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| Iraq |
| Iraq: Election law must cater for minority rights says UN envoy |
| 2008-10-04 |
| (AKI) - The top United Nations official in Iraq has called on the country's lawmakers to reinstate a key provision safeguarding minorities in the new provincial election law. The guarantees for minorities provided by Article 50 - removed from the provincial election law passed last week - is fundamental to democracy in Iraq, said Staffan de Mistura, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon's Special Representative for Iraq. "Article 50 is a strong indication Iraq is a nation ready to protect the political rights of minorities as founded in the Constitution," De Mistura said. "I was surprised and disappointed that Article 50 was not included in the provincial election law," he added. De Mistura is also head of the UN Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI). He reiterated that UNAMI will continue its consultations with political leaders and minority groups to ensure that Article 50 be reintroduced in law after the Eid al-Fitr holiday that marks the end of the holy Muslim fasting month of Ramadan. "Article 50 has the backing of minority groups, political blocs and UNAMI and should now be reinstated into the legislation as soon as possible so minorities can participate in the upcoming elections to be held sometime before 31 January 2009," de Mistura said. After months of infighting, Iraq's parliament on 24 September passed the crucial legislation that will allow most of the country to hold provincial elections early next year. The law is seen as a key step toward bringing under-represented groups back into Iraqi politics, particularly Sunnis in Anbar province who have recently turned against violence and Al-Qaeda extremists. The United States and the United Nations also hope that holding elections soon will help solidify recent improvements in security in Iraq. |
| Posted by:Fred |