Document: Declaration of the Shia of Iraq, July 2002 (2)

It is essential that all the elements of Iraq’s political spectrum, as well as the representatives of Iraq’s varied communities, become involved in the process of finding a way out of the terrible situation that Iraq finds itself in now and which threaten its very survival. All these groups must participate in the process of change and the design of a new Iraqi state so that all have a stake in the outcome and could feel themselves true and equal partners in the country.

The Iraqi crisis has to be tackled at all its levels-political, through the elimination of dictatorship; sectarian, through the abolition of sectarian discrimination; and ethnic, through the elimination of ethnic and national preference. Furthermore, it would be necessary to consider policies and programmes that would provide redress to the many aggrieved groups in the country, and to establish a vision of Iraq’s future in which all would share. Any shortfall from this objective by adopting one perspective over another on the grounds of a gradualism that postpones the tackling of these issues to some indeterminate date in the future, is a recipe for further suffering and possibly disaster.

Constitutional guarantees and rights must be afforded to all of Iraq’s groups and communities, as well as the means to defend or enforce them. This must be the minimum requirement for rebuilding the Iraqi state on a new basis. The order of priorities in this declaration have been ranked in a methodical manner, and the sequential adoption of the policies that underpin needed change are based on the principle of their voluntary adoption through information dissemination and persuasion rather than their imposition by force or fiat.

The adoption of the constituent components of Iraq’s society of the elements of this declaration is important, not least for the reason that each should feel that they have accepted the main sources of grievance and redress of the other groups, and that they have all participated equally in the fashioning of a new Iraqi order.

Annex 1

The following are the main studies and works that have tackled the Iraqi Shia problem.

1. The speech given by Sayyid Baqir al-Hakim in Tehran under the title: "Shia consciousness in Iraq", dated 1402 AH

2. The book " The Crisis of Power in Iraq", by Abd el-Karim al-Uzri

3. The book "The Shia and the Nationalist State", by Hassan al-Alawi

4. The booklet "What do the Shia of Iraq want", by Sayyid Muhammed Bahr al-Uloom

5. The seminar on " Facets of the Shia crisis in Iraq" that was held under the auspices of Sayyid Abd el-Majid al-Khoei in the Khoei Foundation, London, 2000.

6. The book "The Shia issue in Iraq and the Husseini rites", by Ibrahim Hamoudi

7. The book "The present circumstances of the Shia of Iraq", by Sayyid Muhammed al-Hayderi

8. The book " The New World Order and the Shia of Iraq", by Adel Abd el-Mahdi

9. The book " An assessment of the fighting capabilities of the Shia of Iraq" by Mahdi Abd el-Mahdi

10. The booklet "The Shia Pronouncement" by Ghalib Shabandar

Annex 2

A partial list of signatories to the document follows:

