The Husseiniya threshold resolves the biggest tribal conflict in Basra that has lasted for years

[yota691]

The deployment of 62 thousand security personnel to protect demonstrators and infrastructure in the southern provinces

Readers

 

 

The deployment of 62 thousand security personnel to protect demonstrators and infrastructure in the southern provinces

 

29-07-2018 02:05 PM

 

The Euphrates -

 

The commander of operations Rafidain Major General Ali Ibrahim Debaon on the deployment of his leadership more than 62 thousand security personnel continued in the provinces of (Dhi Qar, Muthanna, Maysan and Wasit) to support the other security services, especially in light of the demonstrations that came out Sunday in some of those provinces, which he said did not go out of character .

He said that the deployment came in accordance with security plans have been prepared to protect demonstrators and infrastructure and vital installations in accordance with directives of the Commander-in-Chief of the armed forces and senior security leaders.

[Butifldrm]

 

2018/07/29 12:04

•  

Planning: The money released to the provinces came from the emergency budget

 

 

Baghdad / المسلة: The Ministry of Planning and Development Cooperation, Sunday, July 29, 2018, that the amounts allocated to the governorates of the demonstration was the emergency budget, noting that Basra has officially received so far 25 billion dinars. 

"The money that was launched for the projects was from the emergency budget for the current year," ministry spokesman Abdul Zahra al-Hindawi said in a statement.

He said Hendawi that "the disbursement of funds will be in accordance with formal procedures issued by the competent authorities, not handed over by hand as demanded by some." 

He explained that "the total has been launched to the province of Basra so far by an official is 25 billion dinars, some of which went to health, education and water."

Follow the obelisk

http://almasalah.com/ar/news/145451/التخطيط-الاموال-التي-اطلقت-للمحافظات-جاءت-من-موازنة-الطوارئ

[Butifldrm]

• Politician

Al - Muthanna Council calls on Abadi to dismiss the Director General of Budget in the Ministry of Finance

18:20 - 29/07/2018

0

 

  

Information / Special ...

A student of the province of Muthanna, on Sunday, Prime Minister Haider Abadi, the withdrawal of the Director General of the budget in the Ministry of Finance, "Tayef Sami Mohammed" and forwarded to the investigation, indicating that ministers complained of their inability to collect the amounts of their ministries.

Council member Ammar al-Ghareeb told Al-Maaloumah that "all the promises of Abadi and the ministerial committee regarding the demands of the demonstrators do not exceed promises and nothing has been achieved so far."

He added that "the delegation of the province, which met with the ministries of service collided with requests and excuses in order not to spend money, especially the ministries of planning and finance," noting that "the Ministry of Planning asks the government of Muthanna to prepare a list of suspended projects and completion rates and the name of the project indicates that the ministry live isolation To know that it has a list of all projects that are held in Iraq. "

He explained that "the Director General of the budget in the Ministry of Finance, spectrum Sami Mohammed, asked the delegation of Muthanna province to prepare a list of names of staff and addresses and forget that the salaries of employees and have all the details and what is required by simple excuses to disrupt the drainage.

He pointed out that "a number of ministers revealed to the Muthanna delegation that they fear the invited spectrum Sami and could not even get the dues of their ministries, how can be disbursed and the activation of decisions Abbadi."

Gharib al-Abbadi called for "withdrawing the hand of the Director-General of the budget in the Ministry of Finance and investigation and dismissal of the disruption of the disbursement of funds and allocations of the provinces and ministries," and expressed his surprise of "fear of conservatives and ministers and the Prime Minister collide with them."

http://www.almaalomah.com/2018/07/28/329900/

[Butifldrm]

• Politician

Deputy: Abadi moved the old corruption files against al-Fahdawi to silence demonstrations

17:41 - 29/07/2018

0

 

  

Information / Special ...

