US embassy cable - 05BAGHDAD3567

C O N F I D E N T I A L BAGHDAD 003567 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/31/2015 
TAGS: PGOV, QA, IZ, Sunni Arab 
SUBJECT: SUNNI LEADER REJECTS CONSTITUTION, ALLEGES POLICE 
ABUSE 
 
Classified By: CLASSIFIED BY AMBASSADOR ZALMAY KHALILZAD FOR REASONS 1. 
4 (b) AND (d) 
 
1. (C) SUMMARY.  Adnan al-Dulaimi told Ambassador on August 
30 that Minister of Interior Baqr Jabr should be removed due 
to allegations of arbitrary arrest, abuse, and murder of 
Sunnis by Iraqi Police (IP).  Dulaimi worried that federalism 
would divide the country and urged that the referendum be 
deferred until after the elections.  Dulaimi also said Sunnis 
would vote against the constitution.  He requested a 
countrywide 10-day extension for voter registration and said 
the recent release of 1,000 detainees was a welcome gesture 
of goodwill.  Ambassador emphasized the necessity for 
continued Sunni participation in the political process, 
urging Dulaimi to withhold judgment on the constitution until 
the final text has been released.  Ambassador said he would 
continue to press MoI to address allegations of abuse and 
extra-judicial killings by IP and said he would look into the 
requested extension for voter registration.  END SUMMARY. 
 
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ALLEGATIONS OF MOI ABUSE 
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2. (C) Adnan al-Dulaimi in an August 30 meeting with 
Ambassador called for the removal of Minister of Interior 
Baqr Jabr, alleging arbitrary arrest, abuse, and murder of 
Sunnis by the Iraqi Police (IP).  As an example, Dulaimi 
pointed to the recent discovery in Wasit Province of 36 
bodies identified as Sunnis, who were allegedly detained by 
IP (septel).  Dulaimi alleged Iraqi Government complicity. 
The Ambassador said he would press MOI to address the 
allegations of abuse and extra-judicial killings by the IP. 
 
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DULAIMI SAYS SUNNIS TO REJECT CONSTITUTION 
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3. (C) Dulaimi worried that federalism would divide the 
country, and urged that the referendum be deferred until 
after the next elections.  Ambassador emphasized that Iraq 
must stay together and that Sunnis must participate in that 
process.  The constitution is a living document, he added, 
and to affect it, the Sunni community must be fully engaged 
in the political process.  Dulaimi stated that "We will 
definitely vote against it"; Ambassador responded that the 
democratic process is all about giving individuals the right 
to express their opinions in a meaningful peaceful manner. 
He urged Dulaimi to study the text and its compromises 
carefully and to withhold judgment until the final text is 
out. 
 
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DETAINEE RELEASE WELCOMED; REQUEST FOR EXTENSION 
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4. (C) Citing security problems hampering voter registration 
in some provinces, Dulaimi requested a 10-day extension for 
registration throughout the country.  He emphasized his 
efforts to encourage Sunnis to vote and suggested that such 
an extension would be a welcome gesture of goodwill.  Dulaimi 
said that the Sunni community positively received the recent 
American release of 1,000 detainees and urged more of these 
releases, emphasizing they should be done quickly. 
Ambassador stated that more detainees would be released and 
agreed to look into the possibility of the requested 
extension. 
Khalilzad