Radanovich Blasts
International Organization for Migration for
Hypocritical Iraqi Election Measures for Central
Valley of California
40,000
Central Valley Iraqis Denied Place to Absentee
Vote
WASHINGTON
-
Rep. George
Radanovich (R-Mariposa) blasted the
International Organization for Migration, an
independent body that works closely with the
United Nations, today with the following
statement:
"Earlier this month, Gen. Colin Powell told the
AP
that, "The people conducting these attacks don't
want to see an election.'" He further said on
NBC's Meet the
Press that "even in the Sunni areas
where people are being threatened, people are
coming out to register. People know that this is
their chance to decide how they will be led and
they are not inclined toward this kind of
violence and these insurgents."
"Isn't it ironic that we are asking our
soldiers to risk their lives to enable these
elections to occur and yet we are not providing
sufficient numbers of voting booths for the
Iraqis in this country who will be casting their
ballot for the first time? There are just 5
election locations in our entire nation-only one
of which is in the entire Western half of the
U.S.--to handle all
absentee voting Iraqis in America between
January 27-30. The Central Valley's 40,000
Iraqis requested their own voting booth so they
can vote closer to home. Unfortunately, Los
Angeles is the nearest voting facility and
requires at least an eight hour round trip by
car. Valley Iraqis are also required to travel
to Los Angeles to register to vote during the
week of Jan. 17-23, which calls for them to make
two trips from the Valley in a very short period
of time.
"My office has
been working diligently to try and rectify this
atrocity. We will continue to push for
additional voting booths to allow these voters
their rightful duty.
Nineveh On Line
POLITIC
