Iraq VP Threatens To Block Baath Reconciliation Law Until Changed
Baghdad, Jan 23, (VOI)- An Iraqi lawmaker on Wednesday unveiled that Vice President Tareq al-Hashemi intends to hinder approving the accountability and justice draft law, unless certain amendments were made.
Speaking to the Saudi newspaper al-Sharq al-Awsat, the MP, who preferred to remain anonymous, said “this came after consultations between some legislators who oppose the law and al-Hashemi, who will work with members of the presidential council to reach to an agreement on the major points of disagreement.”
“The parliament’s chairmanship and some parliamentary blocs were threatened by a certain bloc to pass the law,” he underlined, refusing to name this bloc.
Ten days ago, the Iraqi parliament approved the accountability and justice draft law by overwhelming majority amidst rejection by four blocs.
The Iraqi National List (INL), the National Dialogue Front (NDF), the Independent Arab Bloc, the National Dialogue Council and IAF independent members expressed rejection against the law and refused to vote over it, terming it as “hard to apply.”
“Approving the law was made under pressures exercised by some political blocs, which threaten to boycott the parliament’s session in case the law was not passed,” The MP, who represents Sunni Arabs in the parliament, explained.
The draft is an alternative for the debaathification law, enacted by former U.S. civil administrator Paul Bremer, who ruled Iraq after the fall of the former regime in April 2003.
Since it was first announced by Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki in June 2007, the draft law, dubbed the accountability and justice law, is facing fierce opposition and several reservations, mostly by the Sadrists, who occupy 30 seats in parliament.
The law allows 30,000 Baathists, or members of the former ruling Baath Party, to return to their original jobs and receive their retirement rights.
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