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Baghdad (AFP) Feb 13, 2011 Iraq's parliament approved eight new ministers on Sunday, filling some crucial posts in the premier's new cabinet but still leaving three sensitive security portfolios and the planning ministry vacant. Shiite Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki, who began a second four-year term in December after striking a power-sharing deal with rival Sunni and Kurdish blocs following a March inconclusive election, appeared before parliament with a list of three cabinet ministers and five state ministers. The crucial electricity ministry, tasked with reviving services in the face of growing protests decrying the long daily power cuts, was retained by the majority-Sunni Iraqiya bloc. Municipalities and Public Works meanwhile, went to Maliki's own National Alliance while a Kurdish bloc was given control of the trade ministry. The Shiite National Alliance, which also won 159 of the 325 seats in parliament, controls the lion's share of the top government positions: the premiership, deputy prime minister and 19 ministries, including the crucial oil ministry. The Sunni-dominated Iraqiya, which won 91 seats in parliament, now has a deputy ministerial position, and 11 ministers and state ministers, including the ministries of finance and electricity. The Kurdish bloc, with 57 parliamentary seats, retains a deputy premiership and controls six ministries, including foreign affairs. The small Wasat coalition, which is made of Shiites and Sunnis and has 10 legislative seats, was allocated two ministries, and a Christian got the environment ministry. With all rivalries still not settled, candidates for the sensitive ministries of defence, national security, planning and the interior still have not been named. Parliament also was expected to vote on three vice presidents -- two Shiites and a Sunni under the power sharing deal -- but that was postponed. Only two women feature in top positions, one as secretary of state for women's affairs, and another without portfolio, opposed to four women in the previous cabinet. Once the four remaining portfolios have been filled, and the position of prime minister and deputy ministers are counted, Iraq will have 47 ministers and state ministers, the largest number in its history, according to analysts.
earlier related report "We do not want Valentine's Day to be only one day of love but a celebration for reform, democracy, citizenship and freedom," said Karnas Ali, a young engineer. Three groups under the names of "No Silence," "Baghdad Is Not Kandahar" and "Blue Revolution" are organising the event. They are using Facebook to call for the demonstration at Baghdad's Tahrir Square, which like in other Arab capitals has the same name as the main venue in Cairo for Egypt's uprising which toppled president Hosni Mubarak. "We will ask the leaders of this country to love Iraq and meet the demands of the people," said Ali, a leader of "No Silence." "The only thing that unites us is our love of Iraq, its unity and our determination to hunt down the corrupt," he said, adding that his Facebook page had received nearly 5,000 visits. Iraq has also witnessed protests in the wake of Arab uprisings in Egypt and Tunisia, but ordinary Iraqis demand improvements in basic services such as water, sewage and electricity rather than a toppling of the regime. The watchdog Transparency International rates Iraq as the world's fourth most corrupt, with diplomats and local officials often citing widespread graft as a major obstacle to its post-war reconstruction and development. The head of Iraq's own anti-corruption watchdog told AFP last week that ministers, instead of fighting graft, prefer to hide departmental corruption. "Once they step into their positions, they see their ministry as a family concern and prevent others from coming in or fighting against corruption," said Commission on Integrity head Rahim Hassan al-Uqailee.
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Death toll from Iraqi suicide attack rises to 33Samarra, Iraq (AFP) Feb 13, 2011 The death toll from an attack in which a suicide bomber detonated explosives inside a bus filled with Shiite pilgrims near the Iraqi city of Samarra has risen to 33, medics said on Sunday. "Our last toll from Saturday's attack is 33 dead and 28 wounded. There are two women among the dead and another two among the wounded," said a medic at Samarra's General Hospital. An earlier toll from the ... read more |
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