(Coalition Forces Serve as Impartial Facilitators) (1700) The following article by Private First Class James Matise of the 101st Airborne Division originally appeared May 12 on Army Link, an Internet news service of the U.S. Army, http://www.dtic.mil/armylink/news/stories/. (begin text) Soldiers Oversee First Election in Northern Iraq By James Matise U.S. Army News Service MOSUL, Iraq (May 12) - For retired Iraqi general Ghamin Al-Basso, Cinco de Mayo will forever be remembered as the day he became mayor of more than 2 million citizens in the city of Mosul and its outlying Nineveh province. The Mosul Interim Government Convention, held May 5 by local delegates and brokered by the 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) at the old Ba'ath Party Social Club, marked the first democratic elections held in Northern Iraq and put the first local officials there in public office since the fall of Saddam Hussein's regime. "I thank all the people who have come here from afar and made me responsible for all the province," Al-Basso said to the 24-member interim city council that elected him and to the 232 delegates from nine ethnic and geographic factions who also elected the council today. "I will be a loyal soldier." Al-Basso was forced into retirement and briefly imprisoned during the Iran-Iraq war when his brother, Salim Al-Basso, was caught plotting an attack against Saddam Hussein and executed. Yet the mayor remained in Mosul, said local resident Basel Faisel Mohammed. "(Ghamin Al-Basso) is a good man because his brother sacrificed for his country," Mohammed said. "He (Ghamin) was not going outside the country. He lived with us and sacrificed with us." It was a day of firsts at the convention, which brought together Arab, Kurdish, Turkomen, Assyrian, Yezidi and Shabakh ethnic groups from Mosul and the outlying municipalities in the province. They endured an arduous election process that took the entire day to complete, but in the end celebrated their final product. "By being here today, you are participating in the birth of the democratic process in Iraq," said Maj. Gen. David H. Petraeus, commander of the 101st Airborne Division and Coalition forces in Northern Iraq, in his opening remarks. "I ask that all of you support the interim government, regardless of the individuals chosen, in order to help Mosul move forward at a critical time for its citizens." The election convention was the culmination of hard work between Coalition forces and local delegates, who came together to hammer out an interim government in less than two weeks. Petraeus was the primary mediator who brought the many factions together to assemble the interim government. "I feel honored to have been a part of this process," Petraeus said. "Although there have been difficult moments, all of us who have participated have been heartened by the spirit of reconciliation." After Petraeus' remarks, Mohammed Rashib, chief justice of the Nineveh province, validated the election for the delegates and vouched for its credibility. "This country has strong traditions of law and government that dates back to Hammurabi, and today we will continue that great tradition in Mosul by selecting an interim government," Rashib said. "I was a part of the meetings and all the Mosul judges assisted as well. I assure you that all negotiations and decisions were conducted by Iraqi people." The delegates then broke off in their own groups and went in to a private session to vote for representation to the city council. An officer of the 101st and a local judge observed each group. Using preprinted ballots with the delegates' names printed in English and Arabic, the delegates voted and cast their ballots in wooden boxes. The boxes were escorted by armed guard in a public room and opened. A division officer and impartial election observers counted the votes, and a judge certified their tallies. When officials had counted the ballots for the retired generals' faction, the election process took a new twist. "There was a tie, so they're going to go re-vote," said Col. Richard O. Hatch, 101st staff judge advocate. "It's a tie between four people, so they're going to revote with just those four names." After the first round of council voting, two other factions, the Arabs from outside the city and the Assyrian Christians, also had ties. Hatch said the groups also re-voted, breaking the ties. The retired generals ultimately had to vote a third time before clear winners for the group's two council seats were established. After everyone present was satisfied with the election's accuracy, the ballots were taped together and placed back in the voting boxes, which was taped off, signed by a judge and placed on display in the convention's main room. The delegates were called back in, the results were announced, and Mosul's new city council was sworn in. Most delegates heartily applauded the council, but some people were not happy with the results, including Suleman Al-Gerrygan, one of the 27 Kurdish delegates. He briefly walked