The former deputy, Yonadam Kanna, on Sunday, withdrew the hand of Minister of Electricity Qassem Fahdawi by Prime Minister Haider Abadi, an attempt to silence the demonstrations demanding the provision of services and employment in the country.

He said in a statement to Al-Mawla, that "Abadi sought to silence the public anger over poor services and power outages by withdrawing the hand of Fahdawi and stopping his work within the ministry," pointing out that "the movement of old corruption files against Fahdawi at the moment has got to improve the image of my slaves "He said.

He added that "the accountability of the losers of the political class needs the new parliament for the purpose of questioning and dismissal," explaining that "the withdrawal of the hand a simple procedure will not change Shi at the moment."

The Prime Minister Haider Abadi ordered on Sunday to withdraw the hand of the Minister of Electricity Qassem Al-Fahdawi on the background of the deterioration of energy services in the country, while he stressed that the investigative committees will begin work on the files of corruption involved in Al-Fahdawi.

http://www.almaalomah.com/2018/07/29/330217/

[Butifldrm]

 

Prime Minister Dr. Haider Al-Abbadi: Our ears are attentive and hearts are open to fulfill the demands of citizens

 

 

 

 

29 July 2018

Prime Minister Dr. Haider Al-Abbadi stressed the importance of uniting efforts to maintain security and provide services, noting that our ears are attentive and hearts open to fulfill the demands of citizens. 
This came during the reception of the sovereignty and the dignitaries and tribes and people of Wasit province and the local government in the presence of members of the Committee on Services and Reconstruction in the provinces, where he welcomed the sovereignty Bahali Wasit, which made sacrifices with other provinces for the sake of Iraq.

"Security is an important part of advancing the country and providing services," he said. "Our forces are still pursuing the remaining pockets of terrorism. Our intelligence efforts have developed significantly and we are working to eradicate the ideology of terrorism and its corrupt ideology." 

Dr. Abadi said that the work of the government is to serve the citizens and work to provide employment opportunities that are much wider than the grades, indicating that 
we have an economic renaissance after we achieved victory in the war on gangs and called for terrorism and the reconstruction and construction.

He warned of the attempt of corruptists ride the wave, indicating that these holders of glamorous slogans and must cooperate to reveal them. 

In the light of the meeting, Prime Minister Dr. Haidar Al-Abadi: 

1. Take the necessary measures to ensure the completion of the Essaouira sewerage project and follow-up work by the Ministry of Construction, Municipalities and Governorate and the operations room of the Provincial Reconstruction and Services Committee. 

2 - cover the financial expenses required by the completion of the streets, especially in the district of Essaouira and district district.

3 - Implementation of the second corridor of the street Essaouira - Hilla. 

4 - disbursement of compensation owners of poultry fields affected by bird flu. 

5 - To conduct an immediate inspection of the distribution of ration card materials, both in terms of the number of materials and quantities during the year or in terms of cost that the citizen works contrary to the amount specified by the Ministry of Commerce. 

6 - Securing the quota of electricity to the areas of the province, including the agricultural areas to ensure irrigation as the real need to maintain agriculture.

7. The Ministry of Finance shall ensure the necessary allocations in the district to rehabilitate or improve the infrastructure, including the municipal services and completion of the carrier line in the district district. 

8 - Provide an adequate number of transformer stations K132 to improve electricity in different districts. 

9 - Improve the health situation in the regions and priorities in line with the immediate needs with the study of the expansion of Fayrouz Hospital in the district district and complete the Turkish hospital in Kut and work to provide health supplies, and the appropriate number of doctors and health professionals. 

10 - Work on the establishment of the stadium sports district.

11. Work on the operation and rehabilitation of suspended factories to improve the living conditions in the governorate areas. 

12 - To conduct an immediate check of the need of school buildings and completion of buildings, where the completion rate to high rates and improve the educational reality in all areas of the province. 