Abdul Karim, Hayfaa (Mrs.)	The Continuous Picket, London
Abdul Mahdi, Adil	Researcher, Writer, France
Abdul Razzaq, Salah	University Lecturer, Netherlands
Abu Qlaam, Khalil Mohammed Hussein	Businessman
Abu Qlaam, Hadi	Bank Manager
Abu Tebeekh, Abbas (Dr.)	University Lecturer, USA
Ahmed, Nesh’at	Islamic Union of Iraqi Turkumen
Al Addad, Ali (Dr.)	Consultant to NGOs, Geneva
Al Adnani, Mohammed Sadiq (Professor)	University Professor in Medicine and Poet
Al Adwan, Ritha	Medical Analysis CA
Al Ali, Abdul Razzaq	Organisation of Faily Kurds
Al Ammar, Ali (Dr.)	Consultant in Medicine, CA
Al Aryan, Ali	Ex Political Prisoner, Human Rights Activist
Al Askarl, Sami	Islamic Daw’a Party
Al Attar, Mohammed Falah ( Shiekh)	Orator and Rhetorician (Islamic Media Center, CA)
Al Atiya, Firial (Mrs.)	Activist on Women Issues
Al Atiya, Jihad	Businessman
Al Atiya, Malallah (Sheikh)	Supervisor, Imam Ali Islamic Centre, Cardiff
Al Awad, Talib	Politician
Al Badran, Mohammed	Human Rights Activist, Nashfield, Tennessee
Al Badran, Ramadhan,	Human Rights Activist, CA
Al Basri, Abdul Aziz	Lecturer in Arabic Language and Literature
Al Basri, Kamal (Dr.)	Economist
Al Basri, Khairallah (Sheikh)	Scholar of Religion
Al Bassam, Mehdi Salih (Dr.)	Cardiologist, USA
Al Bustani, Abbas (Dr.)	University Lecturer, Researcher, Publisher
Al Bayati, Walid Saeed (Dr.)	Writer, Researcher in Islamic & Arabic Civilisation
Al Chalabi, Hassan, Professor	University Chancellor & Professor of Law, Lebanon
Al Dalli, Hadi (Dr.)	Veterinary
Al Eshayqir, Ibrahim (Dr.)	Physician
Al Fadhil, Munthir (Dr.)	Visiting Associate Professor at the College of Law ICIS
Al Haeiri, Jawad	Writer
Al Hakkak, Hassan (Dr.)	University Lecturer
Al Hakim, Abdul Hadi (Dr.)	University Lecturer, Academic Researcher
Al Hakim, Sahib (Dr.)	Rapporteur on Human Rights in Iraq
Al Hakim, Salih	Religious Scholar, Denmark
Al Hassan, Khalid,	Businessman
Al Hasani, Ali (Dr.)	Islamic Thinker, Writer
Al Hasani, Saleem (Dr.)	Writer and Journalist
Al Hashimi, Mahmood (Dr.)	Consultant Ophthalmologist
Al Hebib, Hussein	Artist, Writer
Al Hilali, Mahir Mohammed Ali (Dr.)	Consultant in Haematology & Oncology
Al Hillo, Muthar (Syed)	Islamic Researcher
Al Hussieni, Abbas (Dr.)	University lecturer, Westminister University
Al Hussieni, Ali (Dr.)	Consultant Physician
Al Hussieni, Bassam	Engineer, Iraqi Community, CA
Al Hussieni, Riadh	Iraqi Media
Al Hussieni, Hisham (Sheikh)	Supervisor, Karbala, Islamic Centre, USA
Al Ibadi, Imad	Engineer, Activist on Social Issues
Al Idi, Hassan (Dr.)	University Lecturer
Al Imara, Ghani Nassir	Tribal Chief
Al Jaddoe’e, Abbas Hatem (Dr.)	Dental Surgery
Al Jubori, Najat Hussien (Mrs.)	Teacher
Al Kadhimi, Mustafa	Writer
Al Khairallah, Jeleel	Iraqi Islamic Cadres
?Al Khelili, Ibtisam, ( Mrs.)	European Women Union
Al Kheteeb, Fadhil (Sheikh)	Orator and Rhetorician
Al Kheteeb, Hussien	Human Rights Activist, Netherlands
Al Kheteeb, ??Abdul Majeed (Dr.)	Consultant Paediatrician
Al Khateeb, Muhie Al Deen	Diplomat
