Iraqis reject religious agendas, demand action on basic needs

As U.S. prepares to leave, what’s happening in Iraq?

Iraqis reject religious agendas, demand action on basic needs

Author: Susan Webb

People's Weekly World Newspaper, 10 March 2009

As the U.S. moves to wind down its disastrous six-year occupation of Iraq, what is the shape of the country it is preparing to leave?

Although violence has sharply decreased, suicide bombings and assassinations continue. On March 8, for example, a suicide bomber in Baghdad killed more than 30 people in a crowd of police recruits.

Yet U.S. and Iraqi officials say violence is the lowest since summer 2003, before major sectarian bloodshed engulfed the country.

Illustrating this trend, a million Shiites gathered peacefully for a major religious celebration March 6 at the “Golden Dome” mosque in Samarra, a Sunni-majority city. In February 2006, armed groups blew up the mosque, touching off vicious sectarian violence that killed thousands of Iraqis over the next two years.

This time, Sunni residents welcomed the Shiite pilgrims, the Los Angeles Times reported, calling it “the latest sign of reconciliation among Iraqis eager to put the country's civil war behind them.

Daily life still abysmal for most Iraqis

At the same time, conditions of daily life continue to be abysmal.

A recent United Nations report shows many areas are afflicted by chronic disease and child malnutrition, lack of regular electricity and safe water, high unemployment and major illiteracy among women. This includes Baghdad, home to one-quarter of Iraq’s population.

Widespread corruption has contributed to the lack of progress in these areas.

Discontent on these issues was a major force in provincial elections Jan. 31. Religious parties that controlled various provincial councils lost out, blamed for corruption and failure to improve living conditions.

Voters reject religious agendas

The results indicated a rejection of religious sectarianism, a focus on improving concrete conditions, and a developing national consciousness, said Salam Ali, spokesperson for the Iraqi Communist Party.

The Islamic Supreme Council of Iraq, formerly dominant in the south, suffered a major setback. It pursued narrow religious policies and ran a campaign saturated with religion. Smaller Shiite religious parties also lost support.

Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki’s coalition, centered on the Shiite Dawa (Islamic Call) party, came out on top by steering clear of religion. Supporters of cleric Moqtada al Sadr also avoided religion in their campaigning. They came in second in Baghdad and some other places, but ran a distant second in Baghdad’s Sadr City slums, formerly their stronghold.

People voted for Maliki because of his success in curbing militias responsible for much of the violence of recent years — “it was like a popular vote against the militias,” Ali commented.

“It’s quite clear the mood of the people has shifted very significantly away from religious sectarianism and bigotry, toward a more national mood,” Ali said. While political Islam will continue to play a big role in Iraq for some time, it has failed to present a coherent vision, he noted. Islamic parties like Maliki’s “don’t put forward the idea of an Islamic state, because they cannot get support for this.”

In fact the Maliki platform in the January elections borrowed heavily from the language of Iraq’s Communists and other democratic secular groups, including the call for a non-sectarian state based on civil law, Ali said, adding, “That, by itself, is an admission that his religious version will not gain support.”

While Maliki got his biggest support in Baghdad and Basra, in other areas, including heavily Sunni provinces, his vote was much lower.

Diehard Baathists switching gears

In those areas, the formerly dominant Sunni Islamic Party lost out to a mix of tribal factions, former Baathists, Arab nationalists and local figures.

Diehard Baathists who boycotted previous elections and organized much of the armed violence in Iraq have seen their support dwindling. “Many of them have come to the conclusion that their methods have left them isolated and they need to get into the political process before it’s too late,” Ali said.

“People close to such groups are concerned about their political future when the Americans leave.” Now, they are inviting Hussein-era officers who fled the country to return and participate, he said. There is talk, too, about reconstituting the Baath Party under a new format.

The participation of these forces in the political process, Middle East scholar Juan Cole observes in his blog, is seen as having the potential to “advance Iraqi reconciliation efforts following years of bloody sectarian fighting.”

