NINEWA: SUNNI ARAB IIP WORKERS SEE MULTI-ETHNIC

C O N F I D E N T I A L BAGHDAD 002714

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/14/2017
TAGS: PGOV KDEM PHUM IZ
SUBJECT: NINEWA: SUNNI ARAB IIP WORKERS SEE MULTI-ETHNIC
GOVERNMENT AS FUTURE OF PROVINCE


Classified By: Ninewa PRT Team Leader Jason Hyland: 1.4 (B) and (D).

This is a Ninewa Provincial Reconstruction Team (PRT) message.


1. (C) On the margins of a lively and productive August 12
meeting with Sunni Arab women,s organizations (septel) at
the Ninewa provincial headquarters of the Iraqi Islamic Party
(IIP),the party,s working level staff unofficially
described the party,s priorities and philosophy. In an
informal discussion with IPAO Hankey, the staff said overall
security is the most important problem in Mosul, blaming the
Peshmerga for acting outside the law. They added that Iran
has no influence in Ninewa province. The IIP staffers said
the provincial government,s biggest issue is the lack of
effective administrative responses to even simple problems,
citing roads that have remained unpaved despite local
availability of materials. In addition, they said a dearth
of buyers for local farmers' wheat and barley crops hurts
their rural constituents, who are already squeezed by high
fuel prices. The staff acknowledged that the 2005 Sunni
boycott of provincial elections resulted in the current
Kurdish domination of the provincial council. (Note: The
Kurdish Alliance holds 31 of 41 seats.) However, the party
workers claimed ) if Sunni parties were given another "fair
and secure" chance to run for election ) that Sunni parties
could form an effective majority government in the province.


2. (C) One staffer said "religion and politics are like two
wings of an airplane," explaining that the IIP sees an
essential role for Islamic religious law in everyday life but
that all religious sects ) including Shias, Christians and
Yezidis ) should have equal rights and an active role in
public life. The staff said the terrorist killing of Iraqi
civilians and U.S. soldiers is against the Koran.


3. (C) Comment: IPAO was impressed by the staffers' openness
in having this impromptu political exchange. The IIP in
Ninewa represents the Sunni majority that is willing to
engage the political process and suffered an S-VBIED attack
on its Mosul headquarters in spring 2007. Though the party
has moved to enter mainstream politics, IIP Ninewa leader Dr.
Mohammad Shakir maintains connections to Ninewa Sunni Arabs
prominent under the former regime. End Comment.
CROCKER