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Iraq tribal chiefs sign pact to support PM's unity plan on ending violence
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| Contributor | kal |
| Last Edited | kal Aug 29, 2006 04:48am |
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| Category | News |
| News Date | Tuesday, August 29, 2006 10:00:00 AM UTC0:0 |
| Description | Hundreds of Iraqi tribal chiefs gave important support Saturday to Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki's national reconciliation plan, while the government leader called the release of a leading Sunni Arab legislator by kidnappers a gift to his unity campaign.
But after a relative lull in violence Friday, 26 people were reported killed in nearly a dozen attacks around Iraq that showed there will be no quick end to the sectarian and political strife tearing at the country.
Al-Maliki won endorsement of his program for bridging religious, ethnic and political divisions at a national conference of tribal chiefs. A representative of the chiefs read their agreement on live television, calling it a "pact of honour."
"Realizing the gravity of the situation our country is undergoing, we pledge in front of God and the Iraqi people to be sincere and serious in preserving the unity of our country," said the agreement signed by tribal leaders and sheiks.
The chiefs also pledged to "work hard to stop the bloodletting and . . . sectarian killings that have nothing to do with our values."
The endorsement was a boost to al-Maliki because tribal ties wield considerable influence in Iraqi society, especially among rural people for whom clan bonds are vital.
But like all other institutions in Iraq, tribal affiliations also are sometimes tenuous, so al-Maliki still faces a tough road in pursuing the reconciliation program unveiled in June.
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