31.01.2005 - Source: Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty

Free Iraqi Society Party ("original document (English)") [ID 9959]

"Founded on 20 April 2003, the Free Iraqi Society Party opposes the U.S.-led occupation of Iraq but supports the commencement of diplomatic relations between the two countries, provided these are conducted on equal footing. The party supports the return of a constitutional monarchy in Iraq and is led by Secretary-General Abd al-Muhsin Shalash. He told "Al-Furat" in an interview published on 14 February that his group hopes to pay an active role in rebuilding Iraqi society but added: "The Governing Council and the coalition forces keep their own counsel and refuse to allow any honest Iraqi person from inside the country to help build a new Iraq." He added that he does not support the occupation of Iraq but said, "We hope to establish strategic relations and friendship with the United States."

Asked his opinion on elections, Shalash said: "We favor holding elections and feel that the Iraqis should live through the experience of honest elections, now that they have tasted freedom. This will prevent the return of dictatorship. What we need is not simply to replace Saddam Hussein's regime with another. We need to change the way we act and the way we understand political matters to prevent the emergence of a new dictator." U.S. military forces reportedly detained Shalash in August 2003 in connection with remarks he purportedly made against the occupation at a party conference, "Al-Hayat" reported.

Shalash gave an interview to Baghdad's "Al-Manar al-Yawm," published on 14 September, in which he says that his group's unofficial stance is that it does not seek to participate to "any agency or congress that has come about through the occupation." Shalash contends that he was not invited to participate in the conference to elect an interim assembly. He claims his party remains neutral on a number of issues, adding that the party instructed him that "we should wait and ask God for his help" rather than take impulsive stands. His grouping encompasses some 30 political parties and supports peaceful resistance to the occupation.

Shalash says of the January elections: "The future shows us that the Iraqi people will be driven and directed within what is called the elections. They will take part in an operation called voting, but it will be like the marriage of a man to a woman he does not love. He walks together with her, holding her hand in front of the people.... But his heart is crying.""

Document(s): original document (English)