1300 delegates representing people and organisations from Iraq's 18 provinces defied the extremist wreckers and terrorists - both Islamist fundamentalists and Saddam suporters - by gathering in Baghdad's Convention Centre on Sunday 15 August 2004 to elect an interim National Assembly and to engage in an open national dialogue on Iraq's future.
Amongst the delegates were women activists, trade union leaders and civil society representatives including doctors, teachers and lawyers, as well as religious figures, political parties, tribal leaders and businessmen.
They came from Najaf, Falluja, Basra, Kirkuk, Baghdad and Iraqi Kurdistan and represented Kurds, Arabs, Sunni and Shia Muslims, Iraqi Christians, Turkomen, Yezidis and Assyrians.
Despite shortcomings and serious violations in the process of electing members of the conference, Iraqis nevertheless see the conference as an important means to strengthen the democratic political process during the interim phase and prepare the ground for democratic elections in January 2005. These will elect a Transitional National Assembly to prepare a draft for a permanent constitution that will be the basis for a general election in January 2006 to elect a sovereign and fully legitimate government.
The interim National Assembly will consist of 100 representatives. Delegates at the Iraqi National Conference will elect 81 seats in the assembly with the remaining 19 going to former members of the Iraqi Governing Council who are not members of the interim government of Iraqi Prime Minister Mr Ayad Allawi.
The interim National Assembly will oversee and guide the Interim government. The assembly will have limited legislative power: it will have the right to appoint ministers if posts are vacant and it will have the power to approve the 2005 financial budget.
Those who worked against the interests of the Iraqi people, to derail this important democratic initiative have failed. The mortar bombs and shells that exploded close to where delegates assembled for the conference will not deter the Iraqi people from moving forward to build a secular, democratic and federal Iraq.
Posted at August 16, 2004 11:00 PM