New plan to curb worsening sectarian violence

The first in a series of IRIN stories examining the obstacles Iraq faces in implementing its government’s plan to reconcile different sections of Iraqi society.

The Iraqi government has launched a new initiative to boost its existing plans to halt escalating violence between Shi’ite and Sunni Muslims in the country.

"We have taken the decision to end sectarian hatred once and for all," Prime Minister Nouri Al-Maliki told reporters in Baghdad. "We have vowed before Almighty God to stop the bloodshed."

The four-point plan, which emerged after talks between political leaders from both sides, aims to resolve disputes by giving every party a voice on how security forces tackle violence at a neighbourhood to neighbourhood level.

The plan recommends that security forces consult local committees about their operations. The committees would comprise security officials, as well as representatives of every political party, religious and tribal group in each Baghdad district. The worst violence is currently in Baghdad.

"We will spare no efforts to succeed in this great initiative which we agreed on today to stop the violence and killings in Baghdad and in all Iraq," Adnan al-Dulaimi, the head of the Iraqi Accordance Front, the largest Sunni bloc in parliament, said at a news conference with al-Maliki.

The two men were among Sunni and Shi’ite politicians who signed the agreement on Tuesday. Al-Maliki's government has been plagued by mistrust between its Shi’ite and Sunni members, who accuse each other of fuelling bloodshed.

Human rights violations have been escalating in Iraq, the United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq said in a 20 September report. It said 3,590 civilians were killed in July and 3,009 in August.

Iraq’s Health Ministry says that of those murdered in July, some 1,855 were killed in sectarian or political violence, and another 1,583 died more arbitrarily as a result of bombing or shooting.

Nearly 190,000 Iraqis have been displaced since the bombing of a Shi’ite shrine in the northern city of Samarra almost eight months ago triggered the escalation in sectarian violence, according to the International Organization for Migration (IOM). IOM says that on average 9,000 Iraqis are displaced every week.

“The vast majority of those displaced this year are not planning to return to their former homes. If this is not to become a chronic humanitarian crisis, we need to put in place livelihood and integration programmes in addition to providing emergency assistance such as food and water," said Rafiq Tschannen, IOM Chief of Mission for Iraq.

The IOM says that with funding running low and no sign of the violence ending, conditions for the displaced are likely to deteriorate as winter approaches.

Prime Minister al-Malaki announced a more comprehensive 24-point reconciliation plan when he took office in May, laying down ways to tackle the violence. But so far the plan has done little to stem the tide of daily killings.

Overview of IRIN’s Iraq reconciliation series

Iraq’s security situation today is at one of its lowest points since the US-led occupation of the country began on 20 March 2003.

While it took just 42 days for coalition forces to defeat former President Saddam Hussein’s army three years ago, Sunni-led groups have been fighting multinational and Iraqi security forces ever since.

In addition, sectarian violence - largely between the majority Shi’ite Muslims and Sunni Muslims – has escalated. Sectarian violence took a dramatic when a Shi’ite shrine in the northern Iraqi city of Samarra was destroyed by Sunnis in February.

Increasing lawlessness in Iraq has given rise to more and more criminal gangs.

On 25 June, Iraq’s Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki unveiled a reconciliation plan that includes the following objectives:

1)To grant amnesty to prisoners not accused of terrorism or war crimes.
2)To encourage participation in democracy by all factions.
3)To ensure that human rights are not violated by security forces.
4)To compensate victims of fighting and terrorism.
5)To establish the judiciary as the sole means of enforcing the rule of law.
6)To improve infrastructure.
7)To increase economic opportunity.

IRIN’s series on Iraq’s reconciliation plan comprises the following stories:

NEW PLAN: The Iraqi government introduces a new four-point initiative to bolster its reconciliation plan.

TRIBAL: Tribal chiefs support the plan, but some groups are still on the outside.

PRISON: Prison conditions have improved, independent groups say.

PARDON: Amnesty for political prisoners has gone nowhere because of disagreement about who should qualify.

MILITARY: Although more soldiers and security forces have been trained to observe human rights, abuses continue.

JUDICIARY: Judges, the key to enforcing the rule of law, are unable to do their jobs.

COMPENSATION: Owners of destroyed homes and businesses are still waiting for compensation two years later.

POLITICAL INCLUSION: Although more candidates ran for parliament in Iraq’s 2005 elections, the political mix in parliament has not led to peace in the country.

CITIZENRY: Despite increased participation at all levels in the elections, citizens are afraid to voice their views.

CONDITIONS: Despite millions of dollars allocated to infrastructure, most Iraqis depend on food rations and live without drinkable water or regular electricity.

MONEY: A brief summary of where Iraq’s money comes from and where it is going.

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