Sunni Boycot

It seems that the sunni minority fear misrepresentation in the new Iraq Government. Some are Calling for a Boycott, only making this fear worse.

Should we care?
If they boycott do they deserve a seat in Government?
Is the posibility of a Civil war a matter of concern?

I would say
They have recived preferental treatment for the duration of Sadams Reign.
Not voting eleminates the right to complain.

Your thoughts....

Note: Early estimates state that voter turnout was close to 70%. A turnout that Americans could only dream of.

I understand your point, but getting all factions involved in creating a constitution and rebuilding their country is the only way to prevent civil war.

Listening to various pundits throughout the day it sounds like quite a few did vote, but by and large the Sunni numbers were probably very low. It will be interesting to see percentages in a few days.

I would like to see the Sunnis represented - their only other alternative would be to begin a civil war. Obviously there were some Sunnis listed as choices and some Sunnis did vote. It would be stupid of the provisional government to not make the attempt to get the Sunnis involved in the process.

Let's hope for the best.
B.

Originally posted by Halfofone
Should we care?

Most certainly everyone should

If they boycott do they deserve a seat in Government?

Absolutely not.

Is the posibility of a Civil war a matter of concern?

In that country, allways. Its like the balkans and eastern europe post soviets.

Not voting eleminates the right to complain.

It eliminates the legitimacy of their complaints, but that wouldn't stop them from ransacking shia citys.

The turnout was good. However, i heard that in some cities, there were only 6, 7 people who voted. So sketchy, certainly.

The issue is, If there wasn't much sunni turnout, and a shia dominated assembly creates a governement that doesn't give equal protection before the law for the sunni and their intersests, then the sunni will pull out of the government, and the persian rug will be pulled out from underneath it.

it'd be like if the small colonies weren't treated fairly by the constiution (or articles of confederation at first anyways), and decided to not ratify it. The new over government couldn't function properly with these enclaves stuck within it, having their own foreign, economic and social policy and the like.

edit to add

I should add that not participating widely in the election is not as important as simply not being abused by whatever constitution the assembly drafts. Indeed, they are a minority, and can't have control even if they participate fully, so its possible that, even if they are represented proportionately in teh national assembly, that the shia might not be willing to make concessions and compromises with them, and that itself could cause havoc.

[edit on 30-1-2005 by Nygdan]

Hey, guess who back? LOL
Well, the first hurdle. Now the ground work will be a long road ahead. I think it will be done with some problems ajusting to a government. Hopefully, everyone will be equal as people, not just by how many are in the religion to domenate. Domination is the key that hold kaos in this region. Are the Sunni part of Iranian religion?

Good points everyone.

I think that no matter what, the Sunni's will be missrepresented.

It's a matter of fact that the sect is a minority and will be reflected as such in the assembly. I just can't understand how a boycott will effectivly change this.
It would be interesting to see % of representation compaired to % of population. From what I've seen 20% of Iraq's population is sunni.
But as nygdan has said it all depends upon the elected government's( most likely shia) policy toward both kurdish and sunni minorities.

Originally posted by Halfofone
Note: Early estimates state that voter turnout was close to 70%. A turnout that Americans could only dream of.

Was that 70% of the people that registered for a vote? Could it mean that if only 40% of the total population registered it wasn't so impressive? I might have mixed the statistics up and if so I'm sorry.. Just wanted to understand the numbers..

There was no sunni boycott.

What you all fail to realise is that the kurds are sunni muslims

So if there was record turnout by the kurds how could sunni's have boycotted?

What are their beliefs?
Nearly all the Kurds are Muslim, most being Shafiite Sunnis. They first embraced Islam after the Arab conquests of the seventh century. They look to Islam as a basis for social justice.

Despite being predominantly Sunnis, religion has created deep rifts among the Kurds. These differences also have prejudicial overtones towards the lower class. Many of the dispossessed Kurd minorities have become associated with the secret and unorthodox sects of Islam--the most fervently rebellious people in Kurd society.

Even among the Sunni Kurds, there remain traces of an earlier pagan, violent-type faith. This occasionally surfaces and has set the Kurds of Iran apart from other Muslims. In rural areas, many still believe in jinnis and demons, and practice such things as animal worship. According to Muslim legend, jinnis are spirits capable of assuming either human or animal form, and exercising supernatural influence over people. Until recent times, mullahs (Islamic religious leaders) acted as village witch doctors. They would perform ceremonies and recite incantations to drive out madness or to cure the sick.

source www.ksafe.com...


Cause I just know some ignorant fool is going to try and deny my earlier assertion here I present the all important link.

Thanks. It cleared up a couple of questions I had. It gets confusing sometimes who is who in religion. Thanks again.

PolarBearExpress..........

70% was a number I saw somewhere. not sure what the REAL numbers were of what that % represents. I'm guessing it is % of regestered.

Originally posted by mwm1331
There was no sunni boycott.

What you all fail to realise is that the kurds are sunni muslims

So if there was record turnout by the kurds how could sunni's have boycotted?

I Never said ther WAS,
I said that some leaders were calling for all sunni's to do so.

BUT now I will
www.npr.org...

My question was If they boycott do they deserve a seat in Government?
Thanks for your non-answer. And for telling me something I know all ready.
Many Iraqi Sunni Kurds accualy belong to mystical Sufi orders.
I don't know why it matters if most kurds are sunni's, If you notice I metioned them in the same light.

Call it a preemptive strike halfofone.
The elections were only 3 days ago and already people on this site have said tht
1)the iraquis only voted because the US forces would kill them if they ddn't
2)the iraquis only voted because the US forces would starve them if they didn't
3) the elections dont matter becuse percentage of 20% of the population (sunni arabs) may have boycotted
etc etc ad nauseam

Originally posted by mwm1331

1)the iraquis only voted because the US forces would kill them if they ddn't

As you mwm, I do not believe that to be true.

2)the iraquis only voted because the US forces would starve them if they didn't

Again, there is no way.

3) the elections dont matter becuse percentage of 20% of the population (sunni arabs) may have boycotted

The elections matter no matter who boycotts, the boycotters lose out.

Now taking the fact that it was (so we are told) the Kurds that were oppressed by Saddam and the majority of Kurds are Sunni, why would they choose not to take part in electing a new leader? That does not make sense.

Very well mwm1331

I understand the rash nature of many here on ATS
but disscussion is the only way we can weed out the disinformation or miss-information as it were