Ali said national reconciliation will take time and will depend heavily on progress on economic conditions. He said public opinion was largely favorable to Obama’s withdrawal plan and does not believe the pullout moves will spur any significant renewal of violence in Iraq. “Terrorist groups could launch some operations, but their impact is likely to be limited” as these tactics lose support, he said.

Vote-buying and skewed results

The provincial elections were marred by the bandying about of huge sums of money to essentially buy votes. The results were also distorted by a process that favored the largest vote-getters at the expense of smaller slates: it set a very high threshold to win a seat, and then took the votes that fell below the threshold and distributed them to the bigger slates. In some provinces, smaller slates received 40 percent or more of the vote.

The ICP had opposed this procedure as “unfair” before it was adopted. Now it is calling for a revised election law that ensures greater representation by reallocating the votes “bottom up” — distributing the below-threshold votes to the top vote-getters among the smaller slates.

Communists campaign

The skewed process is one reason why the Communist Party lost provincial council seats this time, although it gained some new ones. One place where it picked up a seat was Tikrit, Saddam Hussein’s hometown.

The ICP drew 100,000 votes in the 14 provinces where elections were held. This was lower than its total four years ago, Ali said, One reason, he said, was that sectarian violence had made it impossible for the party to work openly in some areas until recently. In Sadr City, the Communists won 5,000 votes this time, but had only campaigned there for two months because of earlier violence.

The Jan. 31 election process involved a combination of slates and individual candidacies. This type of campaigning was a new experience for Iraqi Communists, after decades of repression under the former regime.

Ali said thousands of volunteers participated in the ICP’s campaign, especially young people, distributing leaflets and organizing motorcades. “This was the first time for years that we campaigned in this way,” he said.

(The Los Angeles Times ran a colorful account of the party’s campaign in Baghdad: http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/iraq/complete/la-fg-iraq-communists28-2009jan28,0,1690178.story)

The campaign was a good learning experience, “a good base on which we can build,” Ali said. The party recognized a need to do better in some areas that will be familiar to U.S. political activists — media outreach and get-out-the-vote efforts. “People think all you have to do is hand out a leaflet,” he commented.

As in the U.S., it was often hard to convince voters it was worthwhile to go out and vote in local elections. Then, when people got to the polls, in many cases their names were not on the lists.

Turnout overall was lower than previously. Ali said this was an expression of frustration by many Iraqis over the poor performance of provincial governments, as well as continuing security problems.

Now the winners will be expected to live up to their promises to improve basic conditions. If they fail to do so, they will likely pay a price in municipal elections coming in July, and in December’s national elections.

Iraqi CP calls for national campaign to amend election law

Iraqi Communist Party Calls for National Campaign

to Amend the Provincial Elections Law

The Iraqi Communist Party has called for a review of the election law for provincial councils, and for launching a national campaign "to make a concerted effort through joint action" in order to prevent a repetition of "injustice" in the forthcoming district councils election, or in any subsequent elections.

This came at a press conference held on 28 February 2009 at the headquarters of the party’s Central Committee in Baghdad. Special attention was given to exposing the flagrant abuse of the essence of democracy because of the election law for provincial elections.

A statement issued by the Political Bureau of the Central Committee on this subject was first read out. Questions from journalists and media representatives then followed. In response to a question from "Al-Mada" newspaper, about whether Article 5 of the Law for Provincial Elections had been ratified in parliament through a political deal, Comrade Mufid Jazairy, member of the Political Bureau, explained that what is important is that the law must be reviewed, regardless of whether or not it had been passed through a deal. "The Article was passed in any case. It should now be reconsidered in view of the harm inflicted upon the voters," he said. Jazairy added: "We call for replacing this Article with another to ensure that the remaining votes do not go to those who should not get them, regardless of the electoral quotient."

