Monday, April 22, 2013

Protests continue in Iraq -- including Baghdad

In Iraq, protests continue, as they have for over 100 days, since December 21st.  Layla Anwar (Arab Woman Blues) has summarized the protesters demands as follows:


 - End of Sectarian Shia rule
- the re-writing of the Iraqi constitution (drafted by the Americans and Iranians)
- the end to arbitrary killings and detention, rape and torture of all detainees on basis of sect alone and their release
- the end of discriminatory policies in employment, education, etc based on sect
- the provision of government services to all
- the end of corruption
- no division between Shias and Sunnis, a one Islam for all Iraqi Muslims and a one Iraq for all Iraqis.


Iraqi Spring MC notes that protesters in Baquba called a general strike as did protesters in Ramadi.  Those wishing to protest in Samarra are facing Nouri's forces which are attempting to block them from gathering.  Hundreds are demonstrating in Amiriya.  This despite AP's claim this morning that Baghdad has seen no protest today ("However, Sunni areas in the Iraqi capital, Baghdad, did not join the action.")

Why would AP makes such an idiotic and false claim?

I have no idea.  For those who can't read Arabic but want proof I'm not making up the Baghdad protest, National Iraqi News Agency reports (in English) hundreds in Amiriya protesting despite the fact that "the army sealed off the area and prevented people from" joining or leaving once protests began.  Again, I don't know why AP is falsely claiming that the protests aren't taking place in Baghdad.  Amiriya has been a location for protests repeatedly in the last months.

In Hawija, goverment forces are still occupying the area. They are still preventing aid from entering the are where the sit-in has been taking place.   Tribal elders are calling for the judiciary to insist the forces leave.  Hawija has been under attack since Nouri's forces stormed the sit-in on Friday, killing one protester and injuring three more.

Nouri's forces have killed protesters before.  All that happens is the US State Dept says, "We call for calm on both sides."  It's idiotic.  Martin Kobler's being called out by Iraqiya for something else.  Iraqiya's actually right to call him out for that.

There may or may be another entry this morning.  I spent an hour taking the HP laptop apart thinking it was a fan issue.  It's not.  I'm on an old Dell I got two years ago and I forgot how much I hate Dell.  The built-in mouse pad is not working -- which is why I'm not even trying italics -- and the whole thing's a pain.  I've called a friend and I'll pick up a new HP on the way to the airport later this morning.  This one will go up and I'll try to do another.  But if it's not working, I'm going to leave it at just  this, sorry.  (There will be a snapshot today.)





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