In Iraq, a stormy parliament session underscores sectarian tension

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Source: CNN

In Iraq, a stormy parliament session underscores sectarian tension
BAGHDAD (CNN) -- Iraq's parliament session Thursday ended abruptly amid quarreling in the chamber that reflects the tensions between Sunnis and Shiites and the dissatisfaction among politicians with the Nuri al-Maliki government.

Bickering and chaos erupted after a parliamentary delegation read a graphic report describing and cataloguing the tribulations of displaced Shiite families who fled their homes in Diyala province, north and east of Baghdad, for Karbala -- a city in the south considered holy by Shiites.

Parliament speaker Mahmoud al-Mashhadani -- a controversial Sunni who is not liked by all for his blunt and undiplomatic personality -- asked the delegation to present parliament with its recommendations on the problems the families are facing on Saturday. He said the recommendations would then be forwarded to the government.

But the delegation members interpreted al-Mashhadani's handling of their concerns and his grinning manner as dismissive and disrespectful, and they didn't like the way other lawmakers greeted the report.



Read more: http://edition.cnn.com/2007/WORLD/europe/05/10/thursday/index.html

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1. Debate ends with a slap in Iraq parliament

Debate ends with a slap in Iraq parliament
Body's speaker strikes another lawmaker who had ridiculed his use of guards. Chamber is under pressure to cancel long vacation plans.
By Tina Susman, Times Staff Writer
May 11, 2007


BAGHDAD — As Washington pressures Iraq's parliament to cancel its two-month summer break and focus on passing laws, Thursday's session indicated that many lawmakers need a long break.

The governing body's Sunni Arab speaker, Mahmoud Mashadani, slapped another lawmaker after being accused of not paying sufficient heed to the plight of Shiite Muslims displaced by sectarian violence.

"Damn you!" Mashadani said before hitting Hussein Falluji, a lawmaker from a rival Sunni party.

The altercation began when Shadha Mousawi, a Shiite lawmaker, complained that the government was ignoring the plight of several hundred Shiites who have been in the southern city of Karbala since mid-April after having fled their homes in Diyala province. Diyala is a stronghold of Sunni Muslim insurgents.

more:http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-fg-slap11may11,0,1891662.story?coll=la-home-center