Sunnis rally against Iraq charter
Thousands of Sunni Muslims have demonstrated in the Iraqi city of
Baquba to protest against the draft constitution being debated in Baghdad.
Some carried pictures of Iraq's Sunni former leader, Saddam Hussein.
The Sunnis object to several parts of the draft text agreed by Shia
and Kurdish parties. But Shia leaders have said they will compromise no
further.
It has emerged that US President George Bush phoned a Shia leader
earlier this week urging him to seek consensus.
Mr Bush spoke to Abdul Aziz al-Hakim and "asked him to be more
flexible with regard to Sunni demands," sources close to the ruling Shia
alliance told Reuters.
'Final offer'
The Sunni marchers in Baquba danced and sang chants glorying Saddam
Hussein, the deposed Iraqi leader who held onto power through a series of
bloody crackdowns on the country's Shia and Kurdish communities.
"Bush, Bush, listen well: We all love Saddam Hussein!" sang some of
the marchers, according to Reuters news agency.
The protesters also accused the US-backed government in Baghdad of
promoting the interests of Iraq's Shia neighbour, Iran.
Placards in the procession proclaimed opposition to provisions in
the constitution that the protesters claim would lead to the
federalisation - and ultimate disintegration - of Iraq.
Sunni leaders have rejected the constitutional text drawn up by the
Kurdish and Shia groups who hold a big majority of seats in the Iraqi
parliament.
The outstanding issues from the Shia-Kurdish draft include:
a.. federalism, and the way to form semi-autonomous regions
b.. the terminology used in eradicating the influence of the
former Baath regime - whether to use the term Baath party or Saddam's
Baath
c.. structuring of authority between the presidency, parliament
and the government.
Monday's deadline for agreement was extended until Thursday - and
passed without a breakthrough.
Talks with Sunni leaders are continuing, although on Friday a top
Shia official, Abbas al-Bayati, said Shias had made their "final
proposals", including concessions on both federalism and the Baath Party.
He would not go into detail, but said "we cannot offer more than
that".
Friday also saw Shias rallying in cities across southern Iraq to
show their support for the radical cleric Moqtada Sadr and to demand the
government improve public services.
Sunni isolation
The speaker of Iraq's parliament, Hajim al-Hassani, said whatever
the outcome, the text would go to a referendum in October.
Shias and Kurds could approve the document in parliament without
Sunni backing.
But the insurgency rocking Iraq has its roots in the Sunni
heartlands and the constitution is supposed to be part of the process of
winning the Sunni community round, the BBC's Baghdad correspondent Mike
Wooldridge says.
Sunnis have expressed concerns that allowing for federalism may lead
to the creation of an autonomous Shia area in southern Iraq - like the
Kurdish north but under Iran's influence.
The Sunnis fear greater autonomy for the Kurdish north and Shia
south could compromise their share of revenues from those oil-rich
regions.
Sunni negotiator Saleh al-Mutlaq said one suggestion of delaying any
new federal regions for two years was unacceptable to them and at the
moment he believed there was no prospect of consensus.
The US has announced it is sending another 1,500 troops to Iraq to
bolster security before the referendum on the constitution, due in
October.
In that vote, Sunnis could block the constitution by delivering a
two-thirds "No" vote in three of Iraq's 18 provinces.
That would mean parliament's dissolution and fresh elections in
December.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/4188112.stm
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