Comrade Subhi Jumaili, member of the Central Committee, said that the legislative aspect of the issue, with respect to the election law, is the responsibility of the Parliament. But, he added, the Independent Electoral Commission should have raised its voice with regard to Article 5 because it has experience in this area. "The Commission bears responsibility for part of the problem because it did not explain the injustice that this Article contained."

A reporter for Radio Sawa enquired whether the problem lies in the Article itself or in the system used by the Electoral Commission in its work. Jazairy said that Iraqi CP's statement pointed out the failure of the Commission in some aspects of the electoral process, "but when we talk about the election law, it is the responsibility of the Parliament. I have here the text which we proposed (in parliament) on 15 July 2008. The proposed Article would have given the vacant seats (after considering the electoral quotient) to the open lists which have the bigger number of votes, according to their sequence, whereas the text of the current law gives these votes to the bigger lists."

Comrade Hassan Akif, member of the Political Bureau, stressed the need to mobilize all the people who were affected, or would be affected, by the unjust election law. This includes political parties as well as the millions of people (more than 2 million people in the recent election) whose votes have gone in vain. "This action has to start from Parliament and pass through the political parties, until the unjust Article is amended."

Forged Certificates

Kazem Gilan, a journalist from "Al-Sabah" newspaper, raised a question about the fact that the preliminary results revealed that 250 candidates in the elections had presented forged academic certificates, and asked whether the Electoral Commission should have been alerted to this. Comrade Akif explained that the Integrity Commission had announced the existence of forged certificates, and that a bigger number are now being checked. "As pointed out by our party statement, in this regard, the Integrity Commission was more serious than the Electoral Commission. We believe that that the principal punishment must be meted out to the political entities that had presented candidates with forged certificates."

Iraqi CP - interview about provincial elections

Interview with Comrade Salam Ali, member of the Central Committee
of the Iraqi Communist Party
about the recent Provincial Elections in Iraq

The following interview (on 14th February 2009) with Comrade Salam Ali, member of the Central Committee of the Iraqi Communist Party, is about the recent provincial elections in Iraq, after preliminary results were announced on 5th February 2009. It was conducted and published by "Nameh Mardom", the central organ of the Tudeh Party of Iran.

The elections for provincial councils in Iraq were held on 31 January 2009 and the preliminary results were announced on 5th February.

1- What is your general assessment of the outcome of the election? Do you think the results of these elections say anything about the success or otherwise of the political process that the Iraqi Communist Party (ICP) has been promoting?

The preliminary results for the provincial elections in 14 provinces (out of 18 – the Kurdistan federal region, with 3 provinces, and also Kirkuk were excluded), announced by the Electoral Commission on 5th Feb. 2009, indicate a change in the political landscape in Iraq, and in the positions of the political forces that contested the elections under various slates. This change reflects, in one aspect, the participation of political and social forces that had boycotted previous elections (4 years ago). But it is also an indication, in a clear way, that the electorate went to the ballot box, in most cases, with a national motivation rather than a sectarian motivation. They were also driven by a desire not to renew the mandate of those who did not fulfil their promises and let down the electorate, especially those who were in leading positions.

The results also indicate, in general, that the voice of religious and sectarian bigotry and extremism has been weakened, in favour of the orientation towards building a civil state and its institutions, that would respect the rule of law and principles of democracy.

We commend this feature of the electoral process, which indicated progress of the democratic process in the country, and the expansion of its social and political base, and the growing conviction that the ballot box is the best way to resolve differences and conflict management. Further, we stress that the recent elections were truly an important step along the road to political stability and security and the restoration of Iraq's full sovereignty and independence.

However, these positive aspects are offset by a number of negative indicators, some of which are of a very serious nature, casting a shadow over the results of the elections and their repercussions on the political scene.

1) The percentage of participation in the elections was 51% of the electorate (7.5 million people out of 15 million), which is lower than expectations and participation in previous elections. In the capital Baghdad and Anbar province, it did not exceed 40%. This reflects the reluctance of a high proportion of people to vote, as a form of protest and an expression of sentiments of frustration. In addition, many people were denied participation because they could not find their names on the electoral register. The primary responsibility for this lies with the Electoral Commission. There are other technical and logistic factors that contributed to this lower level of participation.