Al Kheteeb, Salah (Dr.)	Islamic Organisation of Human Rights, Geneva
Al Khirsan, Abdul Ameer (Dr.)	Ph.D., adviser on Travel and Tourism
Al Kilidar, Adnan (Dr.)	Dental Practitioner
Al Kishmiri, Mohammed Baqir ( Sayed)	Orator and Rhetorician
Al Mahmood, Qasim (Dr.)	University Lecturer
Al Mehdawi, Ali (Dr.)	University Lecturer
Al Merzuq, Qais (Dr.)	Communication Engineer CA
Al Manshed, Takleef Mohammed	Al Fodhool and Aal Ghizzi Tribes
Al Mize’l, Talib Harbi	Bani Rikkab Tribes
Al Mizeil, Ismael Harbi	Bani Rikkab Tribes
Al Mueeny, Salah Alattar	Poet
Al Musawi, Abbass Kereem Nie’ma	(Colonel) Pharmacist, 1991 Uprising Committee
Al Musawi, Abdul Hussein Ubaies (Colonel)	Figure 1991 March Uprising
Al Musawi, Jawad Kadhum	Businessman
Al Musawi, Isra’a Abbas (Ms.)	Management, CA
Al Musawi, Mohammed (Syed)	Secretary General of World Ahlul Bayt Islamic League
Al Musawi, Mustafa Zaidan	Iraqi Islamic Accord
Al Musawi, Sabria Mahdi(Mrs.)	Human rights Activist
Al Musawi, Zahra’a Niema (Mrs.)	Society Activist
Al Qizwini, Baha’a (Dr.)	Ph.D. Bio statistics
Al Qizwini, Ibtihal (Dr.) Mrs.	Physician
Al Rezeen, Abdul Rahman	Lawyer
Al Rikabi, A’adil Khidhir A’al Fashakh	Politics Activist, Washington, Seattle
Al Rikabi, Hussein Anbar (Dr.)	Consultant in Medicine
Al Rikabi, Hussein	Politician
Al Rikabi, Fatima (Mrs.)	Teacher
Al Risan, Jawad Kadhum	Chief, Hatcham Tribe, living in Holland
Al Rubaei, Abdul Kereem	Journalist, USA
Al Rubaei, Adnan Abdul Ameer	Engineer, Businessman
Al Rubaei, Ahmed	Management and Economy College, CA
Al Rubaie, Ameer Jabir (Dr.)	Ph.D. University Lecturer, Netherlands
Al Rubaie, Mowaffak (Dr.)	Neurologist
Al Sa’yadi, Hassan Hadi (Dr.)	University Lecturer
Al Sabah, Adul Ameer Ubaies	Major General, Diplomat
Al Sabe’e, Taha (Dr.)	University Lecturer in Economics CA
Al Sadin, Ameen (Dr.)	Consultant Physician
Al Sadr, Ali Hussein	Engineer
Al Sadr, Mohammed (Dr.)	Iraqi Democratic Platform, Ireland
Al Salihi, Mohammed	Management and Economics College CA
Al Sari, Majid	Writer, Sweden
Al Sedaidi, Kholood (Dr.) Mrs.	Dental Practitioner
Al Sehel, Hazim Baqir	Member of Bani Timim Tribe, living in Holland
Al Sehel, Sefeya Sheikh Talib Mrs.	Independent politician
Al Sehlani, Fadhil (Sheikh)	Spokesman for Muslim Scholars in USA
Al Shabender, Ghalib	Philosopher and Writer, Malmo, Sweden
Al Shaboot, Muhsin (Dr.)	Politician
Al Shabut, Nebeel (Dr.)	Consultant Surgeon
Al Shabut, Neda (Dr.)	University Lecturer
Al Shabut, Nedeem Muhsin	Computer Engineer
Al Shar’a Abdul Muneim Salih	Engineer, CA
Al Shar’a, Azher Sachet	Contractor CA
Al Shar’a, Hassan Ibrahim,	Businessman
Al Shar’a Hayder	Businessman CA
Al Shar’a Sachet Sayed Isssa	Leader in 1991 Uprising
Al Sharr’a Salih Sayed Mohammed	Tribes Chief, 1991 Uprising Middle Euphrates
Al Shar’a Sami,	Contractor CA
Al Shami, Hussein (Syed)	Dar Al Islam Foundation Supervisor
Al Shatree, Aqeel	Electric Engineer CA
Al Shehristani, Hussein	Nuclear Scientist
Al Shekerchi, Dhia’a (Sheikh)	General Secretary of Darul Huda. Hamburg
