SADRISTS DECRY VETO OF PROVINCIAL POWERS LAW

S E C R E T BAGHDAD 000632

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/03/2018
TAGS: PGOV PREL KISL IZ
SUBJECT: SADRISTS DECRY VETO OF PROVINCIAL POWERS LAW


1. (S) A roundup of mosque sermons from different parts of
Iraq indicates that the Sadrist/JAM faction is on the
offensive against the Presidential Council's "veto" of the
Provincial Powers Law (PPL). In Baghdad, Sheikh Abd al-Zahra
al-Suwaydi, an imam at the al-Hikmah Mosque in Sadr City,
complained that in vetoing the Provincial Powers Law, the GOI
was attempting to subvert the Sadrists' "rightful"
administration of the southern provinces. At the Kadimiyah
Mosque in Baghdad, Sayid Hazim al-A'raji lamented that the
worst mistake the Sadrists ever made was supporting the
al-Maliki government and called for violent demonstrations
against the GOI. Though few other imams were this extreme,
several warned of dangerous repercussions for the GOI if this
decision (i.e., the veto) was not reevaluated. Several imams
questioned why the GOI and CF continue to detain Sadrists and
JAM members in light of the recent cease-fire extension,
while others asked why the same forces are rounding up new
detainees. A d-Diwaniyah appears to be the focal point, with
several imams singling out the large number of detainees that
continue to be held in this city. At the Office of the
Martyr Sadr in Sadr City, Sheikh Satar al-Batati called on
Sadrists and JAM members to march peacefully on ad-Diwaniyah
next Friday to pressure the GOI to release prisoners.


2. (S) Though many imams thanked the residents of Karbala for
the warm welcome they extended to millions of Iraqis during
the Arba'een commemorations, some commented that Sadrists
were mistreated in Karbala. Specifically, they complained
that their followers were not allowed to carry pictures of
Moqtada al-Sadr and his father, and that transportation
services were generally inadequate. In addition, there was
little praise from the mosques for the GOI's handling of the
pilgrimmage, with a few imams even blaming the Iraqi Police
(IP) and CF for allowing the three attacks that occurred
during Arba'een.
CROCKER