13- Launching the appointments in Wasit Governorate according to the movement of the owners and guaranteeing their distribution to the provinces and areas of the governorate. The Ministry of Finance shall provide the necessary allocations. The Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs, the Ministry of Industry and other entities possessing productive and service facilities shall provide employment opportunities for the operation of the people of the governorate.

14- Supporting the agricultural sector, both vegetative and animal, and the relevant authorities take effective measures in this direction. 

15 - Utilization of vacant grades in the movement of owners to confirm the contracts that were previously in the electricity sector. 

16 - Completion of the distribution of residential lands that have completed their transactions and allocation of different segments. 

17 - completion of the project of water Kut Grand. 

18. Rescheduling the debts, loans and benefits of farmers' loans due to water scarcity or other factors.
 

Prime Minister 's Media Office 
29 - July - 2018 
http://pmo.iq/press2018/29-7-201801.htm

[blueskyline]

5 hours ago, yota691 said:

The deployment of 62 thousand security personnel to protect demonstrators and infrastructure in the southern provinces

Readers

 

 

The deployment of 62 thousand security personnel to protect demonstrators and infrastructure in the southern provinces

 

29-07-2018 02:05 PM

 

The Euphrates -

 

The commander of operations Rafidain Major General Ali Ibrahim Debaon on the deployment of his leadership more than 62 thousand security personnel continued in the provinces of (Dhi Qar, Muthanna, Maysan and Wasit) to support system" rel="">support the other security services, especially in light of the demonstrations that came out Sunday in some of those provinces, which he said did not go out of character .

He said that the deployment came in accordance with security plans have been prepared to protect demonstrators and infrastructure and vital installations in accordance with directives of the Commander-in-Chief of the armed forces and senior security leaders.

Thank You Yota . Good Afternoon DV's . May your Sunday be Blessed Abundantly . I'm reading news like everyone else .At some point I would hope security measures like these are in essence part of a predetermined plan for the reforms and not just because of protection for the protesters ...

[yota691]

Urgent : Abadi intends to withdraw the hand of other ministers soon

Release date: 2018/7/29 20:40 • 454 times read

BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi plans to take similar steps with other ministers in line with his decision against the electricity minister on Sunday, informed sources said.

The sources told the {Euphrates News} that "Abadi is in the process of withdrawing the hand of a new group of ministers, as happened with the Minister of Electricity Qassim Fahdawi, who issued the decision to withdraw the hand, and the prevention of travel. 
Law experts say the decision to withdraw the hand does not mean dismissing the fact that the government is running and the absence of the House of Representatives, which has the power to vote to dismiss the minister. 
According to a brief statement issued by the Prime Minister's Office on Sunday morning, Abadi "ordered the withdrawal of the Minister of Electricity in light of the deterioration of electricity services and until the completion of investigations 
The Minister of Electricity commented on the decision of Abadi, An investigative committee with the aim of communicating the facts.
It is noted that the "withdrawal of the hand" is to prevent the employee from continuing to perform his job temporarily while maintaining his functional relationship, and that it is a temporary precautionary measure used by the administration when the employee is subject to disciplinary or penal proceedings. is over

[yota691]

Transparency Association: Trade Minister Pole is another corruption that Abadi must rule out

 

 

 

Number of readings: 13643 29-07-2018 08:23 PM

 

 

29-07-2018 08:23 PM 

 

 The Transparency Association called on Prime Minister Haider Abadi, on Sunday, more steps of 'cleansing' in the Ministry of Electricity, in response to the demands of demonstrations taking place in a number of the provinces of the country. 

The Association considered in a statement that 'the Minister of Planning and Trade Agency is another pole of corruption, which must be Prime Minister Haider Abadi attached to Fahdawi'.

 

[10 YEARS LATER]

" CLEANSING " Interesting turn of phrase 

 

Meantime in Arizona - 

 

 

[3n1]

...  the transparency minister guy might be the only goi employee that should earn a couple days off with all the " cleansing " he gonna have to do ... cheers dv,  thanks yota

[Butifldrm]

Al-Hadithi: The government has not yet reached the request to establish the province of Basra

 

2 hours ago

12394 views

+ -

NRT

A spokesman for the Information Office of the Prime Minister, Saad al-Hadithi, on Monday, that the request to establish the province of Basra has not yet reached the Council of Ministers .

