Protesters oppose coalition plans

BAGHDAD – Iraqi Shi’ite Muslims yesterday staged a massive demonstration in the centre of Baghdad in support of leading Shi’ite cleric Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani’s demands for the US-led coalition to abandon power-transfer plans in favour of full elections.

The protests came ahead of crucial talks in New York at which US overseer in Iraq Paul Bremer is expected to urge the United Nations to help push forward his timetable for Iraqi sovereignty. “Yes, yes to Islam, yes, yes to the Hawza, no no to terrorism,” shouted protesters, estimated by reporters at up to 100 000.The Hawza is a network of Islamic seminaries headed by a coterie of clerics considered a religious authority, or marjaa, including Sistani who has challenged the coalition’s plan to install a provisional government by June.Yesterday’s protest was the biggest display of Shi’ite political power in Baghdad since the collapse of Saddam Hussein’s regime last April.Secretary General Kofi Annan has been reluctant for the United Nations to play a greater role in Iraq until Washington agrees to greater responsibility here and until he is convinced the country is safe.Underscoring those dangers, 31 people were killed and about 120 were injured when a suicide bomber blew up his truck on Sunday at a gate to the headquarters compound of the occupation authority in Baghdad, Iraq’s Health Minister Khudayer Abbas said yesterday.US and Iraqi Governing Council officials say it is not possible to hold free and fair elections before the July 1 deadline given the precarious security situation.”Yes, yes to Islam, yes, yes to the Hawza, no no to terrorism,” shouted protesters, estimated by reporters at up to 100 000. The Hawza is a network of Islamic seminaries headed by a coterie of clerics considered a religious authority, or marjaa, including Sistani who has challenged the coalition’s plan to install a provisional government by June. Yesterday’s protest was the biggest display of Shi’ite political power in Baghdad since the collapse of Saddam Hussein’s regime last April. Secretary General Kofi Annan has been reluctant for the United Nations to play a greater role in Iraq until Washington agrees to greater responsibility here and until he is convinced the country is safe. Underscoring those dangers, 31 people were killed and about 120 were injured when a suicide bomber blew up his truck on Sunday at a gate to the headquarters compound of the occupation authority in Baghdad, Iraq’s Health Minister Khudayer Abbas said yesterday. US and Iraqi Governing Council officials say it is not possible to hold free and fair elections before the July 1 deadline given the precarious security situation.