Assistance Mission for (UNAMI)

UNAMI FOCUS

Voice of the Mission

Fortnightly Bulletin on UNAMI Activities First Issue Mid February 2006

UN Welcomes Announcement of Certified Results of Iraqi Elections

UN Secretary- General welcomed the announcement by the Independent Electoral Commission of Iraq (IECI) of the the final certified results of elections. Mr. Annan paid tribute to the “courageous commitment of the Iraqi people to the democratic process,” citing the participation of millions of voters of all communities as well as hundreds of thousands of observers, agents and poll workers. The statement also congratulated

the IECI for successfully conducting the election “under very challenging SRSG Ashraf Qazi with PM Ibrahim Jaafari, President Masoud Barzani and Adnan Pachachi. circumstances,” and confirmed continuous support of the UN to Iraq

external meeting with Iraqi and MNF-I SRSG Ashraf Jehangir Qazi also Officials. Mr. Veness and his team visited INDEX: hailed the announcement by describing it UNAMI to discuss issues pertaining to the as “an important milestone in the transition security of the mission. - UN welcomes certified results of elections 1 to a fully sovereign and democratically - SRSG Activities 1 elected assembly and government.” Mr. Qazi continued his meetings - Feature on certified results of elections 1 with Iraqi politicians in the wake of the Mr. Qazi reminded that there are announcement of certified results of the 15 - Political Developments 2 many challenges ahead, especially the December elections, which he attended - Electoral Update 2 human rights situation which has become a together with the IECI Bord of -Relief, Reconstruct Activities 3 matter of very serious concern. He Commissioners. In addition, he met encouraged political leaders to quickly Barham Saleh, Hossein Shahristani, Hareth - Human Rights News 3 form a government that will discharge its al-Dhari of the Association of Muslim responsibilities towards making Iraq a - Constitutional Support Newsflash 4 Scholars, and the Governor of Al-Anabr safe, peaceful and prosperous place for all Province. In the diplomatic corps, the - Brief from PIO 4 its people, regardless of their ethnic, SRSG met with US Ambassador Khalilzad Fijian Guards Contingent Activities 4 religious, linguistic or other sectarian - and Australian Ambassador Howard affiliations. Brown. ***** Mr. Qazi met earlier with Feature: Certified Results of Massoud Barazani, President of the Iraqi Elections, a Mark of Political SRSG Activities Kurdish Region (IKR), who was in Transition End Baghdad for consultations with other On 10 Feb 06, the Independent SRSG Ashraf Qazi visited political and community leaders. He also Electoral Commission of Iraq (IECI) Moscow at the invitation of the Russian held a dinner in Mr. Barzani’s honour, announced the final certified results for Foreign Ministry from 14 to 16 Feb. He attended by Iraqi political leaders and the 15 December Parliamentary met with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Ambassadors of the P5. He also attended elections. Lavrov and briefed him on the latest lunches in honour of political leaders held political developments in Iraq. by Prime Minister Al-Ja'afari and Vice- This was the third major President Mehdi. He also met with electoral event in the transitional period, Mr. Qazi also updated the General Williams, the outgoing but the first inclusive elections in which Foreign Minister on UNAMI’s functions in Commander of MNF-I forces in Al-Anbar all the communities, including Arab Iraq during 2005 and its operations to discuss the UN's engagement in this Sunnis, participated. The new Iraqi expected in 2006. On his part, the Russian important governorate. The SRSG briefed legislative body will be made up of 275 Foreign Minister expressed appreciation Martin Aeshbacker, the Swiss representatives from 12 political entities for the United Nations role in Iraq and representative stationed in Baghdad on the and coalitions covering a broad promised continued Russian support for work of the UN in Iraq. The SRSG also political, ethnic and religious spectrum. United Nations. visited the Mufti of the Center of Iftaa of More than 25% of the seats will be Last week, Mr. Qazi the Gilani Mosque Sheikh Jamal Abd al- occupied by women. accompanied the visiting USG for Safety Karim al-Daban1. and Security David Veness in various

The adoption through the Political Developments October referendum of the new

constitution, the seating of the new parliament, and the formation of the government will mark the end of the political transition period. The Winners of 15 Dec

