SENIOR SISTANI REP IN DHI QAR EXPRESSES CITIZEN

C O N F I D E N T I A L BAGHDAD 003695

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/23/2018
TAGS: PGOV KISL IZ
SUBJECT: SENIOR SISTANI REP IN DHI QAR EXPRESSES CITIZEN
FRUSTRATION WITH RELIGIOUS PARTIES

Classified By: Deputy Political Counselor John Fox for reasons 1.4 (b)
and (d).


1. (C) Summary: PRT met with Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani,s
senior representative in Dhi Qar, Sayyid Majeed Jassim, on
November 18. Sayyid Majeed and PRT had agreed at a previous
lunch to collaborate to assist mosques in poor neighborhoods.
After discussing the mosque project, Sayyid Majeed expressed
his views and those of SISTANI on a range of issues from
reconstruction and provincial elections to Iranian influence.
He expressed a general frustration with the religious parties
that gained power in the last elections and called on
neighboring countries to participate in the development of
Iraq to counter Iranian influence. End Summary.

Provincial Elections
--------------


2. (C) Sayyid Majeed is looking forward to the upcoming
provincial elections. Working under the guidance of Sistani,
Sayyid Majeed encourages citizens in Dhi Qar to participate
and take advantage of their newly found right to vote. He
expressed his personal view that Iraqis were learning from
their previous experience three years ago and will not vote
for religious parties. He said he worked to explain to
people the importance of voting for individuals who could do
the most for their constituents. He thought the overall
feeling among Iraqis in Dhi Qar was that their votes in 2005
were wasted. Sayyid Majeed joked that Iraqis are new to this
type of open democracy and will learn as they go; he cited
previous elections where the only name on the ballot was
Saddam Hussein.

Iranian Influence
--------------


3. (C) When asked about the future of inter-Shi,a relations
between the Najaf and Qom schools, Sayyid Majeed
independently brought up international criticism of Iranian
influence in Iraq. He expressed disappointment that Arab
nations had not moved quickly to assist in the development of
Iraq as it opened up to the world after 2003. He viewed Iran
as only having influence in Iraq because Iran is currently
the only neighboring country that has been willing to get
involved in development and financing. Sayyid Majeed
welcomed both personally and on behalf of Sistani, other
countries and specifically Arab countries to come to Iraq to
help it rebuild. By having other players in Iraq he felt the
level of influence of Iran would diminish. Sayyid Majeed saw
no long term flashpoints of real concern between the Najaf
and Qom schools and gave anecdotes about how two people could
see the same thing in different ways without it leading to
conflict. He expressed a general openness to people from
other religions as well, to include those of the Jewish
faith. He even listed Jews among those whom he would welcome
to Iraq to help rebuild.

Sistani Support for PRT Efforts
--------------


4. (C) After discussing religion and politics, PRT took
Sayyid Majeed on a tour of ongoing agricultural training and
the Mobile Surgical Unit (MSU) at the PRT Training Center.
He expressed surprise and delight at the various activities
we had undertaken. He even chastised the local journalist
accompanying us for not doing a better job of publicizing all
the collaborative efforts the PRT had undertaken with the Dhi
Qar Governorate. He asked to have a photo of himself with
the PRT in front of the MSU to be published in the local
papers with the headline, "Al-Sistani Supports PRT Efforts."


5. (C) Comment: As a representative of Sistani, Sayyid
Majeed,s moderate views did not come as a surprise but were
still refreshing to hear. The PRT will continue to engage
Qstill refreshing to hear. The PRT will continue to engage
with Sayyid Majeed to build other opportunities for
collaboration. He was clearly at ease speaking with the PRT
at the training center and asked us to visit him at his
mosque for our next meeting. End Comment.

CROCKER