By Brototi Roy:
Nouri Al-Maliki, the Prime Minister of Iraq called for unity and greater political stability to make sure that the security of the country is maintained after the departure of the American military forces from the country. He warned his countrymen against “excessive joy” after the end of the American military presence proclaiming that the country’s security conditions remain perilous.
Al-Maliki called on all Iraqis to unite in the interest of the nation and stressed that Iraq needs stability if it hopes to remain secure and rebuild.
“We need political stability so we can address the world in one voice and not in … conflicting voices,” al-Maliki said.
Al-Maliki’s comments came during a political crisis that started after his government issued an arrest warrant for Iraq’s top Sunni politician, re-igniting fears that sectarian tensions could divide the country and even re-ignite a civil war between Sunnis and Shiites.
Al-Maliki is also trying to get rid of his deputy Prime Minister, another Sunni, leaving many Sunnis worried that they are being sidelined from power.
On Sunday evening, a Katyusha rocket exploded in Abu Dshir, a Shiite enclave in the mainly Sunni neighborhood of Dora in the southwest of Baghdad, killing one civilian and wounding four others, according to police and a hospital official.
Iraq’s parliament speaker warned Monday that human rights violations are putting the country’s fragile democracy at risk, the latest pronouncement in a rapidly developing sectarian spat that threatens to destabilize the country after U.S. troops pulled out.
On Sunday evening, a convoy carrying Finance Minister Rafia al-Issawi was struck by a roadside bomb in Ishaki area, 70 kilometers north of Baghdad, according to Zayed Majid, an adviser to the minister.He said the minister was not hurt, but two bodyguards were wounded.
In the capital’s southeast, a police car vehicle struck a roadside bomb, wounding seven, including three policemen, police and hospital officials said.
“The armed forces should not be a tool to repress people and the armed forces should not interfere in political matters,” Osama al-Nujaifi said, who is one of the country’s top sunni official, citing concerns about “serious violations” including the use of excessive force, detainee abuse and faulty legal procedures.
“Human rights will not become a reality in a situation where the political process is snarled. … Losing these rights will destroy democracy,” he added.