The announcement of the Elections certified results followed the final adjudication of electoral appeals by the The formal certification of election Bloc # of Seats Transitional Electoral Panel, a judicial results on Friday 10 February marked the United Iraqi Alliance 128 body appointed by the High Judicial beginning of the 15 day period within which Kurdish Gathering 53 Council. For the first time in the the sitting of the newly elected Council of Tuwafoq Iraqi Front 44 transitional elec toral process twelve Representatives has to take place under the Iraqi National List 25 entities filed appeals including the four new constitution. At its first sitting, the Hewar National Iraqi Front 11 leading coalitions. The panel ruled in parliament has to choose its leadership - the Islamic Union of Kurdistan 5 favor of the IECI in all twelve appeals, speaker and the two deputy speakers. On Liberation & Reconciliation Gathering 3 including appeal s against the results, Saturday, 11 February, the United Iraq Al Rafedeen List 1 appeals against the IECI’s individual Alliance (UIA) in a secret ballot elected in a Iraqi Turkoman Front 1 decisions on complaints and against the close contest the incumbent Prime Minister Mithal Al Aloosi List for Iraqi Nation 1 seat allocation formula adopted by the Ibrahim Jaafari as the PM-designate to lead it Liberation & Reconciliation Gathering 1 IECI. in parliament. The UIA is the entity with the largest plurality in the new parliament. Mr Three hundred and seven Jaafari, from the Dawa Party, was opposed political entities and 19 coalitions and by Abdil Adel Mahdi of the Supreme Council over 7,500 candidates contested the of the Islamic Revolution in Iraq. elections - numbers that far outweigh the January election for the Transitional Following the election of the National Assembly. The IECI certified speakership, the presidency council will have 996 candidate lists representing all Iraqi to be elected. There is some disagreement UN Electoral Assistance communities and political affiliations, among different parties on whether the time Update including Arab Sunnis who boycotted table for government formation is regulated The IECI issued the final certified the January 2005 election. by the Transitional Administrative Law under results of the 15 December 2005 Council of which the formation of the government was Representative Elections on 10 February. Over 12 million eligible voters to have taken place by 31 December 2005, or This followed the Transitional Electoral cast their vote in over 34,000 polling the new constitution which has not yet come Panel (TEP) decisions on 08 February stations. In the predominantly Sunni into force, as one of three conditions required dismissing the remaining appeals. The Board province of Anbar alone, voter for its provisions to become operational have announced the numbers of seats won per participation rate was over 85%. yet to be met. Meanwhile, discussion among entity, which has not changed since the and within the principal alliances continue on uncertified results announced on 20 January Twelve political entities and principles, procedures, personalities and 06 and the names of all 275 successful coalitions repr esenting all Iraqi programs to form a government of national candidates. The forty-five winners of national communities and political spectrums unity, which appears to be a preferred option and compensatory seats were announced on won seats in the Council of at this point. 10 February 06 for the first time. The 230 Representatives. The United Iraqi governorate-based winners were announced Alliance will remain the largest political IKR President Barzani visited Baghdad in with the uncertified results. In total, 70 of the bloc in the parliament with 128 seats. early February for government formation 275 seats will be held by women, one more The Kurdish Gathering will maintain a talks. Consultations among the Iraqi than the minimum Constitutional target of strong representation in the Council of politicians on government formation have 25%. The final certification marks the formal Representative with 53 seats. The been underway since, and the SRSG’s dinner end of the IECI's oversight of the Council of Tuwafoq Iraqi Front emerged as the for Iraqi politicians can be seen as part of Representatives (CoR) elections. As per the front-runner Sunni list with 44 seats. UNAMI’s efforts to facilitate the political law, the IECI will transmit names of elected The Iraqi Na tional List won 25 seats, process. candidates to the President so that he may and the Hewar National Iraqi Front convene the Council.. gained 11. The Islamic Union of The Iraqi Islamic Party (IIP) Kurdistan secur ed 5 seats, and the threatened to start a civil disobedience The Iraq Election Assistance Team Liberation and Reconciliation Gathering campaign if the current Minister of Interior (IEAT) members engaged all divisions of the won 3 seats. Finally, each of the Al (from SCIRI) stays on his post and demanded IECI in a series of mini workshops regarding Rafedeen List, the Iraqi Turkoman restructuring of the whole Ministry. capacity building. The objective of these Front, the Mith al Al Aloosi List for exercises is to identify shortfalls and areas for Iraqi Nation, and the Liberation and The ‘Danish caricatures’ development in all corners of the IECI. All Reconciliation Gathering won one seat. reportedly depicting prophet Mohammed divisions (finance, logistics, public outreach, received significant attention within Iraq. etc.) will participate in this process, first by ***** Demonstrations were organised in different producing an assessment and needs cities. The Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani document, and then by discussing the issued a statement “strongly denouncing and contents of it in a multi-day seminar. The condemning this horrific act”. Iraqi Islamic results of these seminars will be incorporated Party considered this “as a criminal act” and into a capacity building work plan; to develop Figures & Facts the Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari made a an agenda for the UN-sponsored lessons demarche to the Danish Ambassador in learned Workshop in Cyprus this March. Iraqi women will Baghdad requesting a formal condemnation of the caricatures’ publication from the Craig Jenness, International occupy mor e than 25% Danish government. Commissioner and (former) Head of the ***** International Electoral Assistance Team, of the 275-Paliament completed his assignment and departed Iraq on 14 February. seat *****

