Civil Rights in Iraq

Paul Bremer, former head of the Coalition Provisional Authority, is bullish on Iraq:

From the outset, the coalition recognized that democracy requires more than just elections. We judged that we had a special obligation to help Iraqis design a political and legal structure to guide Iraq's journey from tyranny to democracy. The result, after three months of intense negotiations and compromise, was the interim constitution. This revolutionary document addresses three crucial areas. First, the coalition insisted that checks and balances guard against the return of one-man rule. So Iraq's national government has a federal structure to dilute the concentration of power in Baghdad characteristic of all previous governments.

The document also provides for the separation of powers among the branches of government, a dramatic change from the concentration in the hands of Saddam and his cronies. Now the legislature and executive will have to work together. And the judiciary is independent. These checks and balances forced negotiation and compromise on the parties elected to Iraq's national assembly--just as we'd intended. They will encourage compromise as Iraqis turn to writing a permanent constitution.

The coalition also insisted that the interim constitution protect the individual rights of all Iraqis. Now all are equal "without regard to gender, sect, opinion or religion." The document establishes a robust list of freedoms, ones we take for granted but are rare in the Middle East: freedom of religion, speech and assembly, and to join political parties and unions and to strike.

The interim constitution set out a goal that women should constitute a quarter of the National Assembly. In a marvelous tribute to the Iraqi people, women comprise 31% of the newly elected assembly, one of the highest proportions in the world--and twice that of the U.S. Congress.

Finally, the interim constitution embodies principles central to the rule of law. Torture is illegal. Search warrants are required, the accused is innocent until proven guilty, and has right to counsel and a free and open trial.

Additional evidence the Shi'ias "support the religious freedoms in the interim Iraqi Constitution and deny interest in 'turning Iraq into an Iranian-style theocracy.'"

(via WILLisms)