Word: sunni
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Tragedy can divide, and it can unite. In the first hours after the stampede that killed more than 1,000 Shi'ite pilgrims in Baghdad last Wednesday, many of the survivors reflexively blamed Sunni terrorists. Surely, they reasoned, it must have been a Sunni agent provocateur who had started the rumor?of a suicide bomber at large among the tens of thousands of Shi'ite pilgrims crossing the Bridge of Imams?that had sparked the stampede...
...first hours after the tragedy, many Shia pilgrims blamed Sunni insurgent groups, even though first reports indicated the stampede was caused by (false) rumors of a suicide bomber at large on the bridge. "It's the fault of Sunnis for creating an atmosphere where such rumors are taken seriously," said Hussein Alwi, a pilgrim from Najaf. Some blamed American and Iraqi soldiers for setting up restrictive checkpoints elsewhere in the city that left the pilgrims just one way to the Kadhamiya Shrine...
...Sunni political groups-some of whom were planning a demonstration to protest the killing of 36 Sunnis last week-responded to today's tragedy with a show of solidarity with the Shia. Even the radical Association of Muslim Scholars, which represents over 3,000 Sunni imams, expressed sympathy and offered help...
...What was deferred? Federalism has remained a roadblock and the Sunnis' red line issue. They absolutely reject the idea of "federalism"-meaning empowered regional districts similar to the Kurdish region in the north-for the Shi'ites, saying it will lead to the breakup of the country and allow Iran undue influence over the south. This issue has been pushed through over Sunni objections causing the Sunnis to threaten to veto the constitution when it comes up for an Oct. 15 referendum. It's unclear how seriously to take this threat, because the constitution can only be vetoed...
...What happens next? For the next three days, the National Assembly will work to hammer out what, exactly, Iraqi federalism will mean. Assuming it's approved by the parliament Thursday night, the draft will then go to the people of Iraq to be ratified in a referendum Oct. 15. Sunnis have already said they will campaign against it, but the Shi'ites and Kurds have said they will go to the Sunni communities to convince them to vote...