Sistany “apologizes” to receive any Iraqi official till implementation of demonstrators’ demands

BAGHDAD / IraqiNews.com: The Supreme Shiite Religious Authority, Sayid Ali al-Sistany, has “apologized” to receive any official in the State of Iraq, unless after the implementation of the demands of demonstrators in the country, the Chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee in the Iraqi Parliament, Humam Hammoudi said on Monday. “Sistany’s office has issued a statement saying that the Supreme Authority ‘apologizes’ to receive any State official, following his issuance of a statement supporting the demands of the demonstrators, and till the commitment of those demands by the Iraqi officials,” Hammoudi’s media office said in a statement, copy of which was received by IraqiNews.com news agency. Hammoudi, who is also member of the National Coalition, led by Iraq’s Prime Minister, Nouri al-Maliki, had stated after his visit to the holy city of Najaf, where Sistany resides, saying: “at the time when we respect the position of the Authority (Sistany) and his keenness to achieve the demands of the people, and with all respect to Sistany’s opinion, we have not presented any demand to meet his Excellency, during our last visit to Najaf.” He said his visit was basically aimed “to meet Sheikh Is’haq al-Fayadh after his return from treatment abroad and to serve condolences to the (Shiite) Religious man, Mohammed Saeed al-Hakim, on occasion of the death of Mohammed Ali Al-Hakim.” Noteworthy is that several Iraqi provinces had witnessed demonstrations during the past two Fridays, protesting against the deterioration of public services, demanding political reforms and putting an end to administrative corruption and unemployment. The demonstrations had witnessed clashes between demonstrators and Iraqi security forces, that killed a number of demonstrators and wounded others, including members of the security. SKH(RT)/SR 418