Sadr Spokesman: Mahdi Army to Become a "Non-political" Cultural Organization

London -- Salah al-Ubaydi, Iraqi member of parliament and official spokesperson for the Al-Sadr Trend, led by Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr, has described the Al-Mumahhidun [the pavers, who will pave the way for the reappearance of the 12th Shiite imam] project as a social and cultural plan that has nothing to do with politics.

He noted that "the plan targets young men or males only," but that there are special programs for women and children that are run by the Institution for Women and Children belonging to the Sadrist Trend.

Al-Ubaydi told Asharq Al-Awsat in a telephone interview that "this project is linked to the decision that Al-Sayyid Muqtada al-Sadr issued over a month ago when he divided the Al-Mahdi Army into two parts: The first includes thousands and millions of Al-Mahdi Army elements, who have been banned from carrying arms and who have been ordered to engage in religious, cultural, and social programs; and the second includes those who will be chosen by leader Muqtada al-Sadr to form jihad brigades and fight against the occupation forces." He said that "such brigades are yet to be formed and we are waiting for the outcome of the negotiations over an agreement between Iraq and the United States."

The Iraqi Member of Parliament told Asharq Al-Awsat, "The Al-Mumahhidun project will deal with the first part of the Al-Mahdi Army, that is, those who will engage in religious seminary-related and cultural awareness programs." He added that "the Al-Mahdi Army will be transformed into a non-political cultural and social organization."

The Al-Sadr spokesperson stated that the religious and cultural institution will manage the project and that the Al-Sadr Trend will supervise the students of the religious seminary belonging to it, "It supervises their educational, religious, and life affairs." Al-Ubaydi added.

Al-Ubaydi went on to say that, "This supervision will allow the Sadrist Trend to nominate lecturers and figures, who will contribute to the implementation of the Al-Mumahhidun project on the religious level. As for the cultural level, there is a cultural commission that is in charge of determining curricula and nonreligious cultural programs provided for those participating in this project." He noted that "Al-Sayyid Kazim al-Hairi, the Al-Sadr Trend religious authority, will supervise the kind of curricula that will be offered."

Concerning the nature of the nonreligious cultural programs that will be offered to the Al-Mumahhidun in an effort to raise their awareness, Al-Ubaydi said, "We have witnessed the emergence of educational programs that suit the occupation stage and the ideas associated with it, such as the division of Iraq into northern, central, and southern regions, including the Kirkuk problem, which is affecting us today. Some giant institutions have started to implement these educational programs in a systematic way." He added, "As for our educational programs, they will be directed toward adhering to Iraq's unity and the need not to divide it." He continued, "Moreover, pro-occupation institutions encourage secularism. They work toward portraying religion as being responsible for the murders that have taken place and accuse it of encouraging sectarian fighting, whereas the truth is that no sectarian fighting has taken place in Iraq. Instead, these are terrorist crimes committed by terrorist groups (Al-Qaeda), and our Sunni brothers confronted these groups when the truth about them was exposed." He said, "We want to direct the Al-Mumahhidun toward the unity of the Iraqi people, regardless of any sectarian, religious, or nationalistic considerations." He added, "All Iraqis are equal. What we care about is the strong unity of all shades, groups, and formations of the Iraqi people."