Race for winning Iraq provincial seats gets heated 
Sun, 25 Jan 2009 17:31:21 | Wisam Al-Bayati, Press TV, Baghdad
23/01/2009 | Al Manar
Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki on Friday urged Iraqis to put their faith in democracy and not sell out their right to vote in the country's provincial elections, little more than a week away.
Maliki, speaking in Baghdad to tribal chiefs, appealed for a strong turnout in the polls, seen as a crucial step to consolidating Iraq's fragile security and political situation. "Your participation in the election is the price you pay for keeping freedom in this country," Maliki said. "But some want to influence and put pressure on these elections -- like buying and selling of votes.
"You know that this is haram (forbidden) as mentioned by the esteemed marjaiya (the highest Shia religious authority)." Iraq's Independent High Election Commission, with the help of the United Nations, is holding elections on January 31 in 14 of Iraq's 18 provinces -- the first vote in the country since 2005.
"You (tribal chiefs) should encourage people to come and vote so we can have a participation level we can be proud of -- something like 70 to 80 percent," Maliki said. "The principle of high level participation is very important." Turnout at the 2005 elections was 59 percent
No comments:
Post a Comment