Arrest and trial of Maliki is the foremost imperative action for reforms in Iraq
The courageous and responsible remarks by Grand Ayatollah Ali Sistani, Iraq’s religious leader, and the nationwide demonstrations by the Iraqi people in the millions for the fourth consecutive Friday unambiguously shows that swift reforms is inevitable.
Grand Ayatollah Sistani rightly announced that in the absence of “true reform”, “fighting corruption without mercy” and “social justice on different levels”, Iraq could be “dragged to… partition and the like, God forbid,”
He stated that without rampant corruption, especially in the security forces, and misuse of power by top officials, “The Daesh (ISIS) terrorist organisation would not have been able to control a large part of the territory of Iraq,” and added many that Iraqi politicians “did not take the overall interest of the Iraqi people into consideration, and were instead concerned with their personal interests, and factional, sectarian and ethnic” concerns.
At the top of the list of demands of Friday’s demonstration immediately after the message of Grand Ayatollah Sistani was the trial of former Prime Minister Nouri Maliki as the principal cause of destruction and corruption in Iraq and the eviction of the Iranian regime from that country. This was despite the blatant stance of the Iranian regime against the will of the Iraqi people and after the parliamentary committee declared Maliki as the principal official responsible for the fall of Mosul.
Last week, the Iranian regime took Maliki to Tehran where he met with Khamenei and other regime’s leaders. There are ample reports of the Iranian regime pressing to save Nouri Maliki from trial and punishment and to keep him in power as regime’s strong footstep in Iraq.
We believe that the foremost imperative step to salvage Iraq from disintegration is the arrest and trial of Maliki. Any delay or indecision in this matter, under whatever pretext, will offer the Iranian regime the opportunity to defeat the will of the Iraqi people for reforms through various machinations by Maliki. Trying Maliki would open the path to successful reforms and will cut off the long arms of the Iranian regime in Iraq.
Alejo Vidal-Quadras
President of International Committee In Search of Justice (ISJ)
Vice-President of European Parliament (1999-2014)