Focus on problems in voter registration

Organisers say they have encountered numerous obstacles in the registration process of some 16 million Iraqi people for constitution referendum on 15 October. A lack of security in the western Anbar governorate, which has been the scene of fighting between insurgents and US forces since last year, is presenting difficulties for registration, due to threats from insurgents, officials said. Still, there are expectations for a high turnout, officials said, because of the interest generated by the very public differences between members of the Constitution Committee over the draft document. REGISTRATION PROCESS The vote on Iraq's draft constitution is supposed to take place on 15 October. The Iraqi Independent Electoral Commission (IIEC), which is responsible for the registration process, said that 16 million people should be registered by Thursday. “We believe that we can achieve better results in voter registration than what was achieved in the country’s last election in January 2005,” Hamidiya al-Husseiny, deputy chairman for the IIEC, said. “According to our information, more than 10 million people have already been registered and the goal can be reached with the registration in the Anbar province.” A total of 544 centres are registering voters nationwide. Documentation required for the process is a personal identity card for those over 18 and the monthly food ration card. Each Iraqi family will receive copies of the constitution written in Arabic or Kurdish, depending on their preference. DIFFICULTIES IN ANBAR GOVERNORATE According to Omar Kubaissy, representative of the IIEC in Anbar, the registration process in the governorate has been extended until 7 September. He explained that out of 29 registration centres in the western governorate, only 19 have been opened so far due to security issues. “Threats received by the local population have delayed the registration process and made us postpone the deadline for this area to guarantee their participation in the coming referendum,” Kubaissy explained. Local residents fear that they could be targeted by insurgents if they register their names, he added. Militant groups are warning and threatening people not to vote by placing messages in internet sites and by posting notices outside mosques. These threats contradict statements of Sunni religious leaders who have asked the Sunni community to register their votes and vote against the draft constitution, with which they disagree. Religious leaders at mosques in Anbar province and many areas of the capital have been calling in their daily prayers for the local residents to participate in the referendum voting despite threats. If two-thirds of voters in at least three or more governorates vote against the draft constitution, it will be rejected. During the last election, in January 2005, Sunnis boycotted the polls and subsequently have a very weak position in the new national assembly. “They boycotted the last elections and now they are trying to register their votes and get more participation inside the new political process,” explained Humam Hamoudi, a Shi’ite cleric heading the Constitution Committee. “Those who are ‘wrong’ always discover their error sooner or later.” SITUATION IN FALLUJAH Queues have formed outside registration centres throughout Fallujah, a predominantly Sunni city, 60 km west form the Iraqi capital, Baghdad, where people are eager to make their vote count and reject the new constitution. “All of my family will vote to reject this dishonorable and unfair constitution, especially because federalism is the beginning of a weak country and miserable life for Iraqis, especially the minority groups,” said Samia al-Rabia’a, a Fallujah resident. Federalism, implementation of Shari'ah (Islamic law) and de-Ba'athification (a process of removing former Ba’ath Party officials from power) are the main sticking points for the Sunnis and other minority groups over the draft constitution. PRISONERS WILL PARTICIPATE On 28 August, the US military announced that they had released around 1,000 prisoners from the notorious Abu Ghraib prison in the capital, over the past four days to ensure that they could participate in the referendum. Lt. Col. Paul Brayen, a senior officer on Abu Ghraib prison, said that they had only released those not responsible for any violent crime. Brayen added that this was a good example of how US military forces were trying to help the democratic process in the country. Yosho Ibrahim, the Iraqi deputy minister of justice, said that those remaining in jail could also vote. “We will guarantee that those people who are still inside the jails for any reason will have their chance to participate in the constitutional process through sophisticated and secure ways,” he said. There are nearly 8,000 jailed people around the country, including in the Kurdish areas. SECURITY – THE MAIN ISSUE The Ministry of Interior announced that there would be substantial security on the day of the referendum, especially in the Sunni cities of Fallujah and Ramadi in central Iraq. The plan includes tripling security forces on the streets of the capital and cars will most likely be banned from the streets on the day of voting. The measures will be executed by the Ministry of Defense and Ministry of Interior under direct supervision of US military forces, officials said. “We will guarantee security to all Iraqis who will share democracy giving their votes for the new constitution in the country. We will offer a healthy and calm day,” Sabah Kadham, deputy minister of interior, said. MONITORING Many international NGOs as well as the United Nations will have a major role in monitoring voting on 15 October. “There are plans that will assure that the voting in the referendum will be fair and proceed in a legal way and we have been working to support it according to the means of the UN and international laws,” said Nicholas Franklin, head of the UN team assisting in drafting the constitution. Local NGOs will also help in supervising the voting process and counting, with help from lawmakers and special commissions organised by the IIEC.