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