Iraq blast targets government, elections

Iraq blast targets government, elections

People’s Weekly World

by: Susan Webb
October 26 2009

The death toll from Sunday's massive suicide car bomb attacks in Baghdad has risen to 155, with another 500 wounded, the Aswat al-Iraq news agency has reported.
The enormous blasts targeted three government buildings - the Justice Ministry, the Ministry of Public Works, and the
Baghdad provincial council, where 10 members of Parliament were attending a meeting. All three buildings were destroyed. The bombings, the deadliest in two years, took place along a road filled with traffic and set more than 150 vehicles on fire, incinerating entire families.
The attacks occurred just before Iraqi political leaders were to meet to work out a compromise on a disputed election law that is needed to allow national elections to happen on time in January. The meeting was held but did not reach an agreement and will re-convene next Monday.
The elections are seen as essential to ensuring the scheduled U.S. military pullout goes forward.
In Iraq, the bloody attacks were widely blamed on remnants of the Saddam Hussein regime and other elements seeking to destabilize the country.
"They are targeting the government and the political process in the country," an Iraqi Army spokesman, Maj. General Qassim Atta, told reporters.
"It's about the election," Salman, a Kurdish man looking for a car left behind by his injured brother, told a UK Times reporter. "It's a way of influencing politics."
The blasts yesterday underscored how violence in Iraq has changed its nature in the recent period.
Overall, violent attacks have dropped sharply compared to a year ago, and are different from the broad-scale sectarian violence that was rampant a year or two ago. Sunday's attacks fit into a new pattern targeting politicians, government officials and buildings, and police and security officers. Yesterday's bombings were the second major attack on key government buildings in the past few months. On Aug. 19, coordinated attacks now referred to as "Bloody Wednesday" destroyed the Foreign Ministry and Finance Ministry buildings in Baghdad, leaving more than 100 people dead and more than 1,000 wounded.
With the U.S. preparing to withdraw its troops from Iraq, January's national elections will set Iraq's direction for the post-occupation period. The aim of the violence now, many U.S. and Iraqi analysts say, is to undermine the government of Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki, hurt his chances of re-election in next January's vote, and at the same time to delay or disrupt that election if possible.
Many in Iraq have warned that violence would increase as the January elections approach. Iraqis say die-hard former Baathists are using the attacks as a bargaining chip, hoping to enlist the U.S. in their efforts to regain a political foothold. Some of these elements fear that with a U.S. withdrawal they will lose this kind of leverage.
In a strongly worded statement yesterday, the Iraqi Communist Party called the attackers "professional killers and criminals."
"In addition to inflicting harm upon the Iraqi people, the aim is once again to sabotage the ongoing political process in our country, and to create the conditions for its reversal and to return Iraq to the rule of dictatorship and tyranny," the statement said.
In yesterday's attack, initial investigations suggested that each suicide vehicle was loaded with more than 1,500 pounds of explosives, the UK Times reported. The blasts were so powerful that they swept away protective blast walls, blew out windows on surrounding buildings and tore deep craters into roads, shattering water mains. The magnitude of the explosives indicated that these were highly organized and well-financed operations.
"It is no coincidence that this new crime of genocide, that has been designed and implemented to spread death and destruction on the widest possible scale, has targeted the headquarters of two ministries and the offices of Baghdad's provincial council," the Iraqi Communist Party said. "It is also no coincidence that the people, who are the victims of the barbaric series of crimes by terrorist gangs, are holding the remnants of Saddam's Baath party, al-Qaeda, militias and organized crime responsible."
Iraqis charge that some of these groups are getting help from surrounding countries who want to keep Iraq in turmoil.
Maliki sent a message to the UN Secretary General and the Security Council demanding the "formation of an international panel to investigate the assaults."
Despite the new bloodshed, the Communist Party urged Iraq's political forces to "overcome their differences and live up to the challenges, and to accelerate the resolution of outstanding political issues, notably the issue of the election law."
This is the only way to rid the country of foreign occupation and build a democratic Iraqi state, the party says

