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"Security concerns delay Najaf talks"

Posted by Habibi (Guest) - Wednesday, August 18 2004, 4:42:39 (CEST) from USA Educational - Windows XP - Internet Explorer Website: Website title:

I tend to believe that Al-Shibani is telling the truth. Did you know that in the U.S., militias have existed since the founding of this country until the present day? Something about reserving the right to protect oneself from government forces, should any U.S. government of the future behave like the British government back in the Colonial days. Also, due to British behaviour, U.S. citizens can not be forced to house soldiers unwillingly. See excerpt below from an online encyclopedia about the United States Bill of Rights.... Funny how Iraqis are supposed to give up any means of fighting back when there are so many tanks, missiles, bombs, and bullets aimed at them courtesy of the occupying forces. "The right to bear arms openly—adopted with reference to state militias—is guaranteed by the Second Amendment, while freedom from quartering soldiers in a house without the owner’s consent is guaranteed by the Third Amendment. The Fourth Amendment protects people against unreasonable search and seizure..." ---------------------------------------- Security concerns delay Najaf talks Wednesday 18 August 2004, 1:44 Makka Time, 22:44 GMT A Muqtada al-Sadr spokesperson has denied reports that the Shia leader snubbed the Baghdad delegation, citing security concerns as Najaf comes under renewed US shelling. Ahmad Al-Shibani told Aljazeera that media reports that al-Sadr had refused to meet with the Iraqi National Conference delegation were false and fabricated. "On the contrary, Muqtada al-Sadr has welcomed this delegation and has also welcomed any mediative efforts on the part of Pope John Paul II of the Vatican," al-Shibani told Aljazeera. "However, we are under constant attack by US-led occupation forces and the security atmosphere did not facilitate a meeting with Muqtada al-Sadr". There were unconfirmed attacks that the talks with the Baghdad delegation would be rescheduled. Najaf governor Adnan al-Zirqi said he doubted the reasons given for the delay in the talks, but could not provide any evidence to support his claim. Scaled-down delegation A scaled down eight-member delegation of Iraqi political and religious leaders had arrived in Najaf on Tuesday evening to try and persuade Shia leader Muqtada al-Sadr to leave the holy shrine. The delegation from the Iraq National Conference (INC), led by US ally and Shia leader Shaikh Husayn al-Sadr, was transported to Najaf by US Blackhawk helicopters on Tuesday, after being delayed twice due to security fears. The team was originally scheduled to leave on Monday. The delegation hopes to meet Muqtada al-Sadr to relay a call from the 1300-delegate national conference to disarm his al-Mahdi Army and leave a holy shrine in Najaf to end the fighting. According to one report, the original strength of the delegation numbered 60. The cut back in the delegation comes amid reports of fighting on Tuesday in Najaf between Shia leader Muqtada al-Sadr's al-Mahdi Army and a combination of US occupation and Iraqi security forces. No conditions The delegation entered the huge shrine compound at around 0700 (1500 GMT) at the heart of the city's historic centre, where continuous, heavy gunfire raged throughout the day, punctuated by mortar blasts. "This is a peace initiative ... . We're not going to negotiate or lay conditions on Sayyid Muqtada," Shaikh Husayn al-Sadr said. "The delegation is just going to deliver the message issued by the Iraqi National Conference, which includes transforming the al-Mahdi Army into a political organisation, vacating the holy shrine area and an invitation to Sayyid Muqtada and his followers to take part in the political process," he added. Dozens of delegates had been expected to arrive in Najaf late on Monday, but the trip was postponed due to what Husayn al-Sadr called "technical difficulties". The party was determined to go on Tuesday, he said, refusing to confirm how many people would be going or how they would travel. On Monday, participants said they were optimistic they would be able to convince al-Sadr to quit the shrine. No to militias Delegates have approved a proposal put forward by Shaikh Husayn al-Sadr, who told the conference: "There are inviolable conditions in civilised countries, particularly that there is no place for armed militias." Talking to Aljazeera earlier, Iraqi National Conference member Abbas al-Bayati said one of the key points to be discussed with al-Sadr would be to disarm the al-Mahdi Army and transform it into a political organisation. "It is true that al-Sadr supporters are apprehensive and sceptical about the Iraqi interim government, while the government feels the same about the al-Mahdi," he said. Despite the differences in perception, the dialogue with al-Sadr was important as it would create a positive atmosphere and provide proof that both sides intended to continue to resolve the issue peacefully, he said. Al-Sadr open The government will affirm the supremacy of law along with disarming the al-Mahdi Army, which could turn into the largest political organisation in Iraq, al-Bayati pointed out. Al-Sadr aide Ahmad al-Shaibani said the Shia leader had agreed to receive two delegations - one headed by the UN secretary-general's representative in Iraq, and the other from the INC - to seek ways of ending the stand-off in Najaf. Al-Sadr expressed readiness to negotiate turning his group into a political organisation, but rejected the call for it to lay down arms, which he described as being for personal use, al-Shaibani said. Human shields The Shia leader, along with his close supporters, are in the Imam Ali shrine in Najaf after days of fighting with occupation troops and Iraqi security forces which has left scores dead and many injured. On Monday, about 2000 Iraqi civilian "volunteers" formed a human shield around him inside the Imam Ali shrine, which is hemmed in by US-led forces. Aljazeera + Agencies --------------------- - BACK TO INDEX - REPLY - QUOTE - EDIT - DELETE -

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