Iraqi intellectuals to monitor constituti

Thousands of Iraqi intellectuals to monitor constitution referendum

 
Azzaman, September 27, 2005

 
In the absence of foreign monitors due to mounting violence, Iraqi writers, artists and other intellectuals have volunteered to oversee the referendum on the constitution scheduled for October 15.

 
The Independent Elections Commission, the body organizing ballots in Iraq, has responded positively to a call from Iraqi intellectuals to register as independent monitors.

 
�Thousands have already come forward and we expect the final figure to reach 40,000 monitors,� commission member Hussein Hindawi said.

 
Iraqi intellectuals have seven more days to come forward to register their names as independent monitors, Hindawi said.

 
The commission has formed 28 major groups with 14,000 members who intend to be present at the voting stations across the country.

 
The groups will be assisted by civil society organizations whose members advocate the establishment of a secular, multi-party and democratic system of government.

 
Hindawi said he sensed that the disparate Iraqi ethnic, religious and political groups are happy to have the intellectuals supervise the referendum.

 
�The initiative shows the high esteem the society holds this sublime and high-standing sector of the community,� said Hindawi.

 
He said the volunteering of this huge number of intellectuals despite security risk is proof �of how concerned and keen they are for the future of their country and people.�

 
The initiative was taken because it was increasingly difficult to have independent foreign monitors supervise the referendum.

 
The vote is crucial as it will determine the fate of the controversial draft text of the constitution which meets strong opposition particularly form Muslim Sunnis.

Iraqi Writers Union has urged members to register their names for the task. The number of unionized Iraqi intellectuals � artists, musicians, actors, writers, journalists, etc. � tops 40,000.

 
Trade unions bringing the intellectuals together have even urged their branches in provinces across the country to have their members monitor the referendum.

 
Hindawi said the commission also intends to rely on the intellectuals to monitor the forthcoming general elections expected to take place 70 days after the referendum.

The elections will only happen if the majority of eligible voters say �yes� to the constitution and it is not rejected by two thirds of voters in three provinces.