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Ten Sunni Islamic armed groups in Iraq have created a unified command, and
concerning the National Assembly elections to be held on the 30th, wrote a
proposal for cease-fire upon conditions such as "The American Army pulls
out within three years," it has been discovered. This proposal was shown to
the American Embassy at the beginning of January, but the Americans refused it.
This is the first time that the anti-American militants have shown any
scenario that would lead to a cease-fire. This may play an important role
in the governmental process from this point forward, as well.
The organization is the "Islamic Peoples Resistance League." According to the
leaders of their unified command, when the Americans attacked Falluja in
April of last year, three local groups first unified, and then the organization increased
in scope.
The leadership says, "Our fighting membership is 50,000 people. We comprise
40 percent of the armed militants across Iraq." Islamic extremists such
as the "Al-Qaeda in Iraq" group which confessed to actions such as the
kidnapping and murder of Japanese hostages are not members of the alliance,
they say.
In statements from the leadership, the proposal for a cease-fire was drawn
up at a meeting of representatives of the ten armed member groups at the
end of December last year. The proposal requests things such as:
- American armed forces will completely withdraw from Iraq within three
years
- American armed forces will withdraw from urban areas within six months,
and the upcoming elections will also be postponed for that six months
- Release of political prisoners
- Change the format of the election from the current proportional
representation to a form of individual election districts where the
units are states
The proposal stated that if the Americans accepted this proposal, the
group would stop attacks
against the American armed forces and the Iraqi police and Iraqi army,
and the Sunni affiliated factions would also participate in the election,
they said.
According to the leadership, this proposal was communicated to the
American embassy at the beginning of January via someone affiliated
with the American armed forces. It was also sent to the "Committee of
Islamic Religious People" which has had influence in securing the release
of foreign hostages.
About the relationship with the "Committee of the Religious," the
leadership of the militant group explained that "They have the same
position on issues such as asking the American armed forces to withdraw,
and they are a group who will express our position on our behalf."
They added that "American ambassador Negroponte then held discussions
with representative Da-ri of the Committee. We received word that the
Americans answered that they cannot clearly express any timetable for
withdrawal."
The meeting between the American embassy officials and the "Committee
of the Religious" was said to have taken place on January 8th. The
American embassy has admitted to the AP news service that they
"exchanged opinions."
The Middle East satellite channel "Al Jazeera" also reported that "The Committee
of the Religious responded to the American embassy, which was seeking
Sunni participation in the elections, with a request that the Americans
show a timetable for withdrawal, but the Americans refused." Sunni
religious organizations and main political parties are boycotting the
upcoming elections as a protest against the American armed forces
clean sweep attack on the city of Falluja in November of last year.
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