Iraqi Sunnis, anti-American Shiite cleric protest proposed constitution

[NNN0LHI]

http://www.cbc.ca/cp/world/050819/w081930.html

BAGHDAD (AP) - Sunni Arabs and followers of an anti-American Shiite cleric held protests Friday against federal provisions in Iraq's proposed constitution, as negotiators sought to reach agreement on the charter by next week's deadline. snip

On Friday, more than 1,000 people rallied in Baqouba, northeast of Baghdad, to protest the proposed constitution. The demonstrators chanted slogans against the proposed division of Iraq.

In Baghdad, anti-federal protests were scheduled in Sadr City and the northern district of Kazimiyah, a Shiite bastion.

The biggest Shiite political party - the Supreme Council for the Islamic Revolution in Iraq - supports creation of a federal region in the Shiite-dominated areas of central and southern Iraq, including major oil fields.

But two other Shiite parties, Prime Minister Ibrahim al-Jaafari's Dawa party and the movement of anti-American cleric Muqtada al-Sadr, do not support the plan.

[ConcernedCanuk]

1. Well, when one looks what America has become . .

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why would one want a constitution that even vaguely resembles theirs?

must be a serious flaw in there sumwhere . . . . :freak:

[cal04]

2. Sunnis Complain of Being Cut Out of Talks

Sunni Arabs complained Saturday they were being sidelined in talks on the new constitution only two days before the deadline and warned that their community will reject the document if it is submitted to parliament without Sunni consent. "They will surprise us in the final hour," Saleh al-Mutlaq, one of four main Sunni negotiators, told The Associated Press. "We will reject it and the people will be angry, the street will be angry and as a result we will be back to square one."


http://news.yahoo.com/fc/World/Iraq