US embassy cable - 05BAGHDAD4176

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 BAGHDAD 004176 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/09/2015 
TAGS: PREL, KDEM, IZ, XL, Electoral Commision, Elections 
SUBJECT: FALLUJAH: LEADERS MEET WITH IECI  COMMISSIONER, 
WELCOME VISIT BUT ALSO RAISE CONCERNS 
 
Classified By: POLITICAL COUNSELOR ROBERT S. FORD, 
REASONS 1.4 (B) AND (D). 
 
1. (C) SUMMARY:  Fallujah city leaders met with IECI 
Chairman, Izadin Shufiq, UN IFES elections expert 
Philip Sfocina, and an Embassy/USAID delegation 
October 6, 2005, at the Fallujah Civil-Military 
Operations Center (CMOC).  Residents criticized the 
number of seats (nine) the Transitional National 
Assembly (TNA) had allocated for Anbar in the December 
15 election, claiming it did not reflect the true size 
of the province's electorate.  They welcomed the 
IECI's agreement to allow polling site security in 
Fallujah proper to be overseen by tribes, with imams' 
support.  Commissioner Izadin stated flatly that the 
IECI had opposed the TNA's initial decision, since 
reversed, to define two-thirds of registered voters 
(vice those who show-up polling day) as the necessary 
threshold in three provinces to veto the 
constitution.  The commissioner informed the gathered 
leaders that detainees would be allowed to vote, and 
that he had discussed ITG and CF military operations 
in the Euphrates River Valley with PM Jafari.  Izadin 
agreed that the presence of media in the city on 
Referendum day would be key to counter Zarqawi and 
insurgent propaganda given the projected high 
turnout.  Fallujans expressed appreciation for the 
visit and predicted that the city would vote in large 
numbers.  END SUMMARY. 
 
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IECI:  WE WANT SUNNIS TO PARTICIPATE 
------------------------------------ 
 
2. (C) IECI Chairman Izadin stressed to gathered 
Fallujans (tribal leaders, reconstruction committee 
chairman, city council members, among others) October 
6, 2005, at the CMOC that the commission wanted to 
ensure broad Sunni-Arab participation in the October 
15 referendum and December election.  Security at 
polling sites is a top priority; he noted that 
Fallujah's security arrangements would be an 
exception:  tribes would be given a role and site 
workers would be recruited locally.  Izadin informed 
Fallujans that Al Anbar had been allocated nine seats 
for the December election.  He criticized the recent 
TNA decision that would have significantly raised the 
bar in provinces for the two-thirds requirement to 
veto the constitution -- a change that the IECI had 
vigorously opposed. 
 
3. (C) Izadin confirmed that detainees would be 
allowed to vote, although exact mechanics were still 
being worked out.  The IECI recognized Sunni-Arab 
concerns about ongoing ITG/CF military operations in 
the Euphrates River Valley, a subject he said he had 
discussed directly with Prime Minister Jafari. 
 
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FALLUJANS:  WE ARE READY; FEW 
CONSTITUTION TEXTS; NEED MORE SEATS 
------------------------------- 
 
4. (C) Tribal leaders noted that Fallujah was 
mobilized to participate in the referendum.  City 
leaders had long urged residents to vote.  They 
welcomed news that detainees would be allowed 
participate as well.  One tribal leader, Sheikh 
Mohammed, criticized ongoing U.S. military operations 
in Anbar, claiming that in some cities "only ten 
percent" of the population remained.  He asked how 
could the people there vote. 
 
5. (C) Several Fallujah leaders deplored that few 
constitutions had been circulated to residents and 
that most area Sunni-Arabs had not read it.  They 
warned that consequently people would rely on the 
guidance of religious leaders because they were unable 
to judge the document on its merits. 
 
6. (C) Residents flagged concerns over the number of 
parliamentary seats that had been allocated to Al 
Anbar province. Engineer Farouk noted that Najaf had 
fewer residents than Anbar, but would be granted 
almost the same number of seats (nine for Anbar, eight 
for Najaf).  He stated, "We respect the holy city of 
An-Najaf, but they have eight seats.  With all due 
respect to them, and I respect them greatly, we are 
huge.  An-Najaf is one of our great cities, but Anbar 
is much, much larger." Izadin replied that "science" 
had been used by the TNA to determine the allocation 
of seats, using the public distribution (food ration) 
data. 
 
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ISF VOTE? 
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7. (C) A Fallujah-based Public Order Brigage (POB) 
general, Brigadier General Kareem, questioned the 
mechanics for ISF voting on Referendum Day.  (NOTE: 
There are approximately 5,000 ISF in Fallujah, a 
majority of whom are Sh'ia.  END NOTE.)  Izadin 
replied that "separate envelopes" would be available 
at each polling site for the military and police (e.g. 
if from Basra, there would be a Basra envelope, which 
would then be sent back to the respective provinces 
for counting).  BG Kareem said some of his men lacked 
identification; Izadin promised he'd go back to the 
MOD and MOI to help work out a solution.  The Marine 
regimental commander in Fallujah, Colonel Berger, 
stressed the importance of resolving the issue, 
remarking:  ISF "are citizens, too" and must be given 
the right to vote. 
 
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MEDIA KEY TO COUNTERING AMZ ET AL. 
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8. (C) In a separate meeting with the Marine 
regimental commander (who oversees security in the 
city), Marine Foreign Area Officer, Fallujah Poloff, 
and USAID/Embassy delegation, Izadin reinforced IECI 
commitment to a credible electoral process.  He noted 
that the Coalition would play a key role in 
transporting ballots.  Izadin clarified that media 
should be encouraged to cover voting in Fallujah; the 
only IECI restriction related to coverage inside 
actual polling sites (not allowed).  Poloff stressed 
that Fallujah, Zarqawi's old headquarters, would 
likely turnout in the tens of thousands on referendum 
day.  These images would forcefully counter AMZ 
propaganda -- showing that Fallujah's Sunni Arabs, in 
Iraq's city of mosques no less -- were not intimidated 
and had decided to vote in large numbers. 
 
9. (C) Izadin agreed.  He stated that Fallujah's 
turnout "would be a strike against Zarqawi.  Fallujah 
was his headquarters, and he will see that everyone is 
willing to participate in the political process.  They 
will be following the democratic way and standing 
against violence."  (NOTE:  We anticipate some media 
presence in Fallujah on referendum day, in line with 
security provisions and resource constraints.  END 
NOTE.) 
 
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COMMENT 
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10. (C)  This visit was put together through the 
coordination of the Embassy, MNF-I, IIMEF and the 
Fallujah SET.  Fallujans welcomed the IECI 
commissioner's visit, and we will work to ensure that 
the visit is the start, and not the end-point, of 
outreach in the city.  Izadin was an adept presenter 
of IECI positions.  Questions put to the commissioner 
largely reflected Sunni-Arab paranoia regarding ITG 
machinations and anxiety about ongoing military 
operations in Anbar. In Fallujah, ISF relations with 
residents are marked largely by friction and mistrust. 
More IECI clarity regarding ISF voting is needed to 
ensure that all votes are counted in a credible 
fashion. 
Khalilzad