Iraqis protest power and food shortages; 3 shot

[rdb]

BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Iraqi police opened fire on Thursday to disperse hundreds of angry residents protesting against shortages of power, water and other services near the southern city of Diwaniya, wounding three, officials said.

The crowd of about 1,000 tried to force its way into a local council building in the al-Hamza district south of the Diwaniya provincial capital, demanding improved food rations and more power and water.

Diwaniya is a poor, largely Shi'ite province that has suffered serious shortages. Protesters accused Shi'ite Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki of breaking promises to improve services.

"The protesters threw stones at police. Police opened fire at them, wounding three," said Raad al-Zaidi, an adviser to Diwaniya Governor Salem Hussein.

"There was no reason to open fire. It doesn't matter if they tried to raid the place or threw stones."

Protesters set tires ablaze, hurled stones and tried to storm the local police station, witnesses said.

Some of the demonstrators held bundles of tea and sugar, while others carried small oil lanterns, to demonstrate the lack of staples and power, witnesses said.

"We have to buy everything, water, electricity and food staples because of the acute lack of these materials and services," said protester Lazim al-Khazali, a taxi driver.

"We have had no water for three days and because sewage flooded the city streets as a result of heavy rain, I could not work for a few days."

Similar protests were held last June in the southern oil hub of Basra, where police opened fire to disperse several thousand protesters demanding the resignation of Electricity Minister Karim Waheed. Two protesters died.

Dozens also demonstrated over lack of services in Baghdad's Husseiniya district on Monday.

Maliki's new government has been in place for just over a month, following nine months of tense negotiations between political factions after an inconclusive election last March. Lack of electricity supply is one of Iraqis' chief complaints.

Nearly eight years after the U.S.-led invasion that ousted Saddam Hussein, the national grid supplies only a few hours of power per day, driving up costs for businesses and compounding summer heat, when temperatures reach above 50 degrees Celsius.

Iraq has big plans to install turbines and capture gas at oilfields to ramp up electricity production, and needs to spend $77 billion to improve the power sector by 2030, according to a master plan.

Source

[sweettrky]

IF THEY NOT CAREFUL IRAQ GOING TO FOLLOW EGYPT AND TUNSIA I BELIEVE A LOT OF MONEY BEING MADE HIGH UP AND THEY LIKE IT THE WAY IT IS OTHERWISE THE BUDGET AND THE RV WOULD HAVE HAPPENED STARTING TO UNDERSTAND WHY THE ARAB COUNTRIES AT WAR ALL THE TIME CUZ THEY GOOD AT IT CONFLICT CONFLICT CONFLICT THATS ALL THEY SEEM TO KNOW FEEL BAD FOR THE IRAQ PEOPLE HAVE A GOOD DAY

[Tropics]

Iraq has such great potential for being wealthy and for their people to live great lives. Unfortunately all they want to do is bicker instead of getting things done.

[Workinchump]

RV = Higher buying power. MORE FOOD.

Just RV Iraq

[Pegleg]

Thank you for the post rdb

[Upgradable]

Maliki had better start reading the handwriting on the wall.

[Halo9678]

IMHO,

Iraq's democracy is too vulnerable for something like this to happen. The tensions in that country are increasing by the minute. The entire Middle Eastern region is destablizing and if Iraq is not careful, will share similar fates of Egypt and Tunisia. Maliki may very well soon be seen as a dictator, granted he is portrayed otherwise in the media but then again he controls that as well. Unemployment, degraded infrastructure, and now civil unrest... The people are loosing their patience with the GOI and are demanding results. The whole 'security minister' ordeal may very well be touted as an example of Maliki 'politically outwitting' the constitution and while it may be legal, it is not being looked upon kindly. It's been almost two months since the majority of the Chap 7 sanctions were lifted and the situation hasn't changed that much. IMHO, get it together, Maliki, or watch your country make international headlines for the wrong reasons.... again....

[getherdone]

unable to comprehend that the powers that be were unable to see this one coming

[caz1104]

When playin "rocks,paper,scissors" it's good to know that your opponent is usin the same.Guns with live ammo changes the dynamic's of the game,just sayin...................................................GO RV 2011 BABY!!!!!!!

[TBnhispower]

This will be a more serious situation when the Iraqi people see Egypt's dictator actually ousted - gone! I can see an awakening when the masses realize the power of their people united.

[HYDRANT]

THER TROUBLE COMING SOMEBODY P---OR GET OFF THE POT-THIS IS NOT LOOKING GOOD-THANKS FOR THE POST

[easyrider]

And it has begun same crap is gonna hapen just a matter of time the pot is abut to oil over maliki if you are listening and i say this to you personally youbetter get your **** straightened out or its gonna be a war!!!!!!!! I have to say i don't blame them but to come this far and alrady have internal issues like this protesting they wil follow egypt thats the only way these people can get change get ready for it people i dont' knowwhat this will do to our investment but it dont look good i this does actually happen.