out of deliberations with two other delegates to protest the selection of 'unqualified' individuals for the city council. "Saddam Hussein was forcing his candidates, and they are forcing the same candidates," Al-Gerrygan said. "Who nominates these names? They were imposed on us, but who nominated them?" Though Al-Gerrygan praised the democratic process, he nevertheless disagreed with the style of the election. "Why, even I speak here today because of democracy," Al-Gerrygan said. "But these unqualified persons will bring ruin on themselves. Mosul citizens will criticize us." After the delegates broke for lunch, several hours later than planned, the new council met to vote for its mayor and appoint a deputy mayor and assistant mayors. The delegates returned shortly after and the ballots were quickly tallied, but before Al-Basso's victory was announced, Petraeus notified the delegates that the council had already made its first decision resolving a miscommunication involving the Kurdish members of the council. "It had been agreed there would be only three Kurdish council members and the deputy mayor would be one of the three. But due to a misunderstanding, the Kurds thought there would be an added member who would be the deputy mayor," Petraeus said. The council decided there would be no change in the number of representation, so the Kurds asked if they could exchange a member of their council for the man they wanted as deputy mayor, Petraeus said. "It was discussed with the city council, and they decided that they would allow that member to replace one of three Kurdish members. The city council agreed unanimously and the chief judge validated that." The deputy mayor, nominated by the Kurds and chosen by acclimation of the city council, is Khusru Goran. Two assistant mayors were also chosen from the Assyrian and Turkomen factions, also nominated by their parties and ratified by acclimation. They are Yousif Lallo and Dr. Ibrahiem Mohammed Salin. Al-Basso and his deputy and assistant mayors were then sworn in office, completing the formation of the interim government. Security was extremely tight at the convention to prevent the elections from being disrupted. People seeking access to the convention had to produce a notarized invitation distributed earlier. Infantry and military police squads were deployed on the streets surrounding the social club and cut off direct access by vehicle with concertina wire. A sniper squad positioned itself on the roof, and higher above, Kiowa and Apache attack helicopters patrolled the area continuously. Psychological Operations and Explosive Ordnance Disposal teams stood by for any possible contingency. Aside from a single thunderous explosion around 11 a.m., which turned out just to be EOD setting off a charge, the convention remained safe and undisturbed. Petraeus said one of the great things he observed while planning the government was an intense willingness for the factions to put aside their differences and work together to form their new government. "There was a spirit among the delegates to get things in place," he said. "The members of the group felt there should be representation of minorities." Fa Del Al-Merany, a member of the Kurdistan Democratic Party invited to observe the elections, said representation could have been better but was not critical for the time being, and explained why. "We weren't as concerned as much about representation as we were about the progress of reconstruction," Al-Merany said. "We wanted to support the city, and that's the way everyone looked at it. The city council is more important than representation from this society or that society." Al-Merany, who was involved in the election planning process, said he was primarily there to show his party's support for the interim government, which he called "a necessary step." "It should help Mosul city with the interim city council and interim mayor, until a transitional government in Baghdad is set up," he said. "I think we all worked very well. We did have concerns, and we had some joint ideas. We are all very optimistic." Hatch said the interim government would work hand in hand with the 101st Airborne Division until stability returns enough for the interim government to take over. "Initially, all important decisions will be made by the mayor in consultation with the commanding general," Hatch said. "That's in part to give the interim mayor the backing of the people, and also to take action if necessary. Over time we'll back out of the picture and they'll take over more responsibility." Until the government is ready to take the helm, Petraeus said it would be an honor for the 101st to keep the city safe and help it stand on its own. "Mosul truly is a special city. It is blessed in many ways and our soldiers feel very good about what they are doing here," Petraeus said. "Soon we will all know how to say, 'Ana Maslawi (I am a Mosul citizen)'. I am confident that together we can make a lasting difference for the people of this city and this province."