2) The results in a number of provinces were contrary to expectations and the information, made available to many lists by their observers and agents, about the counting of votes. This applies to the lists of the Iraqi Communist Party, whether on its own or in alliance with other forces and personalities. Our party has submitted objections to the results announced for our party in some provinces, and demanded that all objections be dealt with in utmost seriousness, professionalism and transparency, to remove doubts about the fairness of the elections and the performance of the Electoral Commission.

3) An analysis of the preliminary election results confirms what our party had previously warned about, in connection with the unfair system of distributing the seats, as stipulated by the Law for Provincial Councils Elections. In some provinces, the combined votes of the winning lists did not exceed 35% of the total votes of the electorate, which means that, under the law, the remaining votes (65%), the share of lists that did not win, would unjustly be distributed to the winners! This constitutes, in our view, a threat to the democratic content of the electoral process, and represents a kind of confiscation of the voter’s voice. This system inflicts gross injustice to the other lists and their voters, as well as undermines the councils’ representation of the electorate in the provinces.

4) “Political money” has been lavishly spent during the election campaign by some lists, including for the purpose of bribing voters. This has had a clear impact on the results, and represents a serious threat to democracy and the freedom of voters to cast ballots without illegitimate pressure and influences. This is a serious loophole in the electoral system. It requires urgent action to develop controls governing expenditure in the election campaign as part of two laws that should be promulgated: one for elections and another for parties.

5) In a clear violation of the law, the state's resources and its media institutions were widely employed by some of the lists and figures, for the purposes of election propaganda and to influence the choices of voters. Other violations and abuses took place, including the use of places of worship in some areas.

One very important result of the provincial elections is that there will be a process of realignment of political forces, with the possible break-up of big blocs that were set up along sectarian lines. This will have a big impact on the build-up to the general, parliamentary, elections at the end of 2009.

2- How do you view the success of Maliki's list and failure of SCIRI and Sadrist's lists? What is the reason for Maliki's ascendancy in recent months?

Maliki’s list (State of the Law Coalition) adopted a generally national, non-sectarian, political discourse, carefully avoiding any religious slogans and symbols, contrary to SCIRI [its name has been changed to Supreme Islamic Assembly in Iraq, with the word “Revolution” deleted following a congress held in 2007]. Although Maliki’s coalition includes his own Islamic Daawa party, he never mentioned the name of this party throughout the election campaign ! It is also quite clear that Maliki’s campaign against armed militias and the relative but significant improvement in the security situation, especially in Baghdad and Basrah, enhanced his popularity and played a decisive role in coming in first in 9 provinces.

SCIRI, which had previously controlled the councils in Baghdad and 6 southern provinces, came in a distant second in 6 provinces. In Basrah, for example, it received 11.6% (compared to 37% for Maliki’s list). In Baghdad, however, it came in 6th place, with 5.4% (compared to 38% for Maliki). Significantly, in Karbala, it came 5th with 6.4%, and Maliki’s list came 3rd with 8.5%. The winner there was an “independent” figure who received 13.3% of the vote!
The election results also indicated reduced votes for the Iraqi Islamic Party (Moslem Brothers) in some provinces, such as Anbar.
It is important to note that none of the major lists got an absolute majority in the provincial elections.

3- Were these elections safe from manipulations by the government and powerful blocs dominating the politics of Iraq?

Positions of influence in government and “political money” were widely used during the period before the elections. This, and other factors, had a big influence despite the relative positive change in political consciousness among the electorate. In this respect, it is important to point out that a significant proportion of the Iraqi people continue to suffer illiteracy, ignorance, backwardness and poverty, and they have not been liberated from traditional allegiances and fear. Enormous political and social effort is needed to enable citizens to choose freely and practice their political independence, and get rid of the fear that has been instilled by dictatorial regimes, chaos, sectarian violence and militias. It would be difficult to overcome traditional allegiances and the influence of forces dominating political power unless the society recovers its well-being, political stability and security are achieved, and job opportunities are made available.

