Sunni cleric criticises Kurdish plan for Iraq

[IndianaGreen]

Sunni cleric criticises Kurdish plan for Iraq
By Robert Reid, AP Writer, in Baghdad
Published: 23 July 2005

A prominent Sunni Arab cleric denounced Kurdish proposals to transform Iraq into a federal state as a plot to deny other Iraqis "our wealth and resources".

Sheik Mahmoud al-Sumaidaie told worshippers during a sermon at the Umm al-Qura mosque yesterday: "There are conspiracies being prepared to deny us our wealth and resources. We don't want a constitution that leads to the division of the country. We are hearing cries for federalism, cries of those who are not honest to this country."

The Kurds want a federal system to make sure they continue to govern themselves in the Kurdish heartland of the north, where they have enjoyed self-rule since 1991. Some Shias have also proposed a Shia autonomous region in the south. But many Sunni Arabs believe federalism is a first step to divide the nation. Most of Iraq's oil wealth is in the north and the mostly Shia south.

"I want to say to those who want to change the identity of our Islamic country that people of this country are brothers," Sheik al-Sumaidaie said. "Iraq will remain the country of all Iraqis, Sunnis, Shias, Kurds and Turkomans."

http://news.independent.co.uk/world/middle_east/article301008.ece

[jody]

1. Given Sunni opposition, it's probable that the four strongest governorates

controlled by the Sunni will not ratify the new constitution.

Article 61 of the LAW OF ADMINISTRATION FOR THE STATE OF IRAQ FOR THE TRANSITIONAL PERIOD 8 March 2004 says “(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.”

Sunni control the governorates Al Anbar, Diyala, Ninawa, and Salah al-Din and they did not participate in the last election.