By Bahman Hassan
ERBIL, Kurdistan Region – Hundreds of Iraqis from other parts of the country were pouring into Baghdad Monday for a million-man anti-government march for the next day, called by Shiite firebrand cleric Muqtada al-Sadr.
Protesters are planning to gather at Baghdad’s main Tahrir Square to call for the ouster of corrupt politicians. The square is reportedly in control of Sadr supporters.
Protests have continued in the capital since last month, when Sadr staged a sit-in inside Baghdad’s heavily fortified Green Zone, demanding that Prime Minister Haidar al-Abadi throw out corrupt officials and announce a new cabinet.
“Our main demand is to put an end to corruption,” one of the protesters told Rudaw in the Iraqi capital.
“The present and former Iraqi politicians had a hand in destroying Iraq and in corruption. They handed Iraq into the hands of the Islamic State (ISIS). They handed Mosul to ISIS, and finally the country has collapsed,” he said.
The Iraqi government has been at war with ISIS since June 2014, when the militants swept across the country and seized a third of the territory.
Government coffers also have been emptied because of the war, and reportedly due to massive corruption inside the previous government of prime minister Nouri al-Maliki. Parliamentary auditors say they have also found irregularities in the present government’s massive arms purchases.
Meanwhile, the parliament has remained paralyzed over moves to oust the speaker, Salim al-Jabouri, who has said he is determined to remain at his post and that moves to unseat him are illegal.
A new cabinet cannot be named before it is approved by parliament.
“We want a technocratic government and we are sending a message to the Iraqi politicians. We are here for reform,” said another protester. “If they think we will get tired they are wrong, we will not, even if we stay here for three years we will achieve reforms,” he warned.
The Rudaw correspondent in Baghdad said that security forces had surrounded ministries in Baghdad, were gates were padlocked.
Sadr has warned that his supporters will attack ministries if demands for reform are not met. Last week, pro-Sadr protesters shut down six ministries.
ERBIL, Kurdistan Region – Hundreds of Iraqis from other parts of the country were pouring into Baghdad Monday for a million-man anti-government march for the next day, called by Shiite firebrand cleric Muqtada al-Sadr.
Protesters are planning to gather at Baghdad’s main Tahrir Square to call for the ouster of corrupt politicians. The square is reportedly in control of Sadr supporters.
Protests have continued in the capital since last month, when Sadr staged a sit-in inside Baghdad’s heavily fortified Green Zone, demanding that Prime Minister Haidar al-Abadi throw out corrupt officials and announce a new cabinet.
“Our main demand is to put an end to corruption,” one of the protesters told Rudaw in the Iraqi capital.
“The present and former Iraqi politicians had a hand in destroying Iraq and in corruption. They handed Iraq into the hands of the Islamic State (ISIS). They handed Mosul to ISIS, and finally the country has collapsed,” he said.
The Iraqi government has been at war with ISIS since June 2014, when the militants swept across the country and seized a third of the territory.
Government coffers also have been emptied because of the war, and reportedly due to massive corruption inside the previous government of prime minister Nouri al-Maliki. Parliamentary auditors say they have also found irregularities in the present government’s massive arms purchases.
Meanwhile, the parliament has remained paralyzed over moves to oust the speaker, Salim al-Jabouri, who has said he is determined to remain at his post and that moves to unseat him are illegal.
A new cabinet cannot be named before it is approved by parliament.
“We want a technocratic government and we are sending a message to the Iraqi politicians. We are here for reform,” said another protester. “If they think we will get tired they are wrong, we will not, even if we stay here for three years we will achieve reforms,” he warned.
The Rudaw correspondent in Baghdad said that security forces had surrounded ministries in Baghdad, were gates were padlocked.
Sadr has warned that his supporters will attack ministries if demands for reform are not met. Last week, pro-Sadr protesters shut down six ministries.