4- How do you assess the success of the Iraqi Communist Party list in this election? What were the main reasons for the weak showing of the result for the party lists?

Our Communist Party strived to be an effective participant in the provincial elections, not with the sole aim of winning seats, in spite of its importance and necessity, but to exercise its right to reach the masses of people, publicize its policy, and mobilize them to defend their rights and freedom. The party organizations and activists strengthen their links to the people and enhance their experience through such political battles.

In addition, the party contested the elections in 8 provinces as part of democratic coalitions, as part of its objective to strengthen the democratic current in the political scene. These coalitions were locally based in some provinces. In Baghdad, Babil and Qadisiyah provinces, the coalition “Madaniyoun” (i.e. advocates of a democratic civil state) included two other parties: the National Democratic Party and the Arab Socialist Movement. The election results will therefore provide valuable lessons about various forms of coalitions and their effectiveness, especially for the forthcoming general elections in late 2009.

The results achieved by the party lists, according to the preliminary results that have been announced, are below expectations (ranging from 1.2% to 2.3%) and do not match the status and influence of the party and its allies that are well recognized by people in the provinces and their political and social forces. The party has therefore expressed reservation about some of these results and presented its objections to the Electoral Commission.

5- You said that despite the results of these elections, the Iraqi CP views the outcome as being in the right direction. Could you please elaborate more on this?

Our initial assessment is that the party organizations and members exerted exceptional effort during the election campaign, and what they have achieved is valuable not only for further political battles, including the forthcoming parliamentary elections, but also for the future of the democratic process. The party, on all levels, has begun a process of evaluating its performance in the elections, including its political discourse and positions, potential developments regarding social and economic issues, the effectiveness of party media and how to develop them, the need for concentrating on getting closer to the people and developing links with various sectors, as well as reviewing election campaigning methods.

An objective assessment is needed coupled with determined and relentless effort to address the weaknesses and also consolidate the successes achieved. We are convinced that, despite the continuing difficult and complex conditions under which the party is functioning, its organizations are now stronger and better experienced in the democratic process, with wider connections to the people and better informed about the political complexities and the needs of the people.

Iraqi CP Commemorates "Communist Martyr's Day"

On "Communist Martyr's Day" (14th February)

Iraqi CP holds big meeting in Baghdad

The Iraqi Communist Party commemorated Communist Martyr's Day with a big meeting held on 14 February 2009 in the National Theatre in central Baghdad. This annual event was of special significance to Iraqi Communists because it marked the 60th anniversary of the execution of Comrade Yousuf Salman (Fahad), the founder of the party, and two leading comrades, Hazim and Sarim, on 14 and 15 February 1949.

The meeting was attended by members of the Central Committee of the party and hundreds of members and supporters. Several government officials were also present. Comrade Subhi al-Jumaily delivered the speech of the Central Committee. The programme of the event included recital of poetry, songs by "Friendship" group, and
a silent theatrical performance by the "Ninorta" theatre group. The well-known poet Aryan Sayyed Khalaf read out rousing poems specially dedicated to this solemn occasion.

The meeting was also addressed by the secretary of the Union of Writers, the poet and comrade Alfred Samaan, who recalled the final moments of the martyred party leaders, as they bid farewell to their comrades in prison before heroically facing execution. A message was delivered to the gathering on behalf of the families of party martyrs.

Iraqi CP statement on preliminary results of provincial elections

Statement of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the Iraqi Communist Party

On the Preliminary Results of Provincial Elections

The Preliminary results of the provincial elections, announced by the Electoral Commission on 5th February 2009, have indicated a change in the political landscape, and in the positions of political forces involved in the various lists. While this change in positions reflects, in part, the participation of regions and political and social forces that had boycotted the previous elections, it also shows very clearly that the voters who went to the polls were, in most cases, not motivated by sectarian allegiance but driven by a national motive, as well as a desire not to renew the mandate of those, especially in decision-making positions, who did not live up to their promises and fulfill the hopes of the electorate. The results have also indicated, in general, that the voice of religious and sectarian intolerance and fanaticism has been weakened, in favour of an orientation towards building a civil state and its institutions that would respect the rule of law, the constitution and principles of democracy.

