By John Lee.
Iraq's finance minister Rafaie Al-Esawi [Rafe Al-Issawi, Rafie al-Issawi] (pictured) has announced his resignation on Friday morning, according to a report from Reuters.
Addressing crowds of Sunni Muslim protesters in the Sunni heartland of Anbar, he said:
"I came today in order to announce my resignation from this government in front of you ... More than 70 days of demonstrations and this government hasn't fulfilled our people's demands ... It doesn't honor me to be part of a sectarian government. I decided to stay with my people."
It was Maliki's arrest of Esawi's bodyguards in December that initially sparked the protests.
Iraqi authorities said Esawi's bodyguards had confessed to involvement in assassinations carried out in coordination with security men employed by Sunni Vice President Tareq al-Hashemi, who fled into exile a year ago and was later sentenced to death in absentia for terrorism.
Esawi was once a leader of armed Islamist group Hamas al-Iraq, which was active in Anbar.
(Source: Reuters)
RT @iraqbiznews: Iraqi Finance Minister Resigns: By John Lee. Iraq's finance minister Rafaie Al-Esawi [Rafe Al... http://t.co/QqSY9efK7x
Hi every one, as a finance minister, did not help Iraqi Dinar against $!He supposed to introduce Cabinet the Value of the Iraqi Currency(DINAR), bulk printing Dinar to buy $! One of the richest in OIL Reserve country should have even value with $, 1$=1100/-+Iraqi Dinar! Think wisely for Iraqi People(They trust $ against Iraqi Dinar!And selling their currency to buy $!). Hope future minister would understand the Value of OILRICH Dinar-GOD WILLING...Ameer.