The speaker of Iraq’s parliament warned on Friday that upcoming elections might be used to further marginalize already-frustrated Sunni Muslims, who have chafed against what they call unfair treatment from the country’s Shi’ite prime minister.
Usama al-Nujaifi, a Sunni, said in an interview during a visit to Washington that he feared attempts to discourage voting or “provoke the situation” in Sunni areas, or to sideline certain would-be candidates, were designed “to weaken Sunni representation in parliament.”
“If the security conditions worsen, the elections could be postponed (or) if they are held, they will take place under inappropriate conditions,” he said.
Nujaifi and other Sunnis have complained that Maliki has applied laws selectively and has systematically undermined the position of Sunnis, who dominated majority-Shi’ite Iraq under former President Saddam Hussein. Maliki denies such charges.
Nujaifi, while expressing his concerns over deteriorating situation in Iraq, called on the Obama administration to ensure that the United States’ long, costly effort to build a democracy in Iraq was not in vain.
“What we have now is a facade of a democracy – superficial – but on the inside it’s total chaos,” Nujaifi said, warning of the consequences of further instability.