Three protesters were killed Friday, November 22, in clashes with police on bridges leading to important institutions in Baghdad, during a new day of mobilization in Iraq. Despite the protests that have agitated the country for more than two and a half months, the only proposal of the Shiite authorities is a reform of the electoral law that does not convince the protesters. The latter demand a reform of the political system, a purge of "corrupt" and a completely renewed ruling class.
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On Friday, Rachid Street and three bridges connecting Tahrir Square, epicenter of the protest, three protesters were killed, two by bullets and a third by a tear gas grenade of the police, and 30 wounded, according to medical sources. The use of these grenades is denounced because they are military type. Since the beginning of the movement, at least 340 people have been killed.
More than 15,000 injured
Since the beginning of the first spontaneous social movement in Iraq, on 1 October, more than 15,000 people have been injured in Baghdad and in the south of the country.
In his weekly sermon, Grand Ayatollah Ali Sistani, a tutelary figure in Iraqi politics who has recently lobbied heavily for protesters' demands without, however, withdrawing his confidence in the leaders, turned his back on reforming the electoral law.
He felt that voting for such a reform was the priority to get out of the "big crisis". The Iraqi electoral system, one of the most complex in the world, is accused of favoring major parties and especially their top names and preventing the arrival of newcomers and independents.
But the bill submitted by the government of Adel Abdel Mahdi in Parliament does not seem to meet the renewal requirements of protesters but also the UN who called for "improvements" of this text, still not subject to first reading of Parliament.
"New elections will not change anything: we will see the same heads and the same government," Ahmed Mohammed, a protester on Tahrir, shook his hand. Because on this place, laws and constitutional amendments are far from satisfying the Iraqis who claim a radical change.
"He lies to us"
"The leaders have lost all legitimacy, their proposals do not represent us, we want the government to resign," said Abu Ali, a 32-year-old protester.
Around him, protesters occupy the iconic Tahrir Square day and night and have resumed their camps on three bridges - al-Joumhouriya, Senek and al-Ahrar - which lead to the very secure Green Zone where the Parliament and the Embassy sit. United States, as well as the offices of the Prime Minister and the Embassy of Iran.
The big Iranian neighbor is conspired and his flag burned in public place by Iraqis who sees him as the architect of the political system eaten away by corruption and patronage.
South of Baghdad, major demonstrations once again block the cities of Hilla, Nasiriyah, Diwaniyah, Najaf and Karbala.
"We are determined to continue the mobilization until the resignation of the government and the dissolution of Parliament," said Nassir al-Qassab, a tribal dignitary who is demonstrating in Kut. "We reject these government proposals, he lies to us and tries to save time."
With AFP