Iraqi CP condemns bombings atrocity in Baghdad

Iraqi Communist Party strongly condemns
heinous bombings atrocity in Baghdad

The Iraqi Communist party has strongly condemned the twin bombings atrocity in central Baghdad on Sunday 25 October 2009 that killed at least 132 people and wounded more than 500 people.
A statement issued by the Political Bureau of the party said "the forces of terrorism and crime have once again unleashed their brutal hatred against Iraq and Iraqis, committing a new heinous crime that has claimed dozens of innocent lives, and shedding the blood of hundreds more civilians."
The statement pointed that, in a manner similar to the atrocity of "Bloody Wednesday" on 19 August 2009, "the wounds of which have not yet healed", the criminal forces "have today carried out their aggression in the same treacherous way, and in the same cold-blooded manner that distinguishes professional killers and criminals."
"In addition to inflicting harm upon the Iraqi people, the aim is once again to sabotage the ongoing political process in our country, and to create the conditions for its reversal and to return Iraq to the rule of dictatorship and tyranny.
"It is no coincidence that this new crime of genocide, that has been designed and implemented to spread death and destruction on the widest possible scale, has targeted the headquarters of two ministries and the offices of Baghdad's provincial council. It is also no coincidence that the people, who are the victims of the barbaric series of crimes by terrorist gangs, are holding the remnants of Saddam's Baath party, al-Qaeda, militias and organized crime responsible."
"While strongly condemning the new heinous crime against our people and homeland, we call on the national political forces to overcome their differences and live up to the challenges, and to accelerate the resolution of outstanding political issues, notably the issue of the election law."
The Iraqi Communist Party called upon the relevant authorities "to pursue the killers and bring them to justice so that they receive the punishment they deserve, and to take measures in order to put an end to such security breaches and protect the lives of citizens and state institutions.
The Political Bureau's statement concluded its statement by expressing sincere sympathy to the families of the victims, and its wishes to the wounded and injured for a speedy recovery.

Iraq elections will shape post-occupation direction

Iraq elections will shape post-occupation direction

People's Weekly World

by: Susan Webb
October 20 2009

With the U.S. preparing to pull combat troops out by next summer, Iraq' s upcoming national elections, scheduled for Jan. 16, will shape the country's post-occupation direction. It's a new phase, with new political and social dynamics.
Although violence continues, it is sharply down from a year ago, and support for religious sectarianism has plummeted. As a result, Iraq is seeing people coming out into the streets, and the beginnings of an upsurge of civil society organizations and protest movements.
Indicative of this trend, more than 40 organizations are working on setting up an Iraqi Social Forum, part of the World Social Forum movement involving social justice and anti-corporate groups. Women's, youth, labor, peasant and human rights groups held a meeting in Baghdad in September to launch the initiative, a first for Iraq.
Another example: a national student organization, the General Union of Students in the Iraqi Republic, held an outdoor ceremony in Baghdad's famous Abu Nuwas public gardens in September to honor outstanding high school students.
And as political jockeying threatened to delay the national elections and limit voter participation, about 50 organizations met with the speaker of Parliament to insist that elections take place as scheduled with rules that promote voter participation and choice.
Some parties trying to hold onto power have pushed to raise the voting age, make a college degree a requirement for voting, and return to a "closed list" process where voters can only vote for a slate picked by party leaders. Some have tried to stall the elections by linking them to resolution of ethnic disputes in northern Iraq.
But the Parliament is expected to approve an election law that sticks to the Jan. 16 schedule, rejects new voting restrictions and retains the "open list" process that enables voters to oust individual political hacks if they want to.
Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki's coalition appears headed toward another win in January, following its victory in provincial elections this winter. Maliki has accomplished this by adopting secular nationalist rhetoric, down-pedaling his leadership of the Shiite Dawa Party, as well as by his popular, tough action to shut down armed militias.
Maliki's State of Law coalition has attracted a range of Shia and Sunni politicians, tribal leaders, sections of the Awakening Councils that split off from armed insurgents, and figures representing various ethnic minorities.
He recently described his coalition as "far removed from a sectarian-based distribution of power" - a slap at his rivals in the reconfigured Shia Islamic coalition, the Iraqi National Alliance.
In fact all the Islamic groups, Shia and Sunni, have been forced to distance themselves from sectarian appeals and instead project "national" programs. But "they don't give any details, just sloganeering," commented Salam Ali, the Iraqi Communist Party's spokesperson, in a recent phone interview.
Maliki and others have borrowed slogans from the left, including talk of a civil, democratic state, but without explaining what they mean by it, Ali noted.
Many doubt Maliki's ability to bring meaningful improvement in people's daily living conditions.
"There is a big backlash against the political elite," Ali said. "People are just fed up with false promises that have not been acted upon by the leading political blocs. People have not seen any improvement in basics like electricity. Corruption is still rife. Nothing serious is being done to improve health care, education and so on."
But the problem is, "Iraq's democratic forces have yet to present themselves as a viable alternative," with a public disheartened after decades of dictatorship, war, and sectarian divisions, Ali said. Democratic and progressive sectors of Iraqi society - unions, women, students, professional and cultural workers, human rights advocates - are not yet sufficiently organized and lack the funding and media capability to reach and mobilize the masses of Iraqis, he said. They are up against powerful groups with well-funded media operations and financial backing from regional powers with their own agendas.
As a result, people who oppose empty nationalist sloganeering, religious and ethnic division, and lack of action on economic and social problems, simply don't vote, he said.
One danger is that, with the public wanting a "firm hand" against violence, if a strong and unified democratic movement does not emerge the country could return to a new dictatorship.
That is the challenge facing Iraq's left and democratic trends.
An important element in that struggle is the continuing battle for trade union rights. Unions are protesting government attempts to control the unions' internal elections. Iraq's largest labor federation, the General Federation of Iraqi Workers, issued a statement this month calling on Iraqi workers to "stand up to defend their legitimate rights."
The labor federation appealed to "the wider trade union movement, professional associations and civil society organizations" for support. It also appealed "for the solidarity support of the international trade union movement."
Although suicide bombings and similar attacks are down 80 or 90 percent from last year, they could increase as the elections approach. Iraqi analysts say groups behind the violence, including former Baathists, are using it as a bargaining chip, hoping to enlist the U.S. in their efforts to gain a political foothold: "We'll stop if you get us a share of power." Also, Iraqis charge that some of these groups are getting help from surrounding countries who want to keep Iraq in turmoil.