Al-Hadithi said in a press statement today, July 30, 2018, that "the Iraqi government does not object to any request or draft does not violate the Constitution and comes in legal contexts, and the province of Basra has not received demand from the local government there, or who represents them legally," according to what Quoted by the site "Russia Today".

"If the request comes, the cabinet will discuss it naturally and will be subject to vote, " he added.

Members of the provincial council of Basra had earlier gathered signatures that they said would be accompanied by a request of the federal government in Baghdad to turn Basra into a territory, where the demands to turn the province into a territory after the escalation of protests in the southern provinces more than two weeks ago.

It is worth mentioning that some representatives of the province of Basra in the House of Representatives have been working for years to transform the province into a territory, but they are hit by rejection by political parties in Basra .

R.

http://www.nrttv.com/AR/News.aspx?id=2848&MapID=2

[yota691]

Security Center: The Security Situation In Basra Is Fully Stable

 

 Last updated 30/07/2018  58

Special conscious

The security information center on Monday confirmed the security situation in the entire city of Basra, denying any clashes between security forces and demonstrators.

"The Basrah Operations Command is working to maintain security and stability and protect the demonstrators in general," said Brigadier Yehia Rasool, spokesman for the media center, told the Iraqi News Agency (INA). He called on citizens not to believe all of his social networking sites and to beware of lying behind them. And distort the truth. "

[Pitcher]

Iran-aligned Hadi al-Ameri leads a terrorist group that seeks to seize oil wells in Iraq's southern provinces if he was not chosen as prime minister, well-informed sources told the Baghdad Post on Monday. 

 

Iran-backed politicians are accused of destabilizing Iraq for Iranian interests. 

 

Over the past two weeks, sweeping protests hit southern provinces calling for new job opportunities and improved basic services. 

Hundreds of protesters were killed and injured in the protests. 

 

 

http://www.thebaghdadpost.com/en/story/30085/Iran-allied-Hadi-Ameri-seeks-to-seize-Iraq-s-oil-wells-if-not-chosen-PM

 

[nannab]

Wow Malarki will start a civil war and Ameri will seize Iraq's oil wells if 

neither one is not chosen PM. Pretty sick tickets in that group.  

Thanks Pitcher 

[Pitcher]

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – Iraqi Sunni-Muslim politicians on Monday criticized Baghdad’s recent suspension of the Electricity Minister for failing to strike at the heart of “rampant corruption” in the oil-rich country.

On Sunday, Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi suspended his Minister of Electricity, Qassim al-Fahdawi, as people across central and southern provinces continue to protest the lack of public services and widespread corruption.

Khamis al-Khanjar, Secretary-General of the Arab Project in Iraq, said Abadi’s move against Fahdawi would be of no consequence in the fight against the “scourge of corruption.”

“The chaos that has plagued our country, spurred by insufficient services, cannot be blamed on a single person or one ministry and [won’t be solved] by the sacking of one Minister,” Khanjar said on his official Facebook page.

“We have to recognize that the scourge of corruption that is rotting away most of the parts of the state is a greater threat,” Khanjar argued.

Former Vice-President of Iraq, Tariq al-Hashimi, who was to sentenced to death in absentia, during a recent live interview with Kurdistan 24. (Photo: Kurdistan 24)

Former Vice-President of Iraq, who was to sentenced to death in absentia, Tariq al-Hashimi, said that any Minister in the Iraqi government who remains “weak” lacks one of three things, but first and foremost, Tehran’s support.

“Ministers in Iraq are weak, and it is possible to remove them for any number of reasons, with just the stroke of a pen, if they are not protected by a corrupt mafia, a tribal militia, or support from the [Shia] Islamic Jurists,” Hashimi wrote on social media on Monday.

