Interview with Abdul Aziz al Hakim
Broadcast: 04/05/2004
Reporter: Peter Cave
Transcript
CAVE: [...] As the leader of the majority Shiite party – the Shiites make up 60% of the population here - would you expect to be elected president under a full democratic election?
HAKIM: In the name of God the most merciful – thank you for your question. But the main priority for us is the re-establishment of stability in Iraq, putting the country back on the right path, returning the country to its people and looking to the next elections.
CAVE: You voted for the interim constitution which gives the right of veto to some groups like the Kurds. You don’t like that constitution neither does the Grand Ayatollah Ali Sistani … why did you vote for it?
HAKIM: Our disagreement is based on the restriction the veto will impose on the free will of the entire Iraqi people Giving such rights to individual communities will limit the freedom of choice of the Iraqi people - and this is the basis of our opposition.
MUJAHIDEEN SPOKESMAN IN STREET: “This victory is a gift to the people of Fallujah and all Iraqis. We, the Mujahideen of Fallujah, promise the honest Iraqi people – NOT the governing council – that we will liberate Iraq starting from the city of Fallujah”.
CAVE, VOICE-OVER: Even within the Shiite religious leadership there are power struggles as various clerics manoeuvre for a role in post war Iraq. The most important, the Grand Ayatollah Sistani- a close ally of al Hakim, has been treading a fine diplomatic line with the coalition. So far, he's refused to endorse any of the plans for a new Iraqi government. Their main rival is the outspoken young cleric Moqtada al Sadr. His private army has been attacking US forces, and the moderates are under pressure to take a similar anti-American stance."
SADR SUPPORTERS SHOUTING IN STREET: “Yes! yes! al Sadr!”
CAVE: There are a lots of private militia in this country – It’s said you have a private militia, Moqtada al Sadr has private militias, the Kurds have private militia,– is there a danger of a civil war?
HAKIM: From the beginning, even before the war started we agreed to amalgamate all the militia into security organisations like the police and the army. We are still trying to do that, and in our opinion this is a very important task. We don’t agree with the militia nor support their existence. Therefore we ask for a change in the policies of the occupying forces in handling the security situation in Iraq.
CAVE: Clearly there is a security crisis in this country. When we spoke last year you said the Americans should leave immediately – is that still your view?
HAKIM: My opinion is that the occupying forces have taken the wrong political path in trying to fix this situation, and this is a dangerous issue. We have already expressed out viewpoint as the high Islamic council and as a ruling committee of Iraq – but unfortunately until now we haven’t seen any serious changes to these policies.
CAVE: How long should the coalition stay – how long should they stay here and keep the peace?
HAKIM: I think the occupying forces should follow a correct security policy which will justify their stay here. I think when these policies are corrected peace will prevail very soon in Iraq.
CAVE: How do you feel about Moqtadr al Sadr and what he’s been doing over the past few weeks?
HAKIM: We think that everybody should work towards the stability of Iraq and any actions to the contrary only help the enemies of the country, such as the followers of Saddam. And for all these reasons our principle is to create order in Iraq, hoping to create stability, because the chaotic situation is not to our advantage.
CAVE: Just one final question - What is your view of George Bush’s War on Terror. Do you think it is a war against Islam?
HAKIM: For the moment we just think about Iraq and its stability - to salvage the country from this situation, to liberate it from occupation, and to return its sovereignty.
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http://abc.net.au/foreign/content/2004/s1101371.htm