Sadr, Hakim reach peace deal

.Above: The major players -- Nuri al-Maliki (Prime Minister, Shiite), Tariq al-Hashemi (one of two Vice Presidents, Sunni), Moqtada al-Sadr ('fiery' anti-American cleric, Shiite), Abdul-Aziz al-Hakim (head of the largest Shiite coalition), Jalal Talabani (President of Iraq, Kurd, Qadiri Sufi sect of Sunnism), and Massoud Barzani (President of Iraqi Kurdistan, Naqshbandi Sufi sect of Sunnisim). The largest Sunni bloc recently returned to parliament after Mahmud Mashhadani was reinstated as speaker, but has withdrawn its cabinet ministers from Maliki's cabinet. Sadr's parliamentary bloc withdrew from Maliki's cabinet in April and withdrew from the largest Shiite coalition this month. Sadr recently announced a suspension of militia activies by his Mahdi Army following clashes in Karbala which left over 50 dead. Maliki recently announced a new coalition involving al-Hakim and Talabani, but noticeably lacking Sunnis. Not pictured: Ayad Allawi, former interim Prime Minister of Iraq prior to the 2005 legislative elections, who has been maneuvering behind the scenes to replace Maliki.

Two Shiite Leaders in Iraq Reach a Peace Agreement

Two powerful Shiite leaders, the cleric Moktada al-Sadr and Abdul Aziz Hakim, an Iranian-backed politician, announced a peace agreement Saturday aimed at ending frequent gun battles between their followers...

Though both organizations are in government, violence between Mr. Sadr’s militia, the Mahdi Army, and the armed wing of the Supreme Islamic Iraqi Council, led by Mr. Hakim, has simmered on the streets in southern Iraq for almost as long as there have been American troops in the country.

It remained unclear Saturday how far the agreement would go toward ending the vendetta killings, assassinations and car bombings, or whether it would even hold.

In the agreement, the two men signed off on three broadly worded points, Liwa Smeism, a top political aide to Mr. Sadr, said in a telephone interview. They called for a cease-fire, an end to negative propaganda campaigns in the news media and the formation of joint committees in the provinces to mediate disputes between the groups, Mr. Smeism said.


Read the rest at the NY Times


Shiite power brokers agree to end bloodshed in Iraq

Radical Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr and Abdul-Aziz al-Hakim, leader of the largest Shiite political party, the Supreme Islamic Iraqi Council, have promised to "protect Iraqi blood and enhance cooperation between the two movements for the Islamic and national interests and to save the nation."...

The principles outlined included "the necessity of protecting and respecting Iraqi blood regardless of the situation or sect," mobilizing all Islamic and cultural institutions on both sides "to maintain friendly feelings and to avoid hatred" and to establish provincial committees aimed at keeping order.

Internal rivalries have been rising in recent months, with the assassination of two provincial governors belonging to SIIC and clashes in several cities between the Mahdi Army and Badr militiamen.

The tensions boiled over in late August when deadly street battles broke out in the holy city of Karbala during a major Shiite religious festival. Dozen of people were killed and anger mounted against the militia fighters, whom many see as criminals.

Read the rest at the International Herald Tribune

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