Iraqis head to polls on constitution

Iraqis wait their turn to vote yesterday in a referendum on a new constitution at a polling station in Al Zubayr, just outside Basra in southern Iraq. PHOTO: AFP

Iraqis yesterday on a new constitution that turns a page on the ousted regime of Saddam Hussein, but insurgents struck at polling stations despite a massive security clampdown, killing four people.

Around million Iraqis are registered to vote on the charter, which lays out a democratic framework for a new Iraq but has sharply divided the country on ethnic lines and was only drafted after weeks of tortuous negotiations.

"I think the majority [of all Iraqis] will vote yes," said Kurdish President Jalal Talabani after he cast his ballot inside Baghdad's heavily-protected Green Zone.

Simple question

In the country's second national vote since Saddam was toppled by US-led invasion forces in April 2003, Iraqis are being asked a single question: "Do You Approve the Draft Constitution of Iraq?"

However, under a deal hammered out only on Wednesday, voters are deciding on what is effectively a partial constitution after political leaders agreed further revisions could be considered after new elections in December, in a bid to bring the disaffected Sunni minority on board.

Many Sunnis, who make up about 20 percent of Iraq's 26 million population, fear federal provisions in the charter could lead to the break-up of Iraq and leave control of its vast oil wealth in the hands of the majority Shiites and the Kurds.

"Sunni Arab brothers should understand that their aspirations will be achieved through political action and not violence and terrorist acts," Talabani told the private Asharqia television channel on Friday.

Bomb blast

Despite a raft of security measures, including a ban on cars and weapons and the closure of international borders, three Iraqi soldiers were killed in a bomb blast as they inspected a polling station northeast of the capital.

West Baghdad, a civilian was shot dead during an attack on police near a polling station.

Several in Baghdad were also fired upon Friday and yesterday despite the heightened security, and a sabotage attack on a power line cut electricity to the capital and the main southern city of Basra, plunging both into darkness late on Friday.

Cars pedestrians were largely absent from Baghdad streets, creating the eerie feel of a baking ghost town in a city of six million people.

US presence

US combat helicopters patrolled the skies over the capital, launching green and red flares, while Iraqi soldiers stood guard at polling stations fortified with concrete barricades.

"Today we are in transition, we are about to attain political stability built on a constitutional foundation," Shiite Prime Minister Ibrahim Jaafari told reporters.

The charter requires a simple majority to be approved, but would be rejected if two-thirds of the votes in at least three of Iraq's 18 provinces say "no."

Results be known within three days, chief electoral official Adil al-Lami said.

In Baghdad, dozens of men and women who travelled on foot to vote entered the polling stations in separate lines. Squads of policemen checked identity papers and searched voters once about 200m away and a second time just outside the station. US soldiers performed a third perimeter check.

The constitution "represents hope for Iraq even if some things are missing which will be addressed later," said Jamil Musawi, a voter in the town of Kut south of Baghdad.

healthy turnout

The top UN envoy in Iraq, Ashraf Qazi, said initial reports indicated a "fairly healthy" turnout.

Qazi the referendum "a very important benchmark in the political transition" and stressed that "whatever the choice of the Iraqis the political process will proceed."

But underscoring hostility among Sunni Arabs, posters outside a prominent Sunni mosque in Baghdad showed Iraq cut up by bloody sabres held by hands attached to US and Iranian flags.

"No to the constitution that tears the unity of Iraq," it declared.

In Hilla, south of Baghdad, loudspeakers at Shiite mosques blared: "The constitution is Iraq's salvation," backing the recommendation of Iraq's revered top Shiite cleric, Grand Ayatollah Ali Sistani.

Security for the vote include a four-day national holiday that began Thursday, an extended curfew, a ban on civilians carrying weapons and a ban on the use of personal vehicles.

sealed borders

International borders have been closed to traffic except the transport of food, water and fuel, and Baghdad airport was shut down until Monday.

"Everything has been going well so far, with very few incidents," top UN election official Carina Perelli told reporters. "The operation is running smoothly."

In the northern city of Mosul, men with assault rifles warned voters that a polling station would be attacked, and handed out leaflets depicting a donkey voting in front of a figure of Uncle Sam.

The US ambassador to Iraq, Zalmay Khalilzad, said that if the constitution is adopted, if the December elections proceed smoothly and if enough Iraq security forces can be trained, the US military presence could begin to decrease next year.

"Of course it will depend on the circumstances, but it can happen as early as early to mid next year," he said.

Polls at 7am and 5,617 stations were operating of a total 6,235, Lami said. Voting is scheduled to close at 5pm.

The Iraqi electoral commission said 52,000 official observers would oversee the vote, and since political parties were also authorized to attend, the total number could reach up to 116,000.