Communist election campaign motorcade drives through Al-Thawra City

On the final day of the election campaign:

Communist motorcade drives through Al-Thawra City (Al-Sadr City) in Baghdad

On the final day of the election campaign, a Communist motorcade waving banners and with loudspeakers blaring drove through the poor Al-Thawra City (Al-Sadr City) district in Baghdad, yesterday 29 January 2009.

More than 30 cars took part, distributing leaflets and calling on people to vote for the democratic coalition list "Madaniyoun" (No, 460). The distributed material included the appeal issued yesterday by the Iraqi Communist Party leader, Hamid Majeed Mousa, calling on all Iraqis to participate actively in the provincial elections on Saturday 31 January 2009.

Members of the party Central Committee, Jassim Al-Hilfi and Ali abdul-Nabi Jassim joined the motorcade along with the secretary of the party district committee in Al-Thawra City.

Other motorcades organized by the Iraqi Communist Party also toured many areas of the capital Baghdad, including Karradah, Palestine Street, Waziriyyah, Adhhamiyyah, Husseiniyya, Yousifiyya, Jihad, Mansour, Hurriya, Kadhimiyyah, Alawi, and others.

Source: Media Communication Centre of Iraqi Communist Party, 29 January 2009.

Communists conclude election campaign with ceremony at party headquarters in Baghdad

Communists conclude election campaign
with a ceremony at party headquarters in Baghdad

A joyful ceremony culminating the election campaign of the Iraqi Communist Party took place yesterday afternoon, 28 January 2009, in the courtyard of the party headquarters at Andulus Square in central Baghdad. It was attended by hundreds of party members and supporters, including several members of the party leadership.

Comrade Hamid Majeed Mousa, the secretary of the party Central Committee, addressed the gathering. He said that the provincial elections day, 31January 2009, "will be a memorable day in the history of Iraq and in your lives, having experienced the previous elections with all its difficulties, failures and shortcomings."

Referring to the forthcoming elections, he said: "We hope that this experience will be different. It is an opportunity for the masses of our people to freely express their hopes and ambitions and to elect those deemed eligible for expressing these hopes and aspirations and defending them."

"We have presented to the people an alliance of Communists, democrats, honest nationalists and genuine independent figures. This alliance, which has taken the name of Madaniyoun in Baghdad and other names depending on the circumstances of each province, is a bouquet of roses, that promote hope, love and tolerance in the hearts of the people, and promise them, in word and deed, a better life."

Mousa stressed that the provincial governments, despite the ongoing controversy about the powers of the centre, the provinces and regions, will have a bigger role in the life of each province, and in the participation in decision-making at all levels.

In conclusion, he expressed hope that January 31st would be a different day, full of promise in the life of each province and in the life of Iraq.

The program of the event included the recital of popular poetry by the well-known poets Nadhim Al-Samawi ,Hamza Al-Hilfi and Irian Sayyid Khalaf.

Source: "Tareeq Al-Shaab", the central organ of the Iraqi Communist Party, 28 January 2009.

Iraqi CP leader visits Basra and participates in election campaign

Iraqi CP leader visits Basra and participates
in election campaign of "Patriotic Trend" list

The Iraqi Communist Party leader, Hamid Majeed Mousa, visited Basra city in southern Iraq on
Friday 12 December 2008, and attended a mass election rally organised by the "Patriotic Trend" coalition list (No. 428), which is contesting the forthcoming provincial elections in Basra. The main hall of the Basra Chamber of Commerce was packed with people and supporters of the list.

Mousa was warmly received by the political groups of the local coalition list that includes: the Communist Party, the National Democratic Party, the Democratic Popular Grouping and the Democratic Uprising. The list, which had launched its campaign on 6th Dec. 2008, will contest the elections on 31 January 2009 and compete with 39 other entities over 35 seats of Basra's provincial council.

The program of the electoral rally, to promote the "Patriotic Trend" list and introduce its candidates, included speeches, poetry and political songs.

The Iraqi news agency "Aswat al-Iraq" quoted the Iraqi CP leader as saying that "the party believes that the unity of patriotic forces is a source of strength to everybody and does not entail a loss for anyone. Our alliance is based on a conviction of the need for the cooperation of all forces of good will." He added that the coalition strives for a patriotic project that would enable the homeland to get out of the cycle of violence and rid itself of all the weaknesses that have afflicted various aspects of the situation in Iraq."

In reply to another question about the chances of achieving good results in the elections, especially in view of widespread popular criticism of the parties that dominated the provincial councils, he said: "We are working sincerely to express the vital interests of as many people as possible." He explained that five years on, the people have tested the credibility of various lists and their promises," stressing that "we are aiming to offer truth, fidelity and integrity."

The provincial elections on 31 January 2009 are expected to be a crucial and fierce political battle with significant impact on the Iraqi political scene. There are 408 election centres in Basra, and 20 local and international monitoring organisations have been registered.

Source: "Tareeq Al-Shaab", central organ of the Iraqi Communist Party - 14 Dec. 2008.