Iraqi exiles call for end to occupation

"IRAQ is being denied free and fair elections after enduring decades of Saddam's brutal dictatorship.

"The US and British occupation governments have engineered a process for reproducing the US-appointed Iraqi interim government to prolong the occupation and incite sectarian and ethnic conflicts.

"Millions of Iraqis, under siege in many parts of their homeland, will be disenfranchised, while hundreds of thousands of second-generation Americans and Israelis can vote.

"While boycotting this undemocratic exercise, we strongly condemn all forms of violence against Iraqis who are participating in it.

"We, as exiles, are confident that the vast majority of Iraqis, at home and abroad, will unite to end the US-led occupation and establish democracy, whatever their stance on participation.

"We echo opinions within Iraq stressing the impossibility of holding free and fair elections while under occupation and being subjected to war crimes by the US-led forces. However, we support demands for minimal preconditions:
"(1) setting a strict timetable for speedy withdrawal of all occupation forces;
"(2) ceasing all attacks, and confining all occupation forces to barracks until full withdrawal;
"(3) ending martial law and releasing all of the political prisoners;
"(4) establishing an independent election commission, led by Iraq's senior serving and retired judges and including all Iraq's political forces. The commission could be assisted by anti-occupation figures such as Nelson Mandela and the UN general assembly."

SAMI RAMADANI, HAIFA ZANGANA,

Professor KAMAL MAJID, TAHRIR NUMAN

Dr IMAD KHADDURI, MUNDHER ADHAMI

Dr NADJE AL-ALI, Dr MOUSA AL-HUSSAINI

Dr USAMA SHABIBI, Dr ALI ASSAM

YASAR MOHAMMED, SALMAN HASAN

Dr MAHBOUB AL-CHALABI, Dr SUBHI TOMA

JAFAR AL-SAMARRAI, Dr ALI AL-SHAHWANI

ZAID NUMAN, HANI LAZIM

MOHAMMED AREF, FENIK ADHAM

MAHMOUD AL-BAYATY