Iraqi council OKs bill of rights

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BAGHDAD -- A bill of rights with clearly defined protections for women, religious groups and ethnic minorities -- a rarity in the Arab world -- won unanimous backing yesterday from the 25-member Iraqi Governing Council as part of a temporary constitution to take effect when the U.S.-led rule formally ends June 30.

Marathon talks with the U.S.-picked council and American officials, led by chief administrator L. Paul Bremer, reached a final consensus on the constitution at 4:20 a.m.

"We got it," Mr. Bremer said yesterday, paraphrasing his statement, "We got him," when announcing in December that Saddam Hussein had been caught.

Members of the council, who are to sign the document at a ceremony tomorrow, called it a turning point in Iraq's history and perhaps in the entire Middle East.

"We won the battle against dictatorship, and today, we took the first step on the path of freedom and democracy," said Younadem Kana, who was chosen to represent Iraq's 1 million-member Christian community and was the only non-Muslim member of the council.

"This is the birth of a new Iraq," said council member Mouwafak al-Rabii, a Shi'ite Muslim physician, author and human rights activist.

The document, known as the "fundamental law," is to serve as an interim constitution until an elected legislature is in place and able to write a permanent one.

It includes:

• Recognition of Islam as "a source" -- instead of "the source" of Iraqi law, implying but not explicitly saying other sources exist.