The authorities are working covertly as well. Agence France Presse talked with people in Baghdad who said that they were being followed, that undercover police were working in the crowds collecting information on those involved, and people have disappeared. Sabi al-Mahdawi was abducted going home from Tahrir. An activist Ali Hashim was killed on November 8, and a professional bodybuilder Mushtaq al-Azzawi escaped an attempt on his life November 9. These are only the cases that got into the media. There are likely many more. These tactics were used against the protests last year and continued for months after they were done. If this year’s unrest is put down, demonstrators will likely face the same repercussions as well.
With the support of Iran, Hadi Amiri’s Fatah list, and the Kurds, Prime Minister Abdul Mahdi has dug in and refused to resign. Instead he is offering meaningless reforms like changing his cabinet and setting up a committee to amend the constitution, something that will never happen. If violence is the government’s last resort, it will make a mockery of Iraq’s democracy, and will not stop people’s anger at the political system. People will eventually return to the streets as they have for the last eight years. By ignoring this discontent the elite have created a revolutionary situation, that could either lead to their demise or a more formal oligarchic rule.
The news out of Baghdad was bad gain as another activist disappeared. Mary Mohammed was last seen four days ago. This is just the latest in mysterious detentions and assassinations that have occurred amongst the demonstrators. Sabi al-Mahdawi was abducted about a week ago. Ali Hashim was killed, and Mushtaq al-Azzawi escaped an attempt on his life.
Similar tactics were used last year against demonstrators by the security forces. That lasted for months after the protests ended. That will likely occur again this year showing that the authorities seek to eliminate and intimidate activists in an attempt to silence dissent. It is another sign that Iraqi democracy is dying.
Den sekterisk baserede nuværende forfatning skabt af USA (sikkert baseret på Libanon) har som primært formål at forhindre en stærk regering. Skulle demonstranterne lykkes i en ny og mere centraliseret forfatning uden sekteriske fordele. Ser kurderne ud til at blive mulige tabere.
11th November 2019, 11:57 PM
Protester og Irak
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