“The Minister of Electricity, who has been accused of failure, was sacked, but when will a successful minister be rewarded? Where are the successful ministers? Nowhere is the answer!” Hashimi concluded.

Hashimi, a senior Sunni politician, during a visit to Erbil, took refuge in the Kurdistan Region upon learning the central government, led by Nouri al-Maliki, had issued an arrest warrant against him in December 2011. At the time, Baghdad accused him of running death squads to assassinate Shia officials in the capital. 

Shortly after, he left for Turkey where he is rumored to have stayed or flown to Qatar.

Over the past three weeks, central and southern provinces of Iraq have witnessed raging protests over inadequate public services, constant electricity outages in Iraq’s blistering hot summer, and widespread corruption in government institutions.

At least 14 people have been killed during the protests so far and hundreds more were wounded in clashes with Iraqi security forces.

On Saturday, Abadi sacked five local election officials after they were charged with acts of corruption committed during Iraq’s national election on May 12.

Abadi’s orders come two days after Iraq’s top Shia cleric, Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani, urged the Iraqi government to fight corruption and ease unrest in the country.

“We have to reconsider all aspects of government performance,” Khanjar concluded.

 

http://www.kurdistan24.net/en/news/feef164f-6f41-4432-9f15-b730324278945

[ChuckFinley]

Cleaning their swamp. 

[yota691]

Pressure

Abadi's government pledges to implement the protesters' demands within weeks

 

 

 

Source:

• Baghdad - Statement

Date: 31 July 2018

A spokesman for the Information Office of the Iraqi Prime Minister Haider Abadi, yesterday, that the implementation of the demands of demonstrators in central and southern Iraq will take weeks.

Saadi al-Hadithi said in a press statement that there is a sub-cell that has been formed by each governorate council and local government. It aims to coordinate with the committee of reconstruction and services formed by Abadi, which has the authority of the cabinet and follows up the service issues, noting that some projects have reached advanced stages and have not yet been completed. , And it will not be completed within a day or two but will need weeks.

Al-Hadithi said that the governors were given the authority to refer the projects to companies belonging to the federal government to complete them, pointing out that work is going on in some ministries, and in any case will be completed within weeks.

[Pitcher]

Security Media Center on Monday said the security situation in Basra is stable.
Spokesman for the Center Brigadier Yehia Rasool said that life in the province has restored normalcy.
"There are no violations or riots as some people falsely claim," he added.
He called for not believing all that is posted on social media including videos and photos. 
Rasool said this content is fabricated and aimed to convey a negative image of the situation on the ground.
He also said local residents are cooperating with the security forces in the province.
This comes as the province had seen mass protests over deteriorating conditions, corruption, and power outages.

 

http://www.thebaghdadpost.com/en/story/30095/Security-situation-in-Basra-stable-spokesman

[Pitcher]

A major protest movement was set in motion in early July in Iraq's southern and central provinces over a lack of services and against corruption. As a result, Baghdad residents held demonstrations in support of the southern protests, while the liberated provinces sought to support the southern provinces in any way possible.

However, civilian activists in Salahuddin and Anbar provinces were deterred from taking to the streets in support of those in south and central Iraq, for several reasons, most notably the security situation and prevailing fears that the Islamic State (IS) could use such protests to re-ingrain itself with the public.

On July 23, instead of taking to the streets, Sunni tribes of Hawija in Kirkuk province merely issued a press statement supporting the demonstrations in the southern provinces of Iraq, which call for establishing reform, eliminating corruption and providing services to citizens.

This support came a day after activists took to social media to call for demonstrations in Sunni provinces that had been under IS’ control. However, all Facebook events and invitations were soon canceled and deleted.

Mahmoud al-Hiti, an activist from Anbar, told Al-Monitor, “Some activists in Fallujah and Ramadi planned to organize demonstrations in support of southern and central provinces, but before long the security forces prevented such action.”