Democratic Youth Celebration in Baghdad

Celebration in Baghdad of the 58th Anniversary of Iraqi Democratic Youth Federation

The main hall of the National Theatre in central Baghdad was packed with jubilant masses of youth, on Friday 23 October 2009, celebrating the 58th anniversary of the Iraqi Democratic Youth Federation (IDYF).


The event began with the recital of the Iraqi national anthem “Mawtini” (My Homeland). Speeches were then delivered by Mohammed Khudhayer, from IDYF, and Ayad Kamal from the Kurdistan Youth Federation.

A presentation by IDYF’s theatrical group followed, entitled “Elixir of Life”, with poetry and songs.

Well-known poets, Kadhum Ismail al-Kati’, Nadhem al-Samawi and Nawfal al-Safi (from Karbala), were warmly received by the audience.


The program included traditional Kurdish dancing (“dabka”), performed by the “Kirkuk Newroz” group, that enthralled the audience.

The event was concluded with songs presented by the well-known Iraqi singer Karim Mansour.

Ceremony in Baghdad to honor outstanding students

General Union of Students in Iraqi Republic (GUSIR)

holds ceremony in Baghdad to honor outstanding students

During the recent celebrations of Eid al-Fitr in late September 2009, the General Union of Students in the Iraqi Republic (GUSIR) held a ceremony in Abu Nuas gardens, along the Tigris embankment in Baghdad, to honor outstanding secondary school students.

The students who have excelled academically were given certificates and awards by the Secretariat of GUSIR. The program of the festive event, attended by families and friends of the awardees, included the recital of poetry and songs.

GUSIR expressed its gratitude for the support it received from Tammuz Organization for Social Development for sponsoring this student event.

Photos from Iraqi CP marquee in L'Humanite Festival

Photos from the marquee of "Tareeq Al-Shaab"

in L'Humanite Festival (11-13 September 2009)

Iraqi CP participates in L'Humanite Festival

Iraqi Communist Party & "Tareeq Al-Shaab" newspaper
participate in L'Humanite Festival

Continuing an internationalist tradition that goes back to the 1970s, the Iraqi Communist Party participated in the L'Humanite Festival held in Paris (11-13 September 2009).

The marquee of "Tareeq Al-Shaab" (People's Path), the daily newspaper of the Iraqi CP, in the International Village was set up by the party organization in France, with active participation of party members and supporters from several European countries.

The Central Committee of Iraqi CP was represented by comrade Faisal al-Sarraf who had arrived from Baghdad especially for the event. He held a number of meetings with delegations of fraternal and friendly parties. He was received by the National Committee of the French Communist Party in its headquarters on 15 September 2009, and had a meeting with comrade Jacques Fath, the head of FCP international relations department.

The marquee of "Tareeq Al-Shaab" was packed with visitors listening to lively Iraqi music and and joining in lively folk dance, as well as sampling delicious Iraqi food.