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Iraqi Grand Ayatollah Al-Sistani Wants Direct National Vote
Aired January 12, 2004 - 06:30 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: Could this be a power grab in Iraq? A powerful Shiite cleric wants to take control. Can the U.S. stop him without violence? Some delicate negotiations are going on right now.
We take you live to Baghdad and Satinder Bindra to find out more.
Hello -- Satinder.
SATINDER BINDRA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hello again, Carol.
This powerful figure that you mentioned is Ayatollah Ali al- Sistani. Now, he's the spiritual leader of Iraq's 15 million Shiites.
Now, he continues to oppose U.S. plans to hold caucus-style or indirect elections, which will choose an assembly that appoints a provisional government here in Iraq. The ayatollah is saying very clearly and very bluntly that he wants direct elections.
And let me show you this advertisement. This appeared in a newspaper here in Baghdad this morning -- the ayatollah calling on his followers to exercise their democratic right for direct elections.
Carol, I should add, the United States' viewpoint on this is very different. They say there is very little time to hold direct elections. Besides, they say, Baathist forces and forces loyal to Saddam Hussein could gain the ascendancy in such elections. And lastly, there could also be violence in these elections.
Now, the last word on this political controversy hasn't been said yet. In a few days, the Iraqi Governing Council, the coalition forces and the U.N. secretary-general, Mr. Kofi Annan, will sit down for a meeting in New York.
From politics to economics, there continue to be demonstrations here in southern Iraq. People continue to gather to protest the shortage of jobs.
Today, some trouble in the southern town of Kut, and as we've been reporting over the past two to three days, there has been ongoing trouble and violence in the southern town of Amarah. Yesterday, there were stone-throwing incidents there. And on Saturday the British police and Iraqi forces fired on a large crowd. Five civilians were killed in that violence.
Back to you -- Carol.
COSTELLO: Satinder Bindra live from Baghdad this morning. TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com.
Vote> 9
Aired January 12, 2004 - 06:30 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: Could this be a power grab in Iraq? A powerful Shiite cleric wants to take control. Can the U.S. stop him without violence? Some delicate negotiations are going on right now.
We take you live to Baghdad and Satinder Bindra to find out more.
Hello -- Satinder.
SATINDER BINDRA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hello again, Carol.
This powerful figure that you mentioned is Ayatollah Ali al- Sistani. Now, he's the spiritual leader of Iraq's 15 million Shiites.
Now, he continues to oppose U.S. plans to hold caucus-style or indirect elections, which will choose an assembly that appoints a provisional government here in Iraq. The ayatollah is saying very clearly and very bluntly that he wants direct elections.
And let me show you this advertisement. This appeared in a newspaper here in Baghdad this morning -- the ayatollah calling on his followers to exercise their democratic right for direct elections.
Carol, I should add, the United States' viewpoint on this is very different. They say there is very little time to hold direct elections. Besides, they say, Baathist forces and forces loyal to Saddam Hussein could gain the ascendancy in such elections. And lastly, there could also be violence in these elections.
Now, the last word on this political controversy hasn't been said yet. In a few days, the Iraqi Governing Council, the coalition forces and the U.N. secretary-general, Mr. Kofi Annan, will sit down for a meeting in New York.
From politics to economics, there continue to be demonstrations here in southern Iraq. People continue to gather to protest the shortage of jobs.
Today, some trouble in the southern town of Kut, and as we've been reporting over the past two to three days, there has been ongoing trouble and violence in the southern town of Amarah. Yesterday, there were stone-throwing incidents there. And on Saturday the British police and Iraqi forces fired on a large crowd. Five civilians were killed in that violence.
Back to you -- Carol.
COSTELLO: Satinder Bindra live from Baghdad this morning. TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com.
Vote> 9
