Iraq investigating serious vote fraud allegations

[Blue_Tires]

Source: Reuters

BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Electoral officials are examining serious complaints of vote fraud in Iraq's western Anbar province, where Sunni Arab tribal leaders are disputing provincial election results.

The independent electoral commission has received a flood of complaints about fraud and other violations from the largely Sunni Arab province, Faraj al-Haidari, Iraq's senior electoral official, told Reuters on Wednesday.

Saturday's provincial election was the most peaceful in Iraq since the fall of Saddam Hussein in 2003. But Anbar has seen tension between Sunni Arab tribes participating for the first time and established parties that ran the province for years.

"Some of these complaints are serious and could be considered 'red' complaints. We may send our officials to verify these complaints on the ground," Haidari said.

"Red" is the term for complaints which could alter the outcome of the vote, which was held to select leaders in 14 out of Iraq's 18 provinces


Read more: http://uk.reuters.com/article/worldNews/idUKTRE51336F20090204

---

let it never be said that the iraqis didn't learn a little american culture...