In Baghdad Mohamed El-Anwar interviews Mishaan Al-Juburi, member of the National Assembly, and key advocate of Sunni Arab rights in Iraq How do you see the Iraqi situation at present? Each powerful sectarian group is trying to make gains for itself regardless of whether its demands are just and regardless of how this affects others. This, unfortunately, is how things are. What will that lead to? At present, we are trying to create and build a state. For any political process to succeed, everyone should give up some of their rights for the interests of all. This is not happening yet in Iraq. The Sunni Arabs are the one group that others want to suppress. There are many who blame Sunni Arabs for what happened in Kurdistan, for what happened to the Shia, and for what happened in Iraq as a whole. We hear kind words from some Kurdish leaders, particularly Masoud Barzani. We hear kind words from all other parties, but what we see everyday is not encouraging. Sunni Arabs are still in shock. Some forces act as if they are giving us -- Sunnis -- posts as an act of charity. Are the Arabs living in Iraq a target of this campaign? And who is responsible for what is happening? [Arabs in Iraq] are being abused in the same sectarian campaign. As for who is responsible, I personally blame those who embrace the anti-Arab agenda, those who want to distance Iraq from its Arab origins and disassociate Sunni Arabs from their Arab and Sunni bonds in the Arab world. You hear many accusations, claims and stories that are 99 per cent false. I assure you that there is no evidence that an Egyptian or a Syrian has carried out a suicide attack. There are Syrians within the resistance, but not in suicide operations. This does not mean that there are no suicide bombers from Saudi Arabia, Yemen and Sudan. But even those do not represent their countries, but only themselves, just as there are Iraqis in other areas who are carrying out acts of sabotage. You have been a target of accusations, why? Because I support the resistance that targets the occupation. I am, however, opposed to attacks against innocent civilians of all nationalities, against the Iraqi state institutions, the police and the army. We have gone beyond receiving the blows, and we will attempt to answer the attacks against us. We will confront the conspiracy to which we're being subjected. Some people justify attacks against the police and army by saying that they collaborate with the occupation forces. I wouldn't say that they collaborate with the occupier, but they take orders from Iraqi politicians who want to harm Sunni Arabs, among others. Concerning the new cabinet, and considering what has been reported, are you satisfied with the representation of the Sunni Arabs in it? The plan is to impose on us the candidates of the Iraqi Unified Alliance -- which is predominantly Shia -- on the pretext that Sunni Arabs [are part of that list]. The list included three Sunni Arabs who won with Shia votes and on a Shia list. And now they want to have these people to fill the posts allocated to Sunni Arabs. I am referring to Modar Shawkat, Fawwaz Al-Jerba, and Abdul-Rahman Al-Nueimi. We will resist any attempt to impose these people as representatives of Sunni Arabs. This would be a big problem. Have Sunni Arabs learned their lesson from what happened in the elections? Yes. They have learned their lesson well and will participate in the next elections vigorously and dazzle the world. We have no other choice but to participate in the political process, stay within it, and defend Iraq and its unity. What is the real numerical ratio of Sunni Arabs in Iraq? The last elections show that about 35 per cent have boycotted the elections, all Sunni Arabs. Who do you hold responsible for the Sunni Arab boycott of the elections? The Association of Muslim Scholars, for it did not present the case correctly. Had we participated in the political process, none of this would have happened. Things have taken a bad turn. We blame them because it was a strategic error to urge the people not to vote. All the problems the Sunni Arabs are having now are a result of the boycott. Then, immediately after the elections, they began talking about participating in the political process. We cannot understand why they urged people not to vote. Some people say that giving the Ministry of Defence portfolio to Sunni Arabs is meant to divide them, since most military operations now take place in Sunni Arab areas. What's your comment? That is not the reason. Let's be fair. That post is the one that remains available, because the Foreign Ministry will go to the Kurds and the Interior Ministry to the Alliance. Sunni Arabs want a key post, although the chief of staff -- which is the most important post -- will remain as it is, in the hands of Kurdish Babekr Al-Zibari. Is it possible for the Constitution to be rewritten in the time left for the government and the National Assembly? Several drafts are available and one will be approved. Some small details remain to be worked out. The Sunni Arabs can say no, in which case the Constitution would not pass and the political process will have to be repeated once again. What do you think of the Kurdish call for Arabs to be deported from Kirkuk? This is unacceptable. They can say what they want, and so can we. Not one person has been deported -- they cannot do that. The Kurds who left Kirkuk may go back. But the Arabs are there to stay.