2 Relief, Reconstruction & Human Rights News Constitutional Support Development Activities Newsflash The Emergen cy Working Group Extrajudicial and revenge killings continued this week with the discovery, on 6 (EWG) was convened on 13 February by The Office of Constitutional the Humanitarian Coordinator Staffan de February, of 30 bodies (all Shi’a) in the Support (OCS) finalized a first draft of the Mistura, to assess the response to flooding Northern part of Baghdad. The victims were document on the strategic intervention on reported in 5 governorates. Participants found blindfolded, handcuffed and shot in the the six major areas which need to be from Baghdad, Amman, Basrah, Erbil, and head. This follows the executions of 9 and 14 addressed by the Constitutional Review Kuwait were online to share information individuals (Sunnis) with the same methods, as Committee (CRC). The draft was shared and discuss next steps. Initial information reported last week. Extrajudicial killings, with a restricted number of international kidnappings and torture are mostly perpetrated indicates that potentially 7,000 families partners, namely US, UK, EU, the two were displaced. Updated stock positions by members of armed militias linked to political main NGOs involved in the constitutional are being collected from agencies with factions or criminal gangs, and recent reports projects, NDI and USIP. The document on warehouses in Basrah, Baghdad and Erbil, tend to indicate a new rise in this trend. the options for the management of the and agencies are ready to distribute food Allegations that Sunni Arabs have formed their constitutional review process has been and non-food items once the needs and own militia to counter Shiite and Kurdish forces finalized and shared as well. Both beneficiaries are confirmed. The could seriously hamper any effort at national documents will be revised on the basis of reconciliation/dialogue. It is reported that the International Federation of the Red Cross the discussions and comments made by our launched an appeal for US $ 1.3 million to consolidation of power of local militias in partners. assist 5,000 families for two months. The Southern Iraq and the infiltration of Kurdish EWG will determine whether a similar militias (Peshmerga) in the North is resulting in OCS started a series of meetings appeal should be launched by the UN to systematic acts of violence against members of with senior political party leaders in order address the remaining needs. the Sunni communities. to share with them OCS’ plan of engagement during the constitutional Avian flu continues to be a HRO held various consultations with review process. In addition, OCS had a critical issue, and the joint WHO/FAO members of the US and UK Embassy in order to fruitful meeting with HRO to discuss their technical assessment team completed their share information on human rights issues. In its respective plans for the coming months capacity of supporting donor of the Rule of Law initial mission to K urdistan. The results of and to identify communalities and the mission will be reported and discussed Sector Working Group (ROLSWG), HRO is possibilities for cooperation. During this with central Iraqi Government authorities organizing a meeting on 15 February in meeting HRO mentioned that OHCHR had in Baghdad where the team arrived on 12 Baghdad, chaired by the Head of the Iraqi expressed its interest and readiness to host February. Judicial Council. Representatives of various the seminar on human rights in Geneva. Ministries and of the donor community are DSRSG de Mistura is currently expected to attend. The ROLSWG process is At the same time, OCS has intended to facilitate direct interaction and in Baghdad where he has been meeting designed a plan of expert engagement with with the Iraqi Government counterparts substantive exchanges between the Government key Iraqi interlocutors involving a set of namely the Ministers of Planning and of Iraq and the international donor community seminars on review and implementation of Health, as well as donor representatives. in the area of rule of law. other key constitutional aspects, which will Donor coordination issues, the next IRFFI be implemented between the months of donor meeting, as well as funding for On 8 February, HRO attended the March and June. The initial setting (early reconstruction and the emerging SRSG’s meeting with Sheikh Harith Al-Dhari, March) will take place in Cape Town, Secretary General of the Association of Muslim humanitarian needs, namely the Avian flu South Africa, with a focus on Transitional situation, as well as the floods affecting the Scholars (AMS). A constructive dialogue Justice. Three seminars will target five Governorates in the north and south emerged on the issue of human rights and more federalism/decentralization-related issues. were the focus of discussions thus far. The specifically on the issues of detention, In particular, Oil and Gas (Dubai, early DSRG will be in Baghdad until end extrajudicial killings, and torture. HRO April), institutions/division of powers February and w ill continue to lead explained that the Sunni community has been (Madrid, end of April), and fiscal UNAMI and UN efforts in the above areas. disproportionately affected by mass detentions federalism (location to be confirmed; and that this continues to be frequently possibly May). reported.. ***** A seminar on Judiciary/ Rule of The HRO is developing a more Law is being organized in Syracuse, Italy, in mid-April. A seminar on Structures of robust strategy built on the development of an Iraqi led and Iraqi owned national humanrights Government will also be planned for the month of May. In the organization of these Under the umbrella of protection system. The main element of this settings, OCS is coordinating with other UNAMI, a Joint system will be: strengthening the capacities of interested parties in the international key ministries, the judiciary, ensuring community, and with a range of host WHO/FAO team is in compliance with human rights standards in the organizations in the countries where the work of the police and the prisons seminars are planned and whose experts Iraq to assess the are being engaged. OCS is also mapping administration and building up an independent the activities planned by other members in Avian Flu situation and effective national human rights commission the international community and is ready and civil society organizations. This national to coordinate and support as necessary. human rights commission - representing all Along these lines, OCS and UNAMI will actively support and participate in a USIP- Iraqis - will be able to address current human led conference on constitutional issues rights concerns as well as be key to accounting aimed at engaging key players in the Sunni for past crimes and creating the conditions for community, to be held in the last week of national reconciliation. February.