Hiti added, “Civil gatherings in Anbar have a hard time being heard" because of the "loud voices of tribes and political parties.”

Sunni tribal leaders believe IS is waiting for any possible demonstrations in the liberated provinces to exploit them and make its way back. Meanwhile, tribes are concerned about clashing with the Iraqi government forces again, as happened in 2013 when the tribes set up tents and cut off roads.

Marwan al-Jabara, a spokesman for the Salahuddin provincial council, told Al-Monitor, “The Sunni provinces share the same suffering as the southern ones, but the equation will differ if we take up protesting against the poor service and economic situation.”

Jabara added, “If we take to the streets, we will be accused of being affiliated with IS and wanting chaos to prevail. But Sunni provinces have long been plagued by chaos due to the corruption in Iraqi state institutions.”

Security authorities in Iraq are concerned that security breaches in the liberated provinces could smooth the way for IS affiliates to regain a foothold there or to invade new areas under the control of the Iraqi government.

An Iraqi national security source told Al-Monitor on condition of anonymity that individuals in Anbar have been coordinating to lead a demonstration in solidarity with the south, saying, “These individuals are supported by the banned Baath party in Iraq.”

The source added, “The national security forces, in cooperation with other security services, were able to put a stop to a plan, by Baath members abroad, to carry out demonstrations.”

Despite the lack of services in areas liberated from IS, in addition to economic problems and other issues related to detainees, Sunni community and political leaders are afraid to call for demonstrations, as their opponents or the Iraqi government could link this to IS and its return.

Atheel Nujaifi, a former governor of Ninevah province, said in a press statement, “We are working on steering clear of demonstrations in Sunni areas liberated from IS, because the situation there is too fragile and IS could take advantage of it.”

Residents of Sunni provinces want to express their opinions and protest their suffering because of a lack of services and the absence of a governmental role in certain issues, but as soon as they remember the experience of the 2013 sit-ins, they back down.

Muaid al-Windawi, a researcher at the Iraqi Center for Strategic Studies, spoke with the press about the possibility of Sunni provinces organizing demonstrations, saying, “Despite all calls, these provinces have concerns, especially after the use of excessive force in the demonstrations taking place in southern and central Iraq.”

Residents of Sunni provinces went through a lot during their protests against the governments of Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki between 2006 and 2014. They were arrested and accused of terrorism. This is the main reason why they have been trying to avoid any confrontation with the Iraqi state as much as possible.

Ali al-Baidar, an activist from Salahuddin, told Al-Monitor, “After security officials warned activists and tribal leaders in the province about taking to the streets, no demonstration could be organized, be it in solidarity or in protest. We now immediately consider the possibility that we would be arrested, charged and suppressed again, despite our strong need to protest.”

The residents of liberated Sunni areas are highly motivated to protest against Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi’s government, which recently restored their areas. However, their fear of going back to the years of displacement and lack of trust between residents and the Iraqi government is stronger than the urge to protest.

Found in:

Read more: http://www.al-monitor.com/pulse/originals/2018/07/iraq-protest-sunni-shiite.html#ixzz5MnCezSvb

[10 YEARS LATER]

I would imagine the protestors were hoping for a quicker timeframe than " Within Weeks " - hope it happens.

[jg1]

26 minutes ago, 10 YEARS LATER said:

I would imagine the protestors were hoping for a quicker timeframe than " Within Weeks " - hope it happens.

At least it's not "in the coming days". Which means, tomorrow or Manama. It's always tomorrow. It always a day awayyyyy. 

[Butifldrm]

Can Abadi dismiss ministers now?

Legal expert comment

 

 Mohammed al-Baghdadi

 30/07/2018 - 15:51

Iraq

 

 

 

 An Iraqi legal expert confirmed Monday that outgoing Prime Minister Haider Abadi can not dismiss any minister during the current period, revealing at the same time the reason.