Al Shethir, Nasir (Dr.)	Former Judge
Al Shibib, Hashim	Diplomat, Politician
Al Shibibi, Arwa Mohammed Ridha (Mrs.)	Poet, Writer
Al Shibibi, Hala Sadiq (Ms.)	Journalist
Al Shibibi, Sadiq Baqir	Lawyer
Al Shimmeri, Mohammed	Businessman
Al Swaij, Mohammed Zeki ( Syed)	Supervisor, Islamic Propagation Foundation, USA
Al Tabatabei, Makki Hussein(Dr.)	Consultant Paediatrician
Al Tae’e, Aziz	Chief, American Iraqi Council, Philadelphia
Al Timimi, Imad Muhammed	Businessman CA
Al Timimi, Sabah (Dr.)	Physician
Al Tuiraihi, Mohamed Saeid	Historian, Researcher,
Al Turaihi, Mohammed Jawad (Sheikh)	Former Judge
Al Turaihi, Muneer (Sheikh)	Scholar of Religion
Al Uzri, Abdul Kereem	Writer, Former Cabinet Minister
Al Zubaidi, Nejim	Former Brigadier, Republican Guards
Al Yasiri, Tawfeeq (Major General)	Iraqi National Accord
Alatiya, Jeleel (Dr.)	Historian, Writer, living in France
Alhakim, Bayan (Dr.)	Interfaith International (UN), Geneva
Alhillo, A’mir ( Syed)	Head, Ahlul Bayt Islamic Centre, Vienna
Ali, Faiq Sheikh	Lawyer, Writer
Allawi, Ali (Dr)	Businessman, SAM, Oxford University
Allawi, Ja’afer (Dr.)	Consultant in Endocrinology
Allawi, Ne’am (Mrs.)	World Wide Welfare Organisation
Allawi, Sabah Hashim	Former Ambassador with the United Nations
Allawi, Tawfeeq	Businessman
Alwash, Azzam (Dr.)	PhD, Iraqi Forum For Democracy, USA
Bahroolom, Mohammed Zeki (Syed)	Islamic Scholar
Bhaya, Musa(Dr.)	Dental Surgeon USA
Bilal, Salah Aal (Sheikh)	Religious Scholar
Bilal, Usama (Dr.)	Consultant Psychiatrist
Derweesh, Aliya (Dr.)	University Lecturer in Engineering CA
Derweesh, Faruq (Dr.)	University Lecturer CA
Eshaiker, Muhannad	Architect, Iraqi Forum for Democracy
Ewadh, A’adil (Dr.)	Physician, Nebraska
Fliaeh, Salam	Car Merchant CA
Hannon, Mohammed Shannan	Human Rights Activist, Washington DC
Hashim, Ali	MSc. Businessman, USA
Hussein, Ibrahim Mohammed (Dr.)	Politician
Hussein, Nawal Sheikh (Mrs.)	Activist on Women Issues
Huwedi, Abdul Ameer (Dr.)	Scholar of Religion
Ibrahim, Khalid	Front Line Organisation, Ireland
Jabr, Sa’ad Salih	Head, Free Iraqi Council
Kashif Alghita, Abdul Raheem	Politician, Switzerland
Kashif Alghita’a, Fadhil Abbas (Dr.)	Consultant Physician
Mahdi, Manal, ( Ms.)	Engineer, USA
Maksud, Ghalib	Consultant in Law, USA
Maso’od, Hassan ( Sheikh)	Secretary General Ahlul Bayt Association, Glasgow
Meshkoor, Fekhree (Dr.)	Consultant Physician
?Mustafa, Abdul Rahman	Merchant, San Diego
Shnyien, Naif ( Dr.)	Accident and Emergency
Shubber, Kadhum Syed Qasim	Businessman, Spain
Shubber, Kadum Jawad (Professor)	University Lecturer: Management &Finance
Simsim, Radhi	Politician, San Francisco
Tu’ma Mohammed	Businessman, Nebraska
Witwit, Ja’afer	One of the Leaders of the 1991 Uprising
Witwit, Qaisar	Activist in the Iraqi Opposition
Witwit, Zaid	One of the leaders of 1991 Uprising, living in Holland
Yousif, Maha (Dr.)	Dental Surgeon USA
Yousif, Mazin (Dr.)	PhD, Medicine
Yousif, Mayyada (Dr.)	Physician USA
Zaini, Mohammed Ali (Dr.)	Economist

