Iraqis risk their lives to vote, but the occupation continues

Caroline Sinclair | 31.01.2005 02:04 | Anti-militarism | Social Struggles

Voices in the Wilderness draw attention to the inability of the Iraqi election to change the fact of occupation.

Sunday 30th January saw the first elections in Iraq for 50 years. At least 44 people were killed at by a string of suicide bombings at or near polling stations, but threats of indiscriminate slaughter could not deter the Iraqi populace in their desire to express their need for self-determination.

Voices in the Wilderness (

voices@voicesuk.org or voicesuk.org) held a photocall opportunity outside the American Embassy in Grosvenor Square, London, to draw attention to the powerlessness of the Iraqi populace to change the single most important political fact in their lives: the continuing military occupation of their country by foreign powers.

Preliminary reports suggest that at least eight million Iraqis showed extraordinary courage and determination, taking their lives in their hands in order to vote. This implies an overall turnout of at least 60%, although unconfirmed reports from Baghdad – where 25 people were killed at or near polling stations – suggest voter participation approaching 80% in some areas, rising to over 90% in Kirkuk.

These high turnouts were unfortunately not mirrored in the Sunni Triangle, where many polling stations were either closed or deserted, and the threats of Abu Musab al-Zarqawi (who has claimed responsibility for many of the suicide bombings) to kill every voter appear to have carried more weight.

The Iraqi people have given a clear signal of their desire for autonomy against extraordinary odds. Let us hope that control of their country, free of invading forces, is returned to them as soon as possible.

Caroline Sinclair
e-mail: carosinclair@yahoo.co.uk

Comments

Hide the following 18 comments

More from Abu Burkan

31.01.2005 08:48

I hope this convinces the so-called Left that the 'resistance' is a bunch of Baath torturers intent on regaining their stranglehold on Iraq.

Abu Burkan

Possible how ?

31.01.2005 09:17

Who overthrew Saddam ?
Who proposed the election ?
Who provided the infrastructure ?
Who made the vote possible ?

God Bless America

Freedom

Just wonderful

31.01.2005 09:28

The Iraqi people showed their feelings about the so called resistance yesterday by spitting on the bodies of suicide bombers and hitting them with their shoes. US troops in Bagdad were being handed gifts of food and orange juice as ordinary working Iraqis thanked them for their chance to vote for the first time in 50 years.

Pictures on al-jazeera (a far from pro US source) show Iraqi women thanking US troops and passing gifts into their vehicles

http://english.aljazeera.net/NR/exeres/AF1DD238-6D56-4824-8DBA-4D86180CC392.htm

The attemps of some to portray these criminals as representitive of the wider Iraqi people was shown yesterday as an utter lie.

Not Angry Manc

Blunkett look-alike!

31.01.2005 11:16

I didn't see the old dude the first time I was here- him with the D. Blunkett ears and the 'funny' placard.

I wonder if he had a similar one when Soddomite held one of his infamous 'elections'?

Abu Burkan

the price of freedom:

31.01.2005 17:17

just remember that "liberation" came at a price.

anarchkit

Well said

31.01.2005 18:51

Good point Anarkit , I say we should have given Saddam another few more years. I mean it's not as though he was hurtng anyone.

O hang on a minute . . . .

Les

Out of the frying pan and into the fire

31.01.2005 21:31

Iraqi people are now 58 times more likely to suffer a violent death than was the case before the US/UK invasion (according to a report in 'The Lancet').

Clare

A question about the lancet

01.02.2005 12:52

I'm looking on the lancet website for the article, could I have its title/some of its text to help me find it?

Letter

01.02.2005 13:18

It was not an article it was a later claiming the fact mentioned.

Luke

I'd like to read it

01.02.2005 15:03

Asking Clare/Luke/whoever where I can find the article/letter (date and no. of Lancet would be useful if its not on the site, also is it fact or a spurious claim?)

Unless "later" is a deliberate spelling...

01.02.2005 15:15

... and means something I've never heard of before.

Lancet Report

01.02.2005 15:41

The report in question found at a 'conservative estimate' an excess of 98,000 civilian deaths since the invasion, the 'primary cause' being 'coalition airstrikes'. This was based on a survey of 988 households accross Iraq using standard world health organisation methodology (Fallujah was excluded, as anomalous, hence the 'conservative estimate'). As standard, the paper was peer reviewed and approved prior to publication in the Lancet.

"the upper estimate for deaths made in the only serious scientific study to date is 194,000. Professor Richard Garfield - one of the authors of a report conducted by the John Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health on Iraqi casualties published in the Lancet science journal - has said: "The true death toll is far more likely to be on the high-side of our point estimate [98,000] than on the low side."

http://www.medialens.org/blog/archives/00000109.htm

BBC coverage:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/3962969.stm

statto

Here's a pdf of the report from the Lancet site . . .

01.02.2005 16:57

Lancet Report on Iraq Mortality Rates Pre-/Post-Invasion - application/pdf 262K

"Violence accounted for most of the excess deaths and air strikes from coalition forces
accounted for most violent deaths"

"The major causes of death before the invasion were myocardial infarction, cerebrovascular accidents, and other chronic disorders whereas after the invasion violence was the primary cause of death ... The risk of death from violence in
the period after the invasion was 58 times higher (95% CI 8·1–419) than in the period before the war."

Saddam was bad, occupation is worse.

Statto

Most deaths have been caused by the insurgents!

01.02.2005 17:39

The vast majority of those killed and injured in Iraq have been killed and injured by the insurgents who have carried out rocket attacks and suicide bombings. Only around ten thousand deaths since the war began have been due to American and British forces. You also forget that the American and British forces are in Iraq are there to help the Iraqi people unlike the brutal zealots of the so called resistance who are trying to destroy freedom and democracy in Iraq.

Micheal

thanks mate :)

01.02.2005 19:59

Nice one Statto (I'll ignore Michael).

Fashion

04.02.2005 08:57

It seems now fashionable for neo-leftists (the Che t-shirt yet politically clueless brigade) to say that Saddam was bad, but the occupation is worse.

Somehow this does not stop thenm from idolising the terrorists beheading everyone in their way, who are intent on bringing back Saddam and his rotten gang to power.

Although we only hear about the western hostages murdered by these 'resistance' fighters, and the number of Iraqis beheaded by them is far higher, they don't blush at making them out to be heroes. Why would they blush, when they have no problems associating with the wife-beating MAB?

Abu Burkan

why do you pretend?

04.02.2005 12:54

Why don't you post under your real (jewish) name instead of pretending to be 'arab'?

Your posts are full to the brim with typical zionist rhetoric.

Are you scared?

Or are you just stirring it?

karen eliot

my identity

18.02.2005 19:07

Why don't I post under my real name?
How do you know this isn't me real name?

Anyway how will I convince people what my real name is?

You want to meet me or what? You want my telephone number?

By the way you seem to think that hate is a unique characteristic of jews.

By naming just one person I can discredit your childish assumption-p Noam Chomsky.

Anyway the hate I have is a characteristic all the worlsd shares- the hatred of terroristic governemnt like Saddam's .

Abu Burkan