Iraq's al-Anbar considers amnesty
Iraqis in al-Anbar province, west of Baghdad, are considering the government's offer of an amnesty to members of militias and armed groups.
The amnesty proposal put forward in June by Nuri al-Maliki, the prime minister, is an ongoing effort by the Iraqi government to bring about national reconciliation and end growing sectarian violence.
Al-Maliki has proposed that an amnesty be offered to former fighters, but those who have carried out "terrorist attacks", killed Americans or who have supported Saddam Hussein are to be put on trial.
Al-Maliki's initial 28-point plan included granting an amnesty to armed groups who believed they were fighting US occupation of the country, provided they laid down their arms and joined the political process.
However, after objections from Washington, the plan was whittled down to 24 points and left the issue of amnesty for those who killed Iraqi troops ambiguous.
"We should put aside our complicated problems because they represent obstacles in the way of the peace," Mowfaq Aziz, a 38-year old banker in Hiyt city, 170km west of Baghdad, said.
Aziz supports the proposed amnesty but says that it should aim to discriminate between Iraqis who fought against the US occupation and the criminal gangs who are behind kidnappings for ransom.
"The government should put all the criminals under the authority of the Iraqi civil law," said Aziz, who added that the government's current policy of launching periodic offensives against armed groups in Sunni areas only increases anger in these areas.
"These expeditions may cast al-Maliki's project into the wind."
Who gets amnesty?
Many Iraqis feel that the broad nature of the proposal does not specify which armed groups will be pardoned, and warn that the proposal will need to be more detailed to stand a chance of success.
The proposed amnesty does not cover those who kill US troops.
"This invitation didn't identify which armed groups should be part of the amnesty," Umar Ghadban, a 21-year old student in Al-Anbar University in Ramadi, said.
"Al-Maliki should be brave enough and define the resistance groups with their known names," Ghadban said.
"But he doesn't want to admit that there are nationalist groups who fight the US troops to liberate the country."
Read the rest at Aljazeera.
The amnesty proposal put forward in June by Nuri al-Maliki, the prime minister, is an ongoing effort by the Iraqi government to bring about national reconciliation and end growing sectarian violence.
Al-Maliki has proposed that an amnesty be offered to former fighters, but those who have carried out "terrorist attacks", killed Americans or who have supported Saddam Hussein are to be put on trial.
Al-Maliki's initial 28-point plan included granting an amnesty to armed groups who believed they were fighting US occupation of the country, provided they laid down their arms and joined the political process.
However, after objections from Washington, the plan was whittled down to 24 points and left the issue of amnesty for those who killed Iraqi troops ambiguous.
"We should put aside our complicated problems because they represent obstacles in the way of the peace," Mowfaq Aziz, a 38-year old banker in Hiyt city, 170km west of Baghdad, said.
Aziz supports the proposed amnesty but says that it should aim to discriminate between Iraqis who fought against the US occupation and the criminal gangs who are behind kidnappings for ransom.
"The government should put all the criminals under the authority of the Iraqi civil law," said Aziz, who added that the government's current policy of launching periodic offensives against armed groups in Sunni areas only increases anger in these areas.
"These expeditions may cast al-Maliki's project into the wind."
Who gets amnesty?
Many Iraqis feel that the broad nature of the proposal does not specify which armed groups will be pardoned, and warn that the proposal will need to be more detailed to stand a chance of success.
The proposed amnesty does not cover those who kill US troops.
"This invitation didn't identify which armed groups should be part of the amnesty," Umar Ghadban, a 21-year old student in Al-Anbar University in Ramadi, said.
"Al-Maliki should be brave enough and define the resistance groups with their known names," Ghadban said.
"But he doesn't want to admit that there are nationalist groups who fight the US troops to liberate the country."
Read the rest at Aljazeera.
posted by iraqnam at 12:19 AM
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