Iraq Watch: January 12, 2006

Sunni Politician Denounces al-Hakim's Statement

BAGHDAD, Iraq - Senior Iraqi Sunni politician Saleh al-Mutlaq, head of the National Dialogue Front (NDF), on Thursday denounced yesterday's statement made by SCIRI leader Abdul Aziz al-Hakim in which the powerful Shiite cleric asserted that no "substantial" changes to the nations recently ratified constitution would be permitted.

Sunnis, who largely boycotted last January's elections, voted in droves on December 15 with the Shiites assurance that the constitution - which Sunnis overwhelmingly rejected in October's national referendum - was open to changes once Iraq's new parliament convenes in February.

One of the Sunni Arabs main grievances with the constitution is the power federalism has been given. Iraq's vast oil reserves are largely located in the Kurdish northern and Shiite southern regions of the nation. Under a federalist style government the Sunnis, who ruled for decades under dictator and fellow Sunni Saddam Hussein, fear that they will be left isolated in central part of the country without an abundance of natural resources.

Al-Hakim said yesterday during a speech marking the Eid al-Adha holiday: "The first principle is not to change the essence of the constitution. This constitution was endorsed by the Iraqi people." Al-Mutlaq countered Thursday by stating that, "If they do not accept key amendments to the country's new constitution, including the regions issue, then let them work alone and divide the country, as for us we do not accept this."