Guest views are now limited to 12 pages. If you get an "Error" message, just sign in! If you need to create an account, click here.

Jump to content
  • CRYPTO REWARDS!

    Full endorsement on this opportunity - but it's limited, so get in while you can!

Go Iraq Part 9


6ly410
 Share

Recommended Posts

12 minutes ago, cranman said:

Did Navira give up?  Last post was Wednesday.

Last I checked he was booking a “cash in tour” in Iran, Zimbabwe, and as a wild card, he bought Venezuela’s Bolivar as a long shot. He said if he makes it out alive from those Hell holes he’ll update us on the Dinar and the Dong 😉 

  • Haha 5
  • Upvote 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Middle East

‘It's too late:’ Populist Iraqi cleric Sadr sides with protesters

15 hours ago
 
 

‘It's too late:’ Populist Iraqi cleric Sadr sides with protesters
Muqtada al-Sadr delivers a sermon to worshipers during Friday prayers at the Great Mosque of Kufa, Iraq, just outside the holy city of Najaf, Sept. 21, 2018. (Photo: Reuters/Alaa Al-Marjani)
 
 

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – Firebrand Iraqi cleric Muqtada al-Sadr on Saturday showed ostensible support for a recent wave of national protests set to take place again this week, saying that the political class has been unable to address the people’s dire situation and that, despite efforts to do so, it was “too late.”

In early October, nationwide protests that lasted about a week took a violent turn after the government's harsh response, resulting in the deaths of at least 100 people and injuring over 6,000 others. To deter demonstrations, security forces used live rounds and snipers—who were allegedly deployed by Iranian-backed Shia militias—to target protesters in various parts of the country.

Shortly after crowds of thousands began taking to the streets, Prime Minister Adil Abdul Mahdi attempted to calm demonstrators with promises of reform and a cabinet shuffle. They failed to quell the anger of the public, who continue to call for a complete governmental overhaul amid shortages of public services, high rates of unemployment, and chronic institutional corruption. 

 

Activists have told Kurdistan 24 that another major demonstration is planned for Baghdad and other cities on Oct. 25. This follows the Shia religious observance called Arbaeen, during which millions of worshippers will be marching to holy sites in Iraq.

Many protesters have said they can no longer trust the government’s promises to enact meaningful reform, fight corruption, and facilitate increased employment.

In a statement to people he addressed as “rebels,” Sadr said that it was their “right” to demonstrate. “All the politicians and the government are living in horror and hysteria from the people’s rise,” he said, adding, “All of them are trying to remedy their situation, but they have not and will not be able to do so. It's too late.”

“All of them want to offer temptations to silence you with government jobs and salaries,” he continued. “All of them have prepared themselves for the worst-case scenarios. All of them have come together to find solutions, but there will be no solution as the government is completely incapable of reforming what has been corrupted.”

This marks the sharpest criticism of Abdul Mahdi's government yet from Sadr, who in speeches always casts himself as outside the political class despite leading the coalition that won the last national election, now one of the two most influential coalitions in the Iraqi parliament. Though Sadr speaks as an opposition figure, Abdul Mahdi, a compromise candidate between the two top legislative coalitions, rules with the cleric's blessing.

Related Article: Iraq PM says committed to reform, will reveal deadly protest inquiry results 'soon'

Officials close to Sadr have said that he “regretted” Abdul Mahdi’s nomination. Sadr has repeatedly said he would give the government one year to implement reforms or he would withdraw his support from it.

A political source told Kurdistan 24 on Sunday that Sadr has broached the topic of resignation to the prime minister more than once “through different channels.”

Sadr added in his statement, "If you want to be free in your country, you have to get rid of corruption and the corrupt, and don't hope your government will try them.”

He also told protesters that if they did not want to “revolt,” voting for better representatives was a second option. 

Editing by John J. Catherine

Updated13 hours ago

 

 

  • Thanks 2
  • Upvote 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Iraqi government announces new initiatives on job creation, training

 

 21 Oct 2019 - 1:08 pm 
WhatsApp-Image-2019-08-27-at-11.14.55.jp

 

The Iraqi government on Sunday announced the third in a series of new measures to meet the legitimate demands of the recent protests and the aspirations of the Iraqi people.

 Click here to read more about the government other measures which were announced earlier

The latest initiatives focus on jobs, training and support for small enterprises. They also include proposed changes to current retirement and income tax laws.

On training and job-creation, the measures include: 

  •  Training courses lasting for 3 months or longer in the area of  maintenance of electrical transformers used in the electricity distribution sector in Iraq. The courses will be tailor-made for unemployed young people who do not have a university degree, but  who have completed their intermediate, secondary or technical education.
  • Trainees will be paid a monthly allowance of 150,000 Iraqi dinars during the training course.
  • Trainees who successfully complete the training course will be paid a monthly allowance of 250,000 Iraqi dinars for six months to help them develop further their skills.
  •  Groups of trainees consisting of three people or more who wish to establish their own industrial workshops will be granted a loan. –
  •  The Ministry of Electricity will contract these workshops as needed.

Amending the Retirement Law

The Iraqi government is also proposing amending Retirement Law number (9) of 2014 to include:

  •   Reducing the retirement age for all state employees to 60 years, except for those working in the university sector where the age of retirement shall be 63.
  •  Reducing the voluntary retirement age to 45 years, provided the employee has completed 15 years in service.

These will need to be approved by Parliament before they become law.

Amending the Income Tax Law

The government announced a draft amendment to Income Tax Law No. 113 of  1982 to exempt several groups on low-income from paying income tax. The proposed amendment also exempts small and medium size businesses from paying income tax for ten years.

The government also announced that a dedicated team at the Prime Minister’s Office will be responsible for receiving complaints from citizens and will work to remove obstacles caused by red tape.
 

  • Thanks 1
  • Upvote 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Guest
This topic is now closed to further replies.
 Share

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.



  • Testing the Rocker Badge!

  • Live Exchange Rate

×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

By using this site, you agree to our Terms of Use.