AYATOLLAH BAQER HAKIM
AIMS TO BECOME IRAQ’S SUPREME LEADERPARIS 5 May (IPS) Aiming to become Iraq’s supreme religious leader,
Ayatollah Mohammad Baqer al-Hakim might leave the leadership of the Iran-backed
Supreme Assembly of the Islamic Revolution of Iraq (SAIRI), giving the position
to his younger brother, Hojjatoleslam Abdolaziz al-Hakim, according to the
London-based, Saudi-owned "al Hayat" newspaper.
The Tehran-based Ayatollah has revealed his intention in an interview to the Arabic-language paper, indicating that he might leave the leadership of the Organisation, the largest and most active of all Iraqi religious-based groups, once back to his home country, a move that is expected to happen "very soon".
The younger al-Hakim, who is also the commander of the "Badr Brigade", SAIRI’s military wing, is already in Baghdad, busy to organise the group’s networks and also preparing a "triumphant", Khomeini-like return for his brother. (When Grand Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, the leader of the Islamic revolution of 1979 and founder of the present Islamic Republic returned to Iran after 15 years of exile, most of it in Najaf, more than a million Iranians of all walks greeted him.)
The "Brigade", which is trained and equipped by Iranian Revolutionary Guards, has an estimated force of 10.000 to 30.000, all Iraqi refugees; most of them fled Iraq after the now toppled Saddam Hoseyn’s regime crushed mercilessly an Iranian-supported revolt of the Shi’ites in the Basra region.
According to well-informed sources, Iran infiltrated most of SAIRI’s men into Iraq as the Coalition forces entered the country, plus "hundreds" of a special "Iraq Unit" of the Revolutionary Guards, some of them captured recently by the Americans.
Mohsen al-Hakim, a member of SAIRI told the Persian service of the BBC that in order to lead the Iraqi Sh’ite community, which the majority among Iraqi Muslims, Ayatollah Mohammad Baqer intends to quit the leadership of the Organisation, leaving it to his brother, Abdolaziz, who is a member of a six-men Provisory Government chosen by the Follow up and Coordination Committee (FCC) that was formed by an all Iraqi opposition conference held in London at the end of last December.
Besides Hojjatoleslam Abdolaziz al-Hakim, the other members of the provisory leadership are Masoud Barzani, leader of the Democratic Party of (the Iraqi) Kurdistan; Jalal Talabani of the Patriotic Union of (the Iraqi) Kurdistan; Ahmad Chalabi of the Iraqi National Congress; Ayad Allawi of the Iraqi National Accord and possibly Adnan Pachachi, an independent personality who was a former Foreign Affairs Minister.
However, suspicious of the SAIRI’s close links with the ruling Iranian ayatollahs, Washington is visibly sidelining the Organisation, doubting its hidden intention of using democratic procedures to grab the power in Iraq and proclaim an Iranian-style Islamic Republic.
"The decision make sense, as the Ayatollah eyes to become the supreme leader of the Iraqi Shi’ites, who are in majority. This also confirms his plan to establish an Islamic Republic in Iraq as well", one Iranian analyst who watches the SAIRI told Iran Press Service.
"Taking into account that His Eminence is already assuming the political-religious leadership of the SAIRI in the one hand and taking into account that the administration of such a large organisation is a heavy burden, His Eminency Ayatollah Mohammad Baqer al-Hakim is considering to leave the leadership of the movement, giving it to other leaders of the Supreme Assembly and give his time to the affairs of the Hauwzeh (religious circle) and continue his political-religious activities", Mr Mohsen told the BBC.
Asked if such a model (mixing politics and religious affairs) can work in a mosaic-like country like Iraq? the cleric said since a political leader (in a Muslim nation) must also be a faqih, meaning a highly educated religious personality, a man who masters both politics and religion, is just and also a learned person, therefore, there should not be any difficulty. "To the contrary, this could solve many problems", Mr. Mohsen pointed out.
To the question if he would be accepted to other Iraqi religious leaders? Mohsen al-Hakim responded by the positive, noting that the present faqihs in the religious circle of Najaf have not assumed political duties. Not because they are in favour of separation of religion from politics (secularism), but because we in our religion, have also political responsibilities and considering that Ayatollah Hakim is both a political and religious leader and also considering the fact that he is widely popular and has a large fellowship, he therefore places himself as an obvious political-religious leader", he further observed.
Jay Garner, the retired U.S. general in charge of post war reconstruction in Iraq said on Monday that Iraq should have an interim national leadership in place by mid-May.
"By the middle of the month, you'll really see a beginning of a nucleus of an Iraqi government with an Iraqi face on it that is dealing with the coalition", he told reporters in Baghdad, adding that he expected up to nine Iraqis to form an interim leadership group that would be a point of contact for the Americans.
The group would likely be expanded to include a Christian and perhaps another Sunni figure, Garner said.
"SAIRI would accept any form of government the Iraqi people would elect" Ayatollah Mohammad Baqer told al-Hayat.
In earlier statements, the cleric had indicated his firm opposition to "any government imposed on the Iraqi by foreigners", meaning the Americans.
Meanwhile, in the first election held in Iraq since Saddam was deposed, the people of Mosul, Iraqi Kurdistan’s second largest city with a mainly Arab population and a large Kurdish minority as well as Turkmens, Assyrians and other groups, elected Monday an interim Council led by Ghanim al-Boso, an Arab and retired army General.
Amid strong U.S. military security more than 200 representatives of the
city's tribal and ethnic groups took part in the event, the 24-members Council
including seven Arabs, three Kurds, a Christian and a Turkman, or ethnic Turk,
among others.
"By being here today you are participating in the birth of the democratic
process in Iraq", Commanding General David Petraeus, standing below
an Iraqi flag, told delegates. ENDS SAIRI LEADERSHIP 5503