Open Letter to UN Envoys: We call for direct elections under the 1959
constitution
The United Nations saves the world
by saving Iraq
Mr. Lakhdar Al
Ibrahimi,
Members of the
international
delegation,
Welcome to Iraq. We
wish you a safe visit and success in your efforts. We do not say this out of
courtesy to distinguished officials, but out of concern for the future of our
country, Iraq, first, and out of pity for the fate of humanity, second,
including the existence of the UN itself. To save time, we will tackle these
points in
turn:
Iraq:
The
current political and security situations in Iraq are not how they should be,
and have cost many lives, including Mr. De Mello, but they are in a better
condition than expected, or planned for. The occupation forces have taken
actions, purposefully or not, the results of which are eradicating the Iraqi
state’s security institutions and national identity, destruction of
necessary social services, such as water, electricity, petrol, the
infrastructure, and
others...
Those measures did
not stop there. They went as far as fragmenting Iraq and restructuring Iraqi
society on basis it has never known, such as sectarianism, racism, and
tribalism. Indeed, these elements exist in Iraq and elsewhere, but the nature of
Iraqi society, which goes back to the dawn of human history, has dissolved the
separating lines between the different human congregations from all walks of
life. It also helped peaceful coexistence, which enriched, and still does, the
Iraqi society’s spiritual
values.
As a result, the Iraqi
people established spiritual institutions throughout the centuries; Al Safa
brothers in Basra and Baghdad in the 10th century AD, the Hawza
(Shiite institution) in Najaf, which history goes back to the 11th
century, and the brotherly relations between the religions, sects, and opinions
since the 1920 revolution in the modern age. Therefore, we say that sectarian
conflicts were in worst cases, the making of invaders, not internal
enmity.
The
world:
It must be obvious to
you, who are well-aware of current international affairs, that there is a new
alignment of international blocs, after the collapse of the Soviet bloc, the
development of the European unity, and rapid development of the Chinese economy,
simultaneously with the Japanese stagnation. Such events previously led to two
world wars, and it is not improbable for them to end with a third or fourth
world war, if the impulsive American expansionist policy goes on, and the UN
remains incapable of protecting the Iraqi people from extermination through a
monstrous economic blockade, implemented by and in the name of international
organizations.
Yes, there are
balances of nuclear power between the major blocs, which saved the world from
nuclear destruction. But the new situation created by the flood in international
economic balances, enabled the (American) individual control of oil fields in
the Gulf (with Iraq at the heart), of altering the international strategic
balance. The American weakness in Iraq, and its loss of control of security and
politics, could either end up with an unorganized withdrawal and end of the
American control of the region – as happened in Vietnam and Somalia
– or with a political void in the region that would lead to major
interventions from neighboring countries; so it seems in hot debates throughout
the region, in the absence of two things: the security of oil-exporting
countries, and a fair and efficient role for the UN in international
clashes.
The occupation of
Iraq, which was later acknowledged by the UN, gave credit to the noted workers,
and placed the entire world, and not only Iraq, under the threat of mass
destruction, especially with the increasing number of nuclear powers, and
appearance of more than one front of nuclear clash in the Far East and India,
and what is called the “Middle East”
issue.
The international
organization stands at a crossroad today: either show its support of world peace
and peoples’ freedom, or have a destiny similar to that of the League of
Nations and all its synonyms: world wars. This will be determined by the
positions the UN will take in order to end the occupation of Iraq, reinstate its
sovereignty, and respect the right of the Iraqi people to vote for their
legitimate representatives, directly and without external
interference.
The
UN:
Is the UN capable of facing
these challenges? This will be determined by the decision that the members of
the international delegation visiting Iraq will come out
with.
Iraqis were deprived of
their democratic rights since the first British occupation in 1914. The Baath
Party, which reign lasted 40 years, confiscated their basic political rights.
This is why our people are hoping to use their democratic rights, no matter what
the costs are. For this reason, they will disdain any stance that would
confiscate their legal rights, under frail pretexts, which Al-Ghad extensively
discussed in the editorial of its second
issue.
The various influential
Iraqi political forces are convinced that elections are currently possible.
According to press reports, an eligible technical group was created, which
consists of a number of experts in statistics and calculations, and everything
related to the governing of the electoral operation in an organized manner, and
under local and external supervision, in order to avoid manipulations, and
assess complaints that could occur even in the oldest of democracies. Opposition
of direct elections essentially comes from the occupation forces and those
linked to them, in an attempt to cling to the political positions and illegal
privileges these forces provided them
with.
We support the suggestion
of UN Secretary General Kofi Anan, in adopting the Iraqi temporary legislation
of 1958 for the time being, until a permanent legislation is enacted. We find
that the UN has to play an important role in providing the complete withdrawal
of the occupation forces, and the reinstatement of Iraq’s full
sovereignty, while respecting international agreements and accords. First, by
acknowledging the right of Iraqi people to vote for their legitimate
representatives, through direct, free, and honest elections. Second, by
providing an independent and fair international supervision for the elections.
Third, by providing an adequate façade enabling a possible American
withdrawal that would save face of a major country. Fourth, by providing a
shield for a preplanned transitional period, in order to regain national life,
and evacuating foreign
forces.
Finally, we say that
Iraqis are capable, on their own, like they were during the 1920s, no matter
what the costs would be. They will not kneel before foreign aggression. But the
decline of international organizations, namely the UN, from their duties to
protect world peace, and condemn the flagrant American aggression on Iraq, might
open the way to a new world war, and mass destruction. Thus, we urge you to
support the demands of the vast majority, which were expressed by Ayatollah Ali
Sistani, in holding direct elections, providing a complete withdrawal of the
invading forces, and giving back its sovereignty and the unity of its
land.
Best
regards,
Al-Ghad
Posted: Sun - February 29, 2004 at 11:06
