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Key points from Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani's meeting with @UNIraq head Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert ( @JeanineHennis) where the Ayatollah indicated his position on a number of issues:
Key points from Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani's meeting with @UNIraq head Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert ( @JeanineHennis) where the Ayatollah indicated his position on a number of issues:
First: The parliamentary elections scheduled to take place next year are very important and must be held with the necessary conditions that give the results a high level of credibility so that citizens are encouraged to participate widely.
(contd.) Thus, the elections must be held in accordance to fair laws away from the interests of political blocs and parties. Integrity and transparency must also be taken into account during the various stages of the elections, including their supervision...
(contd.) ...and this should be in coordination with the relevant departments within @UNIraq.
(contd.) These early elections are not the end goal in & of themselves. Rather they are the correct & peaceful path that will end the current deadlock in the country, which has resulted from the accumulation of failure in the political, economic, health, & security sectors.
(contd.) It is imperative that citizens have the opportunity to reconsider their political options and to vote for their representatives in the next parliament freely and away from any pressure [from whoever] so that these reps are qualified to work towards solving the crises.
(contd.) Any further delay in holding the elections, OR holding the elections without the necessary conditions for their success so that the results of the elections are unconvincing, will only deepen the country's problems - God forbid - ...
(contd.) and will lead the country to a situation, which will threaten its unity and the future of its people. All of the parties who hold power currently, will regret this.
(contd.) Secondly: The government is requested to continue to proceed firmly and take firm steps to implementing social justice, controlling the border crossings, & improving the performance of the security forces, so that they hold a high degree of discipline & professionalism.
(contd.) [it should also continue in] withdrawing unauthorised weapons and not allowing certain areas in the country from dividing away into sections, controlled by certain groups through force and under different names, far from the application of the law.
(contd.) The government is also called upon to take serious and exceptional steps to combat corruption and to open up all major corruption files, according to legal procedures, while not selecting targeted cases...
(contd.) so that every corrupt individuals receives their fair [punishment] regardless of their position and regardless of who supports and backs him.
(contd.) The gov't is also required to work seriously to uncover all those who have carried out criminal acts against protesters, security forces, or innocent citizens, or those who have transgressed on public or private property, since the start protests...
(contd.) ...especially those who carried out kidnappings or were behind the recent assassinations.
(contd.) Conducting justice against all those who committed the aforementioned crimes will remain an urgent demand that must be fulfilled one day, and it is the effective method in preventing their recurrence and deterring them from recurring.
(contd.) Thirdly: Preserving national sovereignty and preventing its breach and violation, and standing against foreign interference in the country's affairs and protecting it [Iraq] from the dangers of fragmentation and division is the responsibility of everyone.
(contd.) thus it requires a unified and national position so that we can surpass these issues affecting the interests fo all Iraqis in the present and future. We can not reach this goal if personal, partisan, or regional interests are not put aside.
(contd.) Thus what is required is that the various parties rise to the level of national responsibility and not to give any excuses for the [breaching of] the country's sovereignty, stability, and independence of its political decision.
[end statement]
[end statement]
Its interesting that a video of the meeting was also posted by the Ayatollah's office.
Reference:
Arabic statement on the Ayatollah's website: https://www.sistani.org/arabic/archive/26461/
Arabic statement on the Ayatollah's website: https://www.sistani.org/arabic/archive/26461/