"The prime minister has no power to dismiss a minister because of the absence of a parliament," he told Basnews. "Abadi has used other constitutional powers not related to dismissal in order to freeze the work of the minister of electricity."

"The constitution does not stipulate a caretaker government but grants it all its powers after the end of the parliament's term. The constitution did not stipulate that the government would become a business after the end of the parliamentary session," Sufi said, adding that " Dissolve parliament before the end of its legislative session. "

The Prime Minister Haider Abadi, ordered earlier Sunday, to withdraw the hand of the Minister of Electricity Qassim Fahdawi.

Fahdawi assumed the position of Minister of Electricity in the Government of Abadi on 8 September 2014, and was previously governor of Anbar from 2009 to 2013.

The decision to withdraw the hand of the Minister of Electricity from his post after protests in central and southern Iraq, since the beginning of July, calls for better services and job opportunities for the unemployed, while the requirement to provide electricity is a top priority of the demands of the demonstrators.

http://www.basnews.com/index.php/ar/news/iraq/455594

[Pitcher]

In the past two weeks, violent rallies and an unprecedented crackdown by the Iraqi government have resulted in the deaths of more than 14 demonstrators and the injury of hundreds of members of Iraq’s security forces. What began as a regular rally for jobs near a Basran oil field escalated after a young protestor was killed by police warning shots. Soon, more protests popped up across the province demanding electricity, water, and employment. 

Set in the aftermath of May’s controversial parliamentary elections, in which turnout was the lowest in Iraq’s democratic history, these events have brought to the surface the growing distrust between the people and the ruling class. 

Dissent in Iraq’s economic capital has been brewing for the last 15 years. Long before the advent of the skyscrapers and airports that mark the modern capitals of the Persian Gulf, Basra was referred to as the Middle East’s own Venice and the “bride of the gulf.” Decades later, however, Basra’s fortunes reversed: the metropolis became the main theater of Iraq’s eight-year war with Iran, a launching pad for the invasion of Kuwait, and the entry point for the 2003 U.S. occupation. Under dictator Saddam Hussein it and its people suffered systematic marginalization, demographic change, and environmental devastation, on top of the countrywide U.N. sanctions.

Basra contributes 75 percent of the 4.175 million barrels of oil Iraq produces daily, yet much of this wealth has not reached the province. Although Basran power plants contribute 32 percent of the national electricity grid, households downtown receive 15 hours of power a day at best. Basra’s water infrastructure has been inadequate for decades. Fresh water in the Shatt al-Arab river is becoming saltier as Turkey and Iran continue damming the Tigris and Karun. Potable water supply and critical industries have been directly affected. Marsh Arabs are yet again facing the threat of displacement as water buffalo and fish die. 

With limited federal support, agricultural activity has also dwindled. Many ex-farmers prefer stable low-level jobs like that of security guards or oil workers for international companies. The rest are either unemployed or are taxi drivers. Basrawis accuse both the local and federal government of corruption, nepotism, and political rivalry as they compete for the province’s oil and port revenues.

Basra’s acute situation is not foreign to the rest of the south, but more significant in magnitude. Common traits of tribal kinship, religion, culture, as well as its melting pot character, grant Basra a position to provoke a domino effect in Iraq’s south. It was thus not surprising that protests expanded to nearby Maysan, Dhi Qar, and Muthana provinces. Najaf’s airport was stormed; in Karbala, roads were cut and tires burnt. In Baghdad’s impoverished Shoula neighborhood, demonstrators emerged by the hundreds. Basrawis’ grief resonated with that of the rest of the country.

While protests in Sunni-majority parts of Iraq might have been conspiratorially guided against the Shi‘i-led government as some may claim, the spontaneity, varied demands, and lack of a unified leadership of these latest Shi‘i protests show that they are organic. Although Iraq’s Shi‘i politicians base their legitimacy on representing the country’s majority, that connection may not be enough. Indeed, these protests may be the first crack in the relationship that safeguarded the state in 2014. On the other hand, the protests also signal a shift in Iraqi regional politics—the government may now encounter dissent from the south, rather than from the west or north. 