Annex 3

The following are extracts drawn from letters by leading Scholars and Jurisprudents, commenting on and supporting the Declaration of the Shia of Iraq.

Grand Ayatollah Sayyid Kadhim al-Haeri

" I have received your letters regarding the extent of the effort needed to retrieve the rights of Iraq’s Shia, and my reply follows…

Firstly: The rights of the Shia have been violated for a long time and up to our period today. This has been caused not by our Sunni brothers but as a result of tyrannical governments. We do not ask the minority sect in Iraq, the Sunnis, to grant rights to the Shia, the majority, for the scholars of Islam have all agreed that Islam does not differentiate between the rights of Muslims, irrespective of their sects.

Each member of a sect recognises and respects the particularities of its own sect, and we as followers of the Household of the Prophet recognise the limits of our sect and respect them.

Secondly: We demand that all tyrannical governments in Iraq cease from trampling the rights of the majority Shia; as we demand from them also that they cease to trample the rights of the minority Sunnis .We say to these governments; We are all Muslims and we enjoy equality of rights under the mantle of Islam.

Thirdly: It is essential that the rights of national minorities such as our brothers the Kurds and Turcomen and others be respected in parallel to the respect of the rights of the Arabs. This is an issue that has no bearing on the issue of sectarian discrimination. And from this perspective, the division of the Iraqi nation into Kurds, Shia and Sunnis is not accurate and mixes between the ethnic issue and the sectarian issue. It would appear to us that this is a deliberate ploy on the part of the international hegemonistic powers.

Fourthly: We demand from any non-Islamic government in Iraq to relinquish power and to allow the Iraqi nation to choose for itself the type of government it wants, which we are sure is an Islamic government."

His Eminence Sayyid Murtadha al-Askari, Dean, College of the Principles of Religion

" Recognising what the Shia of the Household of the Prophet have achieved in Iraq, we affirm the following:

Firstly; That the Shia of the Household of the Prophet are the majority of Iraq’s population.

Secondly: They struggled, under the guidance of their scholars, for the independence of Iraq.

Thirdly: Following the Second World War they confronted, culturally, the spread of communism .The treacherous Baath party that is in control of Iraq has murdered their scholars including the leading luminaries the martyrs Sayyid Muhammed Baqir al-Sadr, Sayyid Muhammed al-Sadr, and the lady martyr Bint-ul-Huda."

His Eminence Sayyid Muhammed Bahr-ul-Uloom

"… And the Iraqi Shia, being the majority in the country, have been the regular victims of these regimes, for whenever dictatorship increased in intensity, it was accompanied with an equal intensification of sectarian discrimination. The Saddamist dictatorship pushed further the limits of sectarianism by marginalizing the Shia religious authorities, and the liquidation of Shia scholars and notables and the destruction of their holy shrines and study circles. This was particularly 1991evidenced by the dictatorship raising the slogan of " No more Shia as of today!" following the popular uprising.

We believe that the struggle against the dictatorship must continue to remove tyranny and to replace it with the democratic alternative, and to remove political sectarianism. This will return to the Shia of Iraq their main role in rebuilding the state and realising the hopes of the people.

… And we must encourage all perspectives and objective analyses that are based on the recognition of the multiple particularities and identity of Iraq. We support vigorously all efforts that lead to the elaboration of a national programme that is commensurate with our people’s desire to build a civil society and a country that is based on law, in which the rights of the majority and minority are equally considered. This is the project of the Shia of Iraq, who are the backbone of the country.

We encourage all steps that contribute to this great goal and to lift the injustice from the Shia of Iraq, to confirm their rights, and to acknowledge the oppression that has been afflicted on them. And to take all the necessary measures to remove this burden and erase the traces of oppression."

His Eminence Sayyid Hussein al-Sadr

" And if we start from the base of our love for the unitary and united Iraq, and our concern for its stability and future prosperity, then it is incumbent on us to point out the historic injustice that has been experienced by the Shia of Iraq over many generations, and which has placed the Shii Iraqi citizen between the hammer of sectarianism and the anvil of social and political oppression.

Today, we are witnessing the signs of the removal of the butcher and his dictatorial regime that has oppressed our people and exposed them to the worst forms of deprivation and misery. And it time that we raise our voices loudly to demand that the oppression against the Shia be placed on the top of all the political projects and plans that are being devised for the coming period.

We are in favour of all sincere plans that strive to promote political equity in a pluralistic, parliamentary and constitutional Iraq; and we support all efforts to lift Iraq and its oppressed Shia population."

Islamic Daw’a Party

To be translated

His Eminence Shaikh Mohammed Baqir Al Nasseri

To be translated