 18 that forgery must have occurred in these
same provinces because the public opinion is "obviously" at
least two-thirds against the constitution. He argued that
international press reports suggesting that the referendum
would likely pass has increased suspicions of fraud among
Sunni Arabs. He predicted violence would increase as a
result of this perception.


4. (C) Deputy President Ghazi al-Yawr told PolCouns
October 19 that there was Kurdish interference in the
Ninewah referendum process. PolCouns asked for concrete
examples. Ghazi noted he had only heard allegations from
his Ninewah contacts but he had no specifics. He added
that these contacts also were complaining about the
distribution of polling centers. PolCouns noted that the
IECI office had worked out locations with the relevant
security forces. If there were problems with the
distribution, Yawr's contacts should approach the IECI
office in Ninewah with suggestions for how to improve them.
Yawr warned that Kurdish-Arab ethnic tension is growing
around Mosul. The referendum had made this tension worse.
Yawr mentioned that Saleh Mutlak's televised rants hit an
emotional chord with many of Sunni Arabs who think the U.S.
in in league with the Kurds. He emphasized the U.S. must
be seen as impartial or many Sunni Arabs will drift to
harder line politics. PolCouns took the point and said we
are urging the IECI to be more transparent by explaining as
widely as possible what it is doing. Yawr agreed this
would help.
Satterfield