NAJAF, Iraq, 11 August 2004 — Iraqi tribes in Najaf are eager to play a role in restoring order to the holy city but differ on whether this should be done by the sword or through dialogue.
“We want prosperity and stability here,” says Sheikh Hatem Hakim Abu Khalil, chief of the powerful Ghazalat tribe, which boasts 200,000 members. “These youngsters that are fighting in Najaf are not from here and must leave.”
A fellow tribesman is quick to say that no tribal chief is behind Shiite cleric Moqtada Sadr, whose militia have been battling US troops and Iraqi forces in Najaf for the past five days.
“There are individuals, maybe a few families with him, but not Najaf tribes,” says Sheikh Hassan Jabber Al-Ghazala. He said members of his tribe recently blocked roads leading to the holy city to prevent outside fighters from coming in and turning Najaf into a battlefield.”
Even more militant is Sheikh Ali Ghanem Jadu, who says the fate of Sadr’s Mehdi Army would have been sealed a long time ago if tribes were given a more active role.
“I spoke with (former US overseer in Iraq) Paul Bremer at the time and told him to give us enough weapons to deal with the militia once and for all,” added the sheikh, dressed in western clothing in contrast to fellow tribe elders in traditional Arab robes.
“There is an Iraqi proverb that says if a hole is not sealed right away it will just widen and deepen.”
Sadr agreed to a truce in early June after leading a two-month rebellion against the US-led coalition at the time which left hundreds dead in central and southern Iraq.
But the truce failed to address the issue of the fate of his militia or the arrest warrant brought against him in connection with the murder of a rival cleric last year.
The Sadr crisis grips Najaf again after Iraq’s US appointed administrator handed power to interim Prime Minister Iyad Allawi in late June.
Sheikh Ali heads the Bani Hushaym tribe which is entrenched in the city of Najaf. He says he was exiled in Norway for 12 years after taking part in the 1991 Shiite uprising in southern Iraq against Saddam Hussein’s former regime.
The tough-talking sheikh admits that not everyone shares his approach, explaining that many other tribal leaders in the area were beholden to Saddam and as such may be sympathetic to some elements within Sadr’s movement who belonged to the ousted leader’s intelligence service.
About 50 tribal leaders were seated Sunday in a waiting room in the provincial government building to meet Allawi who had come down to Najaf on a surprise visit to seek their support in his fight against the militia.
Allawi praises the tribes but tells them that there would be no negotiation with the militia. “It is not about arresting Sadr, but the militia who claim to fight in his name must be disarmed,” he says.
“If they obey they could benefit from the amnesty law and take part in the political process.” Allawi announced Saturday a limited 30-day amnesty for some elements of the insurgency.
Najaf’s governor Adnan Al-Zorfi says thousands of tribe members are already in the police, national guard forces and another special security unit while many more are eager to join.
But Sheikh Muthana Al-Hassan, leader of the powerful Bani Hassans, says force is not the answer.
“We want peace and to rid ourselves of people who have come from outside our region or Iraq, but this must be done through dialogue.” Sheikh Abdul Aziz Al-Sucar, son of one of the tribal leaders that led the 1920 occupation against the British, has offered to mediate between the government and Sadr. But it appears like guns will prevail over words in Najaf for the time being.
