US embassy cable - 05BAGHDAD4004

C O N F I D E N T I A L BAGHDAD 004004 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/26/2015 
TAGS: PGOV, PHUM, PINR, I, Shia Islamists 
SUBJECT: SHIA IMAMS IN FAVOR OF CONSTITUTION, BUT THEIR 
FLOCKS HAVE RESERVATIONS 
 
Classified By: POLITICAL COUNSELOR ROBERT FORD FOR REASONS 
1.4 (B) AND (D). 
 
1. (C) SUMMARY.  In a conversation on September 26 two 
moderate Shia Imams, both followers of Grand Ayatollah 
Sistani, told PolOff they would vote in favor of the 
constitution in the October 15 elections.  They said they 
had set up an organization to tell more Iraqis about the 
constitution.  Some people who pray at their mosques, 
however, have reservations about the document.  END 
SUMMARY. 
 
2. (C) Sheikh Ayad al Ekabi, imam of the Al Rasool mosque 
and Sayed Faris al Jazaeri, imam of the Al Muntather 
mosque, both located in the Al Zafaraniya neighborhood of 
Baghdad, said they had set up a new organization called 
"Rafidai al Iraq" with the help of the U.S. Institute For 
Peace.  They said the organization has so far held six 
conferences to promote knowledge about the Iraqi draft 
constitution.  Sheikh Ayad told PolOff he has been 
encouraging people to read the draft several times, telling 
them, "when you first read the draft, you will hate it." 
He said he also tells them that by the time they read it 
the fourth time, they will "love it so much they will want 
to tell others about it."  These conferences are largely 
informational in nature; the imams provide information and 
answer questions from the attendees.  The imams do tell 
people they will vote in favor of the constitution, but 
they tell Iraqis they should simply learn as much as 
possible about the constitution and make up their own 
minds. 
 
3. (C) Sheikh Ayad and Sayed Faris told PolOff the most 
common reservations Iraqi Shiites have regarding the 
constitution are federalism, the distribution of natural 
resources, and how one obtains Iraqi citizenship.  Many 
Iraqis tell them that federalism is the first step toward 
the break-up of Iraq.  They also worry that natural 
resources will not be distributed fairly, and Baghdad will 
be left without adequate supplies of oil and natural gas. 
These Iraqis also feel that children born abroad who have 
only one Iraqi parent will not know about Iraq and 
therefore should not be granted full citizenship.  Sheikh 
Ayad and Sayed Faris said many Shiites fear that, if these 
issues are not handled properly, the unity of Iraq will be 
threatened.  Poloff said that the constitution was the best 
way to ensure the future stability and unity of Iraq. 
 
4. (C) COMMENT: Both Imams report over 100 attendees at 
Friday prayers at their respective mosques.  We will 
encourage them to use their organization to spread a 
message of moderation to a broader range of Baghdad Shia. 
 
 
Khalilzad