Maliki's plan for national reconciliation is a solid basis for Iraq to move towards stability, writes Hussein Alawi Al-Ani* Iraq's only hope to emerge from its current tribulations is through national reconciliation. Since 25 June 2006, the Iraqi government has been in touch with various groups in the country to turn reconciliation into reality. The government has contacted political groups and major clerics for this purpose and various militias are said to be looking seriously into the prospects of reconciliation. According to Iraqi officials, major armed groups are willing to hold talks with the government. The national reconciliation programme, which has been announced by Prime Minister Nouri Al-Maliki, offers new hope to the war-torn nation. The national reconciliation document includes 24 clauses and offers a second chance for militiamen who have not been accused of major crimes. According to the document, prisoners who haven't been charged with serious crimes would be released. Militia would be disbanded and integrated in civilian life. The De- Baathification Commission would be reorganised. Human rights violations by Iraqi security forces would cease. And serious efforts would be made to replace multinational forces with Iraqi ones. The moderate tone of the document is obviously meant to entice various groups to come to the national fold. The document urges local media to tackle national reconciliation efforts in a professional and unbiased manner. Legal and constitutional legitimacy, the document maintains, is the only way to address widespread violence. Iraq may be finally ready for reconciliation. All political groups participating in the government have already denounced violence and instability, but a lot of haggling is to be expected before reconciliation becomes a fact of life. In a country torn by violence, where not a day passes without dozens of innocent victims falling prey to the continuous bloodletting, the need for reconciliation is all too obvious. Iraq has a lot to learn from South Africa and Algeria, two countries which had to rise above their past of civil disturbance. And yet, thorny issues lie ahead. For example, a public amnesty for all gunmen may alienate the families of victims of violence. But amnesty is inevitable, for many detainees have been rounded up on mere suspicion and could be innocent. The first goal of national reconciliation is to bring an end to violence. Rhetoric alone cannot achieve that. The public is tired of hearing officials promise an end to atrocities. Violence has impeded reconstruction, undermined the public's confidence in the government, and weakened the government's hold on the country as a whole. Those who are in charge of promoting national reconciliation should keep in mind that Iraq is a conventional society, with tribes and traditional concepts at the heart of its fabric. Various tribes must offer their solid backing to the initiative. It is essential to promote tolerance in the country and to restore public confidence in citizenry as a national ideal. Sectarianism, which has been on the rise for three years, should give way to national unity. The government of Nouri Al-Maliki, due to its all- encompassing composition, is well positioned to achieve reconciliation. In the midst of the current turmoil, it is easy to be pessimistic. Analysts have already pointed out that international considerations complicate the Iraqi domestic scene. The war against terror hasn't been helpful, nor have recurring remarks about a new Middle East. Besides, Iraq has its own homegrown complications. Many in Iraq are still determined to eradicate all armed groups. Eradication may make sense, but it's the wrong approach. But people who are serious about national reconciliation should contemplate other options. Eradication can play into the hands of those who don't want to see a united Iraq come back to life. Corruption is another problem. Over the past three years, financial and administrative racketeers have been ripping off the country. According to Radi Al-Radi, chief of the Probity Commission, much of the ongoing turmoil is linked to corruption. Racketeers don't want normalcy restored because they can only prosper in conditions of disorder and turmoil. And let's not forget that those who masterminded the violence don't want to be found, and therefore will resist a return to normalcy. Another obstacle has to do with the current mindset in the country. Many Iraqi groups are taking extreme views of outsiders, be they foreigners or locals from other factions. This mindset will have to change if reconciliation is to succeed. Another problem is that of unemployment. At one point, the government will have to replace the older generation of bureaucrats with fresh college graduates, a task that involves reactivating the new retirement law. Reconciliation requires commitment and resolve, but the alternative is unthinkable. As for the militia, a major national programme for disbanding them and reincorporating them into civilian life is indispensable. * The writer is an Iraqi academic.
