SUNNI PARLIAMENTARIANS FORM HUMAN RIGHTS BOARD;

C O N F I D E N T I A L BAGHDAD 001306

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/22/2016
TAGS: PHUM PGOV KDEM IZ
SUBJECT: SUNNI PARLIAMENTARIANS FORM HUMAN RIGHTS BOARD;
SAY THEY WILL ASK SHIA LEADERS TO JOIN


Classified By: DEPUTY POLITICAL COUNSELOR MICHAEL J. ADLER, FOR REASONS
1.4 (B) AND (D).


1. (C) In an April 18 conversation, Sunni Council of
Representative (CoR) and National Dialogue member Hasan Dekan
Khudeir Al-Janabi told POLOFF that Tawaffuq had created a
human rights abuse review board to focus on displacement and
detentions. Degan said that the Board, currently comprised
of six Tawaffuq members, would soon reach out to Shia
coalition members to join. He said the board currently
consisted of CoR members Ala Mekki, Husayn al-Falluji, Abdul
Nasar al-Janabi, Dhafir al Ani, and Omar Al-Jabouri.
According to Dekan, the intent of the board is to investigate
human rights abuses pertaining to detainees and sectarian
displacement. When asked whether he hoped to serve on the
CoR human rights committee, Dekan replied that he was
interested in serving on both the security and human rights
committees, but if forced to choose between the two, he would
choose the security committee. (COMMENT: While clearly
seeing human rights and security as linked, Dekan appeared to
believe he would have more impact on the security committee.)


2. (C) Dekan told POLOFF that the board had been formed by
Tawaffuq members soon after the February 22 Samarra attack to
respond to the growing concerns over sectarian displacement
as well as complaints regarding detainee abuse. Dekan
explained to POLOFF that he was hoping to enlarge the
membership on the board with members from the Shia coalition
as well as with representatives from the Ministries of
Defense, Interior, Human Rights, and Displacement and
Migration.


3. (C) Dekan said the board was needed because of the lack of
response to complaints of detainee abuse as well as the
growing sectarian displacement problem. He emphasized that
involvement by members of the Shia Coalition is particularly
important in order to make the board effective and credible.
Dekan reported that he had already begun active work in
visiting prisons and meeting with the associated ministries.
Dekan said he had not produced reports on his findings but
promised to keep POLOFF apprised of the development of the
group as well as of its conclusions.


4. (C) Comment: In a country where one's perspective on
specific abuse allegations is often shaped by sectarian
identity, it is noteworthy that a Tawafuq CoR member intends
to reach out to members of the Shia community. Though Dekan
is still in the beginning phase, members of the Iraqi Islamic
Party (IIP) have had experience receiving human rights abuses
complaints from their constituents and no doubt will be able
to support this effort. It remains to be seen whether Degan
is serious about including Shia Coalition members on the
board, whether any Shia Coalition member will be willing to
sign on, and whether this initiative will live on past
government formation and establishment of the CoR Human
Rights Committee.
KHALILZAD