Cablegate: Special Media Reaction Report the Sunni Split On The

This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 BAGHDAD 003601

SIPDIS

STATE FOR INR/R/MR, NEA/PPD, NEA/PPA, NEA/AGS, INR/IZ, INR/P

SENSITIVE

E.0. 12958: N/A
TAGS: OPRC KMDR KPAO IZ
SUBJECT: Special Media Reaction Report The Sunni Split on the
Constitution

1. (U) SUMMARY. Within the Sunni community two positions have emerge
on the constitution, an approach of continued engagement and a
rejectionist approach. This debate is being carried out in the media
with both camps reaching out to major Iraqi and pan-Arab outlets to
espouse their positions. Included are several excerpts from TV and
print sources highlighting the differing points of view. END SUMMARY

2. (U) With Shi'a and Kurdish general acceptance of the draft
constitution, there is a new focus in the Iraqi media on the differin
opinions about the constitution held by the various Sunni factions.
Two distinct poles are evident: those who favor continued engagement
and seek to affect changes in the current draft, with the potential o
supporting the constitution in the referendum if their demands are me
and those who reject the constitution as a whole, see no potential fo
compromise and are already focusing their efforts on defeating the
constitution in the referendum. In Iraqi and pan-Arab media, two
individuals have emerged as vocal spokesman representing these two
positions, Tariq Al-Hashimi, spokesman for the Iraqi Islamic Party an
Saleh Al-Mutlaq, member of the Iraqi National Dialogue Council. Both
have appeared on several Iraqi and pan-Arab talk shows and are being
widely quoted in the print media.

3. (U) Supporting continued dialogue and engagement, Tariq Al-Hashimi
has made the following statements reported in the media;

-- 29 Aug 05 Al Jazeera News Channel
"It is an incomplete draft and the party continues to have reservatio
over many of the issues enshrined in itThis is the opinion of the
Iraqi Islamic Party. The party, through all possible political
efforts, will not hesitate to amend these paragraphs until they becom
compatible with the country's higher interests and the concerns of
Iraqis in the present and the future."

Replying to a question on whether the party is calling on Iraqis to
reject the draft constitution if "gaps" are not dealt with, Al-Hashim
says:

"Not the entire draft is bad. It includes good and bad elements. We
shall confront the elements which we continue to believe that it woul
be in the interest of the country and Iraqis to change now or in the
futureThe Islamic Party contests this draft constitution, but does n
reject it in part and parcel."

-- 29 Aug 05 Reuters
""We have not signed the constitution and we still have the time
ime
starting from now until the referendum comes. We might say yes to the
constitution if the disputed points are resolved."

4. (U) Further outlining the Iraqi Islamic Party's position, Az-Zaman
Newspaper published the following article by Ali Al-Mosawi on August
30, 2005 entitled, "Islamic Party Demands Modifications before
Accepting the Draft Constitution."

--"Also, the Iraqi Islamic Party said its support for the draft
constitution depends on the acceptance of modifications it demanded.
Tariq Al-Hashimiadded that they might support the constitution if th
disputed issues are settled. The party's political office confirmed i
a statement, which Az-Zaman received on Monday, that 'the draft,
regarding the disputed issuesrelated to 'federalism, regional
authorities, identity, and the distribution of wealth."

5. (U) Highlighting moderate Sunni's interest in continued engagement
in the political process, Ad-Destour Newspaper published the followin
n
story on August 30, 2005, entitled, "Allawi Will Return to Office in
Exchange for Brokering a Timetable for the Withdrawal of Foreign
Forces." The article contains a key Sunni constitutional demand to
revoke the debathification laws.

