[Media-watch] Hollow Election on Bloody Day

[David J McKnight]

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UPDATE FROM 
ELECTRONIC IRAQ

http://electronicIraq.net
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News & Analysis
HOLLOW ELECTION HELD ON BLOODY DAY
Dahr Jamail, Inter Press Service, 30 January 2005

http://electroniciraq.net/news/1838.shtml

BAGHDAD, Jan 30 (IPS) - An overnight rocket attack on the
U.S. embassy in Baghdad that killed two Americans and
injured four others set the tone for the election Sunday.*

By the end of the day at least 29 people had been killed
in attacks on polling stations and voters.

An hour after polling stations opened at 7am, mortar
blasts began echoing across the capital city, at almost an
attack a minute at times.

Most Iraqis stayed home after resistance fighters
threatened to "wash the streets with blood."

A suicide bomber at a security checkpoint in Monsour
district of western Baghdad killed a policeman and wounded
two others. A man wearing a belt of explosives detonated
himself at a voters queue in Sadr City in Baghdad, killing
himself and at least four others.

Many Iraqis who had intended to vote stayed indoors as
gunfire echoed around the downtown area of Baghdad. Mortar
attacks on polling stations continued through the day.

"Yesterday a bicycle bomb killed someone near my house,"
said 32-year-old Ahmed Mohammed. "I never intended to vote
in this illegitimate election anyway, but if I had wanted
to I would never go out in these conditions."

With draconian security measures in place, even some
ambulances rushing to victims of bomb attacks were turned
back at security checkpoints.

"Baghdad looks like it's having a war, not elections,"
said Layla Abdul Rahman, a high school English teacher.
"Our streets are filled with tanks and soldiers and our
bridges are closed. All we are hearing is bombings all
around us, and for the last two nights there have been
many clashes that last a long time. We shouldn't have had
elections now because it's just not practical with this
horrible security."

The threats by the resistance fighters followed by a
string of attacks across Baghdad clearly reduced voter
turnout.

"How can we call this democracy when I am too afraid to
leave my home," said Baghdad resident Abdulla Hamid. "Of
course there will be low turnout here with all these
bombings."

A series of bombings have been reported also in Hilla,
Mosul, Kirkuk, Basra and Baquba. In Samarra where a
roadside bomb struck a U.S. patrol, there was no sign
either of voters or of the police on the streets,
according to reports from there.

"Nobody will vote in Samarra because of the security
situation," Taha Husain, head of Samarra's local governing
council told reporters.

Interim U.S.. appointed prime minister Ayad Allawi
announced Saturday that martial law will now be extended
for another month. The hope of many Iraqis that the
elections will bring security and stability continue to
fade.

Voter turnout in the Kurdish controlled north of Iraq and
the Shia dominated southern region has been heavy, but
most polling stations in the capital city and central Iraq
remained relatively empty.

Aside from security reasons, many Iraqis chose not to vote
because they question the legitimacy of these elections.

"They are wrong on principle, the High Commission for
Elections was appointed by Bremer (former U.S.
administrator L. Paul Bremer), so how can we have a
legitimate election under these circumstances," said Sabah
Rahwani in the Karrada district of Baghdad. "This election
only serves the interest of the occupier, not Iraqis. This
is only propaganda for Bush."

U.S. President George W. Bush announced in his weekly
radio address Saturday that "as democracy takes hold in
Iraq, America's mission there will continue." His
administration has also recently announced that U.S.
troops will remain in Iraq at least until 2006.

The parliament elected by the Sunday election will draft a
new constitution for the country. A referendum on that is
scheduled for Oct. 15, followed by another election Dec.
15.


RELATED LINKS

BY TOPIC: Iraqi Elections (30th January 2005)
http://electroniciraq.net/news/1808.shtml

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