While we commend this feature of the electoral process, which has indicated progress of the democratic process in the country, the expansion of its social and political base, and a growing conviction that the ballot box is the best way for resolving differences and conflict management, we stress that the recent elections were truly an important step along the path towards political stability and security and the restoration of Iraq's full sovereignty and independence.
However, these positive aspects are offset by a number of negative indicators, some of which are of very serious nature and can cast a shadow over the entire image and results of the elections and their repercussions on the political scene.

1) The percentage of participation in the elections was 51% of the electorate, which is lower than expectations and the participation in previous elections. In the capital Baghdad and in Anbar province, it did not exceed 40%. This reflects the reluctance of a significant proportion of the electorate to vote, as a form of protest and an expression of sentiments of frustration. In addition, many people were denied participation because they could not find their names on the electoral register. The primary responsibility for this lies with the Electoral Commission. There are also other factors, such as distant polling stations and the lack of means of transport, and other technical and logistic reasons that have contributed to this lower level of participation.

2) The results in a number of provinces were contrary to expectations and to the information, made available to many lists by their observers and agents, about the counting of votes. This applies to the lists of the Iraqi Communist Party, whether on its own or in alliance with other forces and personalities. Our party has submitted its objections to the results that have been announced in some provinces, and has demanded that all the objections be dealt with in utmost seriousness, professionalism and transparency, to uphold what is right and remove doubts about the fairness of the elections and the performance of the Electoral Commission.

3) A careful analysis of the preliminary election results confirms what our party had previously warned about, in connection with the unfair system of distributing the remaining seats, as stipulated by the Law for Provincial Councils Elections. In some provinces, the combined votes of the lists that won did not exceed 35% of the total votes of the electorate, which means that the remaining votes (65%), that correspond to the share of lists that did not win, would unjustly go to the winners! This constitutes, in our view, a threat to the democratic content of the electoral process, and represents a kind of usurping the voter’s voice and using it against his/her will. This electoral system inflicts gross injustice on other lists and their voters, and also distorts the Council’ representation of the electorate in the province.

4) “Political money” has been lavishly spent during the election campaign by some lists, including what was spent for the purpose of bribing voters. This has had a clear impact on the results, and represents a serious threat to democracy and the freedom of voters to cast ballots without illegitimate pressure and influence. This is a loophole in the electoral system and the organization of democratic practice that requires urgent action to develop controls governing expenditure in the election campaign, as part of the two laws that need to be enacted; one for elections and another for parties.

5) In a clear violation of the law, the resources of the state and its media institutions were widely employed by some of the lists and figures, for the purposes of election propaganda and to influence the choices of voters. Other violations and abuses took place, including the use of places of worship in some areas.

The Iraqi Communist Party and its allies in various lists, according to the preliminary results announced by the Electoral Commission, did not get what is commensurate with the status, activity and influence of Communists, and their supporters and allies, which are recognized by people in the provinces and their political and social forces. The Party has therefore expressed its reservation about some of these results and has presented its objections to the Electoral Commission.

Our party has actively participated in the provincial elections, irrespective of the results it would achieve, exercising its right to get to the masses of people and propagate its policy and program, and seeking to improve its positions and achieve a bigger proportion of votes. Despite being aware of the objective difficulties that we face, which are big, the party organizations and its supporters exerted an exceptional effort, full of enthusiasm, vitality and creativity. They have managed in the course of their campaign to extend links with the broad masses of people and workers, and have accumulated political experience and enhanced credibility among the people, that will both be important for subsequent elections and for the future of the democratic process in general. Baghdad

7 February 2009

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.