Ever since the fall of the Ba’ath regime and the U.S. occupation in 2003 sectarianism has been on the rise in Iraq. In order to address the issue of sectarian violence that has infested Iraq, it is pertinent to glance at the Iraqi government and address the issue at that source. The sectarian conflict takes its presence within the political sphere itself. Before 2003, politics and government in Iraq consisted of secular ideologies. After 2003, political organization was formed on the basis of sectarian identity, rather than remaining secular. Sectarian division results in competition between politicians and leaders. The new government was formed with a quota for each sect to allow its members within politics. In order to gain power for a party, more politicians of a sect would have to gain a seat within the governing council and beat out the other sects, thus creating tension between the religious and ethnic groups in Iraq.
The focus on sectarian and ethnic factions has informally divided the country into three parts: the north, west and south. Northern Iraq is ruled by Kurdish administration, the west belonging to Sunni administration and the south to be ruled by Shi’a administration with Baghdad as the central government. During the regime, Sunnis were overrepresented within the bureaucracy while the Shi’a were underrepresented. After the fall of the regime, the tables turned. As a means of de-Ba’athification of Iraq, Sunni positions within the military and bureaucracy were now limited while the Shi’a now rose to prominence within the government. The Iraqi government works like a gigantic Tammany Hall machine with jobs being distributed according to party allegiance, regardless of qualification. The two parties of power within the government are mainly the Sunni and Shi’a Muslims, where Sunnis are an excluded party but Shi’a are an included one.
Sectarian violence has taken a toll on Iraq and has spread to other countries within the Arab and Islamic world. There cannot be a solution to this issue unless looking at upholding a secular bureaucracy without interference of any religious or ethnic sects. With sectarianism present within the government and essence of the country, it sets a model and image to its civilians. Also, issues and conflicts that arise within the political organization are taken outside of the political sphere and into the lives of civilians, getting violent when members of different sects attack one another.
Steps in the direction of a solution have started to occur. Prime Minister of Iraq, Haidar al-Abadi has planned to end political corruption and build a non-party cabinet, after the anti-government protests by Iraqis in several cities against their poor living conditions. By abolishing the ethnic and sectarian quotas, the hope is to end the disproportion within the government and fight corruption. If action is taken, then change can be made. With the help of the government and the Iraqi civilians, peace can be restored to Iraq.
At last, Iraqis can securely live with one another in unity. What was once a great nation can restore its title and reputation, with the end of sectarianism within its borders. As long as mayhem exists within the central government though, sectarian violence is a fire that will be difficult to extinguish without secularism.
