Iraq Sunni leader says to work against draft charter

[leftchick]

http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/ALI047269.htm

BAGHDAD, Aug 30 (Reuters) - One of Iraq's top Sunni political leaders, Adnan Dulaimi, said on Tuesday he would work hard to ensure the country's draft constitution was rejected in a referendum due by Oct. 15.

Dulaimi, speaking at a joint news conference with the U.S. ambassador to Iraq, said the charter did not represent the aspirations of the Iraqi people.

"We will do our best to make sure this draft fails at the referendum," he told journalists.

Arguments over the draft constitution are divisive in Iraq. The southern Shi'ite Muslims and northern Kurds broadly support the text, while the minority Sunni Muslims -- from among whom Saddam Hussein drew his support -- are broadly opposed.

[zanne]

1. Why should we (or the Iraqis) believe the outcome

of the referendum vote? And is it a binding referendum? I think they're ramming the consitutional draft through because they know it won't make any difference who votes. Their Parliament was supposed to be dissolved if all parties didn't sign off on the draft, but they rammed it through anyway. Why should they follow the rules for a fair vote in October if they can't follow the rules now?

[enigma000]

3. Article 61 of TAL

www.cpa-iraq.org/government/TAL.html

Article 61.

(A) The National Assembly shall write the draft of the permanent constitution by no later than 15 August 2005.

(B) The draft permanent constitution shall be presented to the Iraqi people for approval in a general referendum to be held no later than 15 October 2005. In the period leading up to the referendum, the draft constitution shall be published and widely distributed to encourage a public debate about it among the people.

Oddly enough, there is no mention the National Assembly had to vote on and approve the draft constitution.

(C) The general referendum will be successful and the draft constitution ratified if a majority of the voters in Iraq approve and if two-thirds of the voters in three or more governorates do not reject it.

It looks like the referendum will be binding. As for trusting the process, well, I don't know about you, but some days I don't think the administration could rig a bingo game much less a national referendum.

[enigma000]

2. What's he gonna do, suicide bomb a polling station? n/t

[zanne]

4. What do you mean?

And who's "he"?

[enigma000]

5. "Sunni political leader Adnan Dulaimi"

Well, he wanted to defeat the constitution.
O.K. bad joke.