--"Former PM Ayad Allawi and the Shiite leadership supporting him hav
reached an agreement with Sunni groups, including the Islamic Scholar
Association and the Iraqi Islamic Party, to support Allawi's return t
office in return for his guarantee of: obtaining a timetable for the
withdrawal of U.S. forces, revoking de-Ba'athification laws, and
protecting those in the so-called resistance leadership. The agreemen
was reached during a meeting held in an Amman hotel and attended by
Allawi on behalf of the Shiites; Sunnis were represented by Muthana
Harith Al-Dhari, a member of the Islamic Scholars' Association, Abdul
Salam Al-Kubaisi, a member of the Islamic Scholars' Association's
Representatives Abroad Council, and Mohammed Abbas Al-Kubaisi, in
addition to other Sunni politicians close to Allawi including Ayhem A
Samaraiee and representatives of the Iraqi Islamic Party."

6. (U) Demonstrating the rejectionist Sunni view of the constitution,
Saleh Al-Mutlaq has made the following statements reported in the
media;

--28 Aug 05 - Al-Sharqiya TV
"The constitution must either be accepted or rejected as a whole. If
single point in the constitution is unacceptable, voters will reject
the constitution altogether. Here lies our disagreement with the
brothers. We told them not to mention certain points in the
constitution that might lead to its rejection We believe that the
Iraqi citizen will reject this draft because of the presence of these
controversial points I think that if this constitution passes as it
is, it will worsen everything in the country and it will increase the
violence in the country. But at the same time we are asking through
these channels all the Iraqis to express their views in a very peacef
f
way and be away from the violence.

Practically speaking, if the constitution has one paragraph over whic
there is no agreement or which will not be approved by the Iraqi
people, the Iraqi citizen will be forced to reject the constitution
because of this paragraph When the citizen finds that this
constitution lays the foundation for partitioning Iraq, he will not
accept it. When he finds that this constitution separates him from th
Arab world and obliterates his Arab identity although the Arabs
constitute 82 percent of the population, he will not accept the
constitution."

--28 Aug 05 Al Jazeera TV
"The scheme is clear. It seeks to divide Iraq into Sunnis, Shiites, a
Kurds. If we continue to concentrate on this issue, it will be
entrenched in the mind of the citizen and increase sectarian division
in the country. Therefore, we receive scores of notables and chiefs o
southern tribes daily. They express support for our position and they
y
are worried like us about the fate of the country as a result of this
constitution. Therefore, the issue is not confined to the Sunni Arabs
it also applies to the Shiite Arabs.

What increased our fears is that in addition to the adoption of the
principle of federalism, a paragraph in the constitution stating that
Iraq -- land and people -- is an indivisible integral unit was omitte
There is a feeling that there are intentions to partition Iraq. There
is an omission of an important paragraph from the constitution statin
that this country cannot be partitioned. In accordance with this
constitution, we are moving toward division. I believe that the Iraqi
will reject any constitution that leads to the partitioning of Iraq."

7. (U) Although the Sunni representatives on the drafting council
rejected the constitution that was submitted to the National Assembly
it is clear that this position is not homogeneous throughout the Sunn
community. Editorials in Iraq and throughout the region have been
critical of the Sunni leadership's refusal to compromise and reach an
agreement, specifically criticizing Saleh Al-Mutlaq. This position i
best captured in an Aug 30 editorial by Ahmed Al-Rubei in the pan-Ara
Al-Sharq Al-Awsat, widely read in Iraq, entitled "The Liberation of
Sunni Arabs in Iraq:"

--"We regret that a small group in Iraq succeeded in kidnapping the
Arab Sunnis groups in Iraq and to speak in their namesWe feel sorry,
that they now have a spokesperson [Saleh Al-Mutlaq] that speaks only
for himself, but claims to represent all of the Sunnis including the
educated, the activists, politicians, academics and tribal members.
are sorry that there are extremists who occupy most of the Sunni's
mosques and turn Friday's speeches into a provocative call to violenc
Our leaders claim that they are representing the Sunni. They are
deceiving us by talking against the occupation force, but in reality
they are encouraging violence against IraqisThey talk in name of
f
democracy and freedom but they want to take us back to the dictatoria
past and they are now the echo of terrorism."

Khalilzad

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