[bluejay]

The whole Middle East needs to re-think there game plan.....I know thousands of years but you know what, they suck, plain & simple they are cruel & evil.... sorry tell me there not, look how they treat women.....Man is his worst enemy I'm slowly being convinced of this man & governments...

[kennyc]

Its really sad that this GOI could care less about its citizens.If they did

they would of seated already & gotten this thing done. They had better be very, very careful.

Can you imangine if our govt. forced us to live that way while they lived high on the hog! We would OVER THROW THEM.

End of story. Thats why we keep our guns locked & loaded. Dont mess w/ us

[NWGUY]

It is sad for the Iraqi people. They only want the things we want...Food/Water/Electricity/Security. Their problems make ours seem very, very small. Where the RV is our dream, the RV is their life!!! God Bless them, and hope that this government hears them!!! Go RV for us and the Iraqi citizens!!!

[TimS]

Holy cow......imagine that? The people want to eat and receive basic services from their government. Ungrateful bastards, how dare they? What is the world comimng to? next thing you know, they'll want jobs and insurance and decent living conditions on a daily basis.....didn't see that coming??????

I don't understand why the GOI isn't seeing what's coming....it's so subtle, with what's gone on in Tunisia and Egypt and all.

Is anybody in charge over there? I see the lights on, but nobody's home

[Chassisman]

excuse my french But if those DUMBA$$'s dont get their head out of the clouds and make something happen QUICK.I mean NOW,they will follow eygpt. These people have been poor for 20 years and suffered long before that. That had a dictator that did nothing for them.But the difference now is there is no dictator,and with the ineternet etc they know it. They know if they revolt something will happen. The big wheels are in airconditioning,have all the food they can stand. These people will not take all this bickering and stalemates much longer. I am sorry but I believe this will be what causes all of us to loose our money.I have only been in this a short time but truely believe with my heart will make some money and be able to better ourselfs. But this is the one thing i can see blowing it all up.The top brass better get their act together and understand this isnt only about them,but these people suffering ion the streets.but of course look at who is teaching them the way. Us we cant take of our own,have lobbiest and more crooked politicians than we care to admit. And we do nothing about it. I hope something changes. excuse my typing,I am in the shop and it is COLD. My hands dont like it..LOL

[Chillin' out]

I say good for them!

Maliki needs a little more rioting to get his arse moving! Egypt part II.

I'm done saying go RV, its go Iraqi people.......let em hear ya!!!!!!!!

[Shinnidan]

it makes SOOO much sense to RV the IQD now. it would ease any kind of tension among their citizens, because they would have money thats, actually, worth something. it would open up a whole new era in economic development. private businesses would be spring up from everywhere and the the WHOLE world would pitch in. that includes power & energy resources to be developed quickly. Food, pfh, they would have more food than they would know what to do with.

it makes no common sense to delay any further.... HOWEVER, THIS IS IRAQ WE ARE TALKING ABOUT....COMMON SENSE DO NOT APPLY HERE.

[aferriss]

I think it's sad how the Middle Eastern political powers treat their impoverished people. And right now, most Iraqis are in the poor house. I hope they can get the GOI to listen to them and take them serious without too much bloodshed.

[kevnutz]

If you think the Egyptians can riot and revolt, wait 'till you see how the Iraqis get down.

}}~~BOOM~~{{

[jg1]

Holy cow......imagine that? The people want to eat and receive basic services from their government. Ungrateful bastards, how dare they? What is the world comimng to? next thing you know, they'll want jobs and insurance and decent living conditions on a daily basis.....didn't see that coming??????

I don't understand why the GOI isn't seeing what's coming....it's so subtle, with what's gone on in Tunisia and Egypt and all.

Is anybody in charge over there? I see the lights on, but nobody's home

And their money to be worth something, GOooooooo RV

[surfpunk]

If this country goes into political unrest like Egypt and others are facing, I am afraid some of the Investors may pull out. This would be tragic.

[hf328]

Are they just blind or don't they care about their people they are suppose to represent? But then again...Limos, posh hotels, gourmet meals, endless breaks and holidays. They probably don't even notice the suffering of others.

[Doctor Smith]

How much of this is food and electricity shortages. And how much of this is terrorists trying to destabilize the elected government?

Almost a year to form a complete government? Maliki better get moving or it will be his neck. Hasn't he been caught moving large amounts of money out of Iraq?