Radical Shiites Not on Iraq Election List

[leftchick]

http://news.scotsman.com/latest.cfm?id=3864552

<snip>

An aide to firebrand Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr said no supporters of the radical preacher, a vehement opponent of the US-led occupation of Iraq, are in the al-Sistani-backed coalition called the United Iraqi Alliance. But al-Sadr’s movement, which has wide grass root support among impoverished and young Shiites, has previously sent mixed messages about its role in the country’s political process.

“We have not participated in this list and we are still suspending our participation in the elections,” Ali Semeisim said from the Shiite Muslim stronghold of Najaf in southern Iraq. “We have been subjected to a campaign of suppression and the arrests against al-Sadr followers are continuing.”

<snip>

“The Sadrist movement announced that it supports the religious authorities and its call for Iraqis to hold elections,” al-Shahristani added. “It also supports the list.”

The al-Sistani-backed coalition includes two major Shiite political parties – the Supreme Council for the Islamic Revolution and the Islamic Dawa Party – and the Iraqi National Congress, led by former exile and one-time Pentagon favourite Ahmad Chalabi.

[KingChicken]

1. Good job, now sadr is an enemy again...

Sadr only called his militia off in Najaf because they reached a political truce, Sistani was supposed to include him in the "politial process", but now he's got nothing to do all day, he might find some other interesting activities.

[maddezmom]

2. another link: Moqtada followers omitted as Shia finalise polls list

~snip~
The absence of Mr Sadr's followers, however, damps hopes that a movement that plunged much of southern Iraq into rebellion over the summer had committed itself to peaceful electoral politics.

Since negotiations behind the list became public two months ago, Sadr loyalists have issued contradictory messages about whether they would participate, but politicians associated with Mr Sistani expressed confidence that the radical movement could be brought on board.

Hussein al-Shahristani, a nuclear scientist involved in compiling the list, said that the Sadr supporters were not included for bureaucratic reasons, but would back the list.

"The Sadr movement is not registered as a political entity, and therefore is not part of the alliance. but they are supporting the Marja'iya in its call for elections and they are asking their followers to vote for this list," Mr Shahristani said.

However, a leading Sadr loyalist politician was quoted by the Arabic-language al-Hayat newspaper on Tuesday that Mr Sadr's followers would "suspend" its participation in the elections, and denied reports of support for Mr Sistani's list.

more:
http://news.ft.com/cms/s/02134e00-4a0e-11d9-b065-00000e2511c8.html