Students in Mosul protest election rigging allegations

 

Azzaman, December 22, 2005

 

For the second day in a row, thousands of students at Mosul University in northern Iraq have demonstrated against alleged rigging of parliamentary elections.

 

Allegations of large-scale rigging during last week’s elections have been made by major political groups, particularly those representing the Sunnis.

 

Only Kurdish and Shiite political factions, who make up the outgoing government, seem to be happy with the results.

 

It is not yet clear how serious the protests are, but several Sunni leaders, aided by secular and independent groups, have warned to derail the political process if their complaints of rigging were not investigated.

 

The Sunnis, who boycotted the January elections, actively took part in the latest vote and the partial results announced so far show that they have done extremely well in Sunni-dominated areas.

 

Most of anti-U.S. armed groups in Iraq operate mainly in Sunni areas.

 

Opposition groups cried foul when the electoral commission announced its early assessment of results from Baghdad, the largest Iraqi constituency.

 

The Shiite coalition was given up to 60% of the vote, a result which the Sunnis have disputed.

 

The outgoing government fears the protest in Mosul, an ant-U.S. guerilla bastion, will spread to other Sunni areas.

 

It is almost impossible to pacify the country and move the stalled political process forward if Sunnis remain disenchanted and marginalized.