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IRAQ-POLITICS-DEMONSTRATION
Curfew imposed in Baghdad after deadly protests
BAGHDAD, Oct 3, 2019 (BSS/AFP) – An indefinite curfew came into effect
early Thursday in Iraq’s capital after two days of chaotic protests across
the country that descended into violence and left nine dead.
Iraqi premier Adel Abdel Mahdi ordered the ban on movements across Baghdad
starting at 5:00 am local time (0200 GMT) to stem the popular demonstrations
over widespread unemployment and state corruption.
Early Thursday, some cars and civilians were seen in the capital’s streets,
an AFP photographer said, but residents are wary that more protests could
erupt after firebrand cleric Moqtada al-Sadr called for “a general strike”.
The tension has been exacerbated by a near-total internet shutdown, the
closure of government offices and at least one overnight explosion that hit
the Green Zone, where some ministries and embassies are located.
A security source inside the area told AFP there were two blasts, likely
caused by indirect fire a little over a week after two rockets hit near the
US embassy there.
The apparent attack came hours after security forces sealed off the Green
Zone “until further notice”, fearing angry protesters would swarm state
buildings or foreign missions.
Since erupting in Baghdad on Tuesday, the protests have spread to other
cities in the country’s south.
Riot police in the capital have used water cannons, tear gas, rubber
bullets and live rounds in an attempt to disperse protesters from the central
Tahrir Square and other areas.
Into the night on Wednesday, marches from different parts of Baghdad
attempted to converge on Tahrir.
But with internet access virtually shut, demonstrators have struggled to
communicate with each other or post footage of the latest clashes.
– ‘De-escalation needed’ –
In the holy city of Najaf and in Nasiriyah further to the south on
Wednesday, security forces fired on protesters and curfews were also
declared.
Nine people including a police officer have so far been killed, most of
them in Nasiriyah, and more than 400 people have been wounded, according to
health authorities.
The protests appear to be largely spontaneous so far, with angry crowds
carrying Iraqi flags and shunning any involvement by the country’s main
political players.
Many traditional figures have expressed their support for the movement,
with Sadr urging “peaceful demonstrations.”
He was behind the last round of major protests in Baghdad in 2016, when
his supporters stormed the Green Zone, but his involvement appears much more
limited this time.
On Wednesday night, the top United Nations official in Iraq Jeanine
Hennis-Plasschaert met with some protesters in Baghdad to call for “direct
dialogue” between them and government officials. “The ability to preserve the
right to protest is a sign of political and democratic maturity. Moreover,
the use of force only fuels the anger,” she said in a statement.
“De-escalation is urgently needed.”
The violence drew a slew of criticism from Iraqi leaders including
President Barham Saleh, and parliament has demanded an investigation into the
incidents.
The protests follow months of simmering frustration over rampant power
cuts, water shortages and state corruption.
But anger over staggering rates of youth unemployment, which is around 25
percent or double the adult rate according to the World Bank, appears to have
set off this particular round of demonstrations.
“We want jobs and better public services. We’ve been demanding them for
years and the government has never responded,” said Abdallah Walid, a 27-
year-old protester.
Demonstrations over similar issues engulfed Basra last summer and
effectively ended previous premier Haider al-Abadi’s chances of a second
term.
Abdel Mahdi now faces a similar challenge just weeks before his government
marks a full year in power.
He called for the curfew after convening his national security council for
an emergency meeting on Wednesday.
Abdel Mahdi has also blamed the violence on “aggressors who…
deliberately created casualties,” a statement met with rage by protesters.
BSS/AFP/FI/ 1106 hrs