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3 Brief from Public Information The route march, a first of its kind to be conducted out of the UN Photos from the Reception Office (PIO) compound is a small contribution by the In close cooperation with the UN Fiji Guard Unit towards the SRSG’s intent and the Dinner hosted by electoral Assistance team, the PIO issued a for the UN to be more visible and SRSG on 5&11 Feb, 2006 Press Release the same day the IECI announced engaging so that our presence is an the certified results of the 15 December assurance and uplifting the Iraqi people. Elections. PIO also arranged for a Media Most notable were questions from encounter immediately following the onlookers who asked ‘who are you?’ to announcement, where Mr. Qazi addressed both which the walkers replied ‘we are Iraqi and International Media in Baghdad, members of the United Nations’. Most welcoming the announcement saying as an people were not aware that the UN was important milest one in the transition to a fully ‘just down the road’ and the walkers took sovereign and democratically elected assembly time out to explain to the locals and and government. Mr. Qazi also encouraged internationals alike the important role that political leaders to quickly form a government UN was playing in Iraq. that will represent the interests of the different communities in Iraq, and which will discharge Arriving at the USPX the squad its responsibilitie s towards making Iraq a safe, mingled with MNFI personnel and after peaceful and prosperous place for all of its quenching their thirst returned to Diwan by SRSG with Minister of planning Burham Saleh people. The statements made by the SRSG at vehicle. In expressing their joy in having this occasion were widely reflected in the time out of the Diwan walls, members of Media reports the following day. the squad hope that more activities will be undertaken by the UNAMI family to On 5 Feb, 2006, PIO invited the main increase the profile of the UN in Iraq. Iraqi TV ch annels for footage and documentation of the dinner hosted by the It was mission accomplished – a SRSG in honour of President Barazani. few more people now know that the UN is just down the road and playing a very ***** important role in the reconstruction and development of Iraq.

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SRSG Qazi with USG Sir David Veness SRSG Meets Al-Anbar

Governor Ma’amun Al-

Alwani in Al-Ramadi

UN Fijian Contingent Commander leads a squad in a route march through the IZ

UN Fiji Guard Unit & Increasing UN Visibility IN IZ SRSG Qazi and between DSRSG Michael On Saturday 0 February 06, a SRSG Qazi with Al –Anbar Schulenburg and DSRSG six man squad of the UN Fiji Guard Unit governor Ma’amun Al Alwani led by the Fijian Contingent Commander, Brigadier Ioane Naivalurua ‘route marched’ through the streets of the The Special Representative of the International Zone for the first time since Secretary-General for Iraq Ashraf Qazi the unit’s arrival into Iraq. traveled to Al-Ramadi, Al-Anbar province, UNAMI Focus on Monday and met with Governor Ma’amun Is a bulletin produced by the Public Al-Alwani and the Governorate Council at After a short situation and safety information Office of the United brief, the squad departed the UN the Governor’s office. Mr. Qazi heard first compound Diwan with their PPE and hand from Governor Al-Alwani and his Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq. weapons, followed by safety vehicles. colleagues on the Governorate Council the The views printed in it do not concerns they have for Al-Ramadi, and the necessarily reflect those of the The squad walked through the other cities of Al-Anbar province. main street of the IZ tactically in a single United Nations. file and stopped for approximately five They discussed a wide range of minutes at the Palace after being greeted concerns covering human rights, health care, For further information contact by Fijian civilian security guards manning education, agriculture and security, and the area. Along the way, the squad met a listened to the Council’s expectations of the the e-mail: number of MNFI mobile patrols, IP, locals United Nations. [email protected] and others who looked curiously at the group of walkers. Phone: +96265504700 ext. 2644

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