The protests have also further weakened Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi’s chances of clinging to the premiership. Despite Abadi’s effective leadership in ousting ISIS and keeping the economy afloat by reshuffling finances, restraining public spending, and promising reform, his performance in May's elections was unexpectedly poor. Nationally, he came third after Muqtada al-Sadr’s Sairun alliance and the PMU-backed Fatah coalition headed by Hadi al-Amiri. Nevertheless, it was in Sunni Mosul where he led the results, a tribute to his successful campaign against ISIS. 

Abadi’s position weakened in the run-up to elections when he brought together a coalition with many old political faces. The public did not take it well.  It also contradicted Sistani’s four-year-old fatwa saying that “Those tested, shall not be re-tested,” a message to the political class and voters alike to pump fresh blood into Iraqi politics. Being forced to comply with World Bank and IMF loan obligations did not help either.

Contending with former prime minister Nouri al-Maliki over Dawa’a leadership also split their dedicated voter base, which is often seen as smaller than those of established Shi‘i clerical families like Ammar al-Hakim or Sadr. Dawa’a relies on nonpoliticized voters, many of whom boycotted the vote. Moreover, general feeling in the south credited the PMUs with the victory against ISIS in Mosul, giving the upper hand to Fatah.

The timing of the protests is not on Abadi’s side either. He could have spun them as a sign of public support for his long-due reforms had they taken place before the elections, but with government formation talks ongoing, he was presented with a dilemma: ride the protest wave and create political foes or present a strongman image that may inch him closer to a second term. By supporting the people’s “rightful demands,” while promising “violent intruders” would be dealt with, he struck a balance. Nonetheless, his bid is under risk from rivals who may portray the protests as a public outcry against his government. 

Effectively, these protests have withered away. Without a powerful opposition to represent the people’s grievances, Iraqi politics may not experience a notable change in the short term. Promises of ending state spending on leadership positions, isolating independent institutions from political interference, and investigating corruption have been dismissed by many as superficial measures to contain public anger. 

A swift promise of 10,000 jobs and an immediate release of $3 billion in frozen petrodollars to Basra have reduced the protests’ intensity. However, with 500,000 jobless forecasted to apply for the limited positions, the local government’s infamous track record of corruption, and no clear oversight from Baghdad, many locals see these measures as unrealistic and unlikely to be fruitful by the next summer. 

Thus far, the politics of government formation have created a standoff, with no party fully throwing their lot in with the protests, even the populist Sadr. Such a gamble would put the parties and alliances at risk of losing lucrative ministerial posts in the next government. 

Another threat is the susceptibility of protests to exploitation by regional powers, especially Saudi Arabia, who may pursue a role in southern Iraq as ingress into Iran’s backyard. With Tehran ending electricity exports to Iraq and Baghdad approaching Riyadh as an alternative, a window might have opened for future influence. 

The defeat of ISIS has rekindled a long-forgotten national identity. Sunnis in Mosul welcomed the primarily Shi‘i liberating force as brethren, a fact that outside observers have had difficulty acknowledging. Populist sectarian platforms that once flourished on the promotion of “Shi‘i preservation” or “Sunni marginalization” will soon completely lose out to those based on citizen welfare. Increasingly, Iraqis feel that change can only be brought on from the outside or by completely revamping their infant democracy into a presidential system that circumvents failing parliamentary politics. The Shi‘i political house needs to prioritize institutional reform and the economy; their focus should turn toward saving the future legacy of Iraq’s “Shi‘i rule.” 

 

http://www.mei.edu/content/article/will-basra-s-protests-reshape-iraq-s-politics

 

[ChuckFinley]

Thanks Pitcher,  trust you are doing well. 

[Pitcher]

Yes Chuck.  All is well.  Hope all is good with you.