Iraqi Communist Party

Iraq marks fi rst anniversary of popular uprising

Tens of thousands of Iraqis took to the streets in Baghdad and several other provinces on 1st and 25th October 2020 to mark the fi rst anniversary of the Popular Uprising that shook the foundations of the corrupt political system. Despite succeeding in overthrowing the government and forcing the ruling groups to succumb to the demand for early elections, other demands for radical reform and change remain unfulfi lled. Key among the demands is investigating the killing of more than 700 young protesters and bringing the criminals to justice.

The all-encompassing structural crisis gripping Iraq, on political, economic and social levels, that led to the eruption of the Uprising on 1st October 2019, continues. It has been further aggravated in recent months by the coronavirus pandemic and the fi nancial crisis caused by the fall in world oil prices. The country relies heavily on oil revenues which make up more than 90 percent of its budget.

The essence of the deepening crisis lies in the policies pursued by the ruling

political blocs that continue to perpetuate the sectarian-ethnic quota system (‘Muhasasa’) that was installed aft er the US invasion and occupation of Iraq in 2003.

Rampant corruption and plundering public money have been endemic features of this political system.

Among other grave challenges is the growing role of militia-type armed formations and organized crime, undermining the state’s sovereignty and its ability to assert the rule of law. The relationship between the federal government and the Kurdistan regional government also continue to be fraught with tension. The terrorist ISIS, that had suff ered a big military defeat three years ago, has been rearing its ugly head again in some areas.

Many political forces continue to rely on external support, opening the door to regional and international interference in Iraq’s in internal aff airs, serving foreign agendas and interests. This situation threatens to turn Iraq into a battlefi eld to settle scores at the expense of its own independence, national sovereignty and people’s interests.

All these factors have contributed to deepening the political deadlock and social tensions and polarization. The gap between extreme affl uence and abject poverty has deepened, with high unemployment especially among ment especially among the youth who have lost the youth who have lost faith in the ability of faith in the ability of the ruling blocs to off er the ruling blocs to off er solutions to the chronic solutions to the chronic problems and crises beproblems and crises bedevilling the society.

As a result, Iraq has witnessed over many years, especially since February 2011, various protest movements. Popular anger exploded in a heroic Uprising on 1st October 2019, on a scale unprecedented for many decades in the country’s modern history. Mass demonstrations and sit-ins were met with bloody repression, resulting in more than 700 protesters killed and thousands injured. It demonstrated the burning desire of the people, especially the youth, for change and getting rid of the existing corrupt and sectarian political system, to build a better life and achieve a secure and prosperous future.

The previous government led by Adel Abdul-Mehdi failed to respond to the demands of the peaceful protesters, resorting instead to brutal repression and giving militias a free hand to kill, kidnap and torture young protesters and civil activists. Aft er a horrifi c massacre committed by security forces in the city of Nasiriyah in southern Iraq, he was forced to resign in late November 2019, but continued to govern in a caretaker capacity. Aft er 6 months of deadlock, fi erce disagreements and infi ghting and among the ruling political blocs, the parliament approved an interim government headed by a new Prime Minister, Mustafa al-Kadhimi, and endorsed its programme on 6 June 2020.

us-iran Consensus

However, the approval of Kadhimi’s nomination was a result of an America-Iranian consensus and came as a compromise among the dominant ruling blocs. He has been made to play the role of a mediator, i.e. helping, through his relationship with the Americans, to prevent them from targeting pro-Iranian militias. On the other hand, the Shiite political groups want Kadhimi to help placate the protest movement and contain the popular anger.

The Americans were hoping that new prime minister can undertake some measures that would curtail Iran’s direct interference in Iraq and move to lower the country’s reliance on Iranian gas and electricity imports.

This precarious equation, with all parties concerned, whether internal or external, exerting pressure to ensure that the interim government serves their agendas or prevent it from threatening their interests, has led to vacillation in its measures.

interim government

The new government of PM Kadhimi was formed, amid enormous challenges, to undertake several tasks that respond to the demands of the protesters and the majority of the people. Its programme included a number of these tasks: investigating the killings of protesters and bringing the criminal to justice, early elections, investigating corruption cases, tackling the coronavirus pandemic, and tackling urgent economic and social issues to alleviate the suff ering of the people. In addition, the interim government is facing a host of measures that are required to bring about a radical change to the whole political system, reforming the state and purging its institutions of corrupt elements. The military and security institution must be reformed and rebuilt to enable it to carry out its duties as stipulated by the constitution. It must not be involved in narrow political infi ghting and the sectarian quota system. Militias and armed formations that undermine the state must be disbanded.

esCalating protests

In the face of these pressures, the interim gov-

60 ernment is also subjected to popular pressures through escalating protests, demanding that it takes concrete steps to fulfi l the pledges made in its programme. In the forefront of these demands is to reveal the identity of those responsible for killing the protesters, and those who gave the orders, and bringing them to justice. Big corruption cases must be fi rmly dealt with, and eff ective steps be taken to control arms and act against militias and armed groups that undermine the authority of the state. Despite pledges to provide protection for provide protection for the protesters and activists and ensure freetivists and ensure freedom of expression and dom of expression and peaceful demonstrapeaceful demonstration, the authorities tion, the authorities have done little to stop have done little to stop the killings and kidnappings of civil activists, as well as attacks on sit-ins of protesters in Baghdad and other provinces. During recent weeks, protests have escalated on various issues, including demonstrations by hundreds of unemployed graduates and engineers in

Baghdad. The acute and endemic electricity and poor services have also continued to prompt protests.

Coronavirus pandemiC

One other main cause of mounting popular anger is the deterioration of health services and the deep concern that hospitals are losing control as coronavirus cases surge. According to the Health Ministry, by 30th October 2020 the total number of cases was 470,633 and the death toll from the infectious virus increased to 10,862. Iraq is now the second worsthit country in the Middle East, aft er Iran, for Covid-19 cases.

early eleCtions

The interim government declared that early elections will take place on 6 June 2021. Early elections, that are fair and credible, was a principal demand of the October Uprising and the protesters. It is seen as a principal constitutional means for peaceful democratic change. However, this requires reforming the whole electoral system. Among these prerequisites is a just Election Law and an Electoral Commission that is truly independent. Electoral campaigns must be strictly regulated, with proper control of the money spent by electoral blocs and candidates. Any political entity that has an armed formation or militia must be banned from participating in the elections. In additions, there has to be eff ective supervision of the elections by the UN.

The dominant blocs in parliament, however, have recently passed an amended Election Law that is designed to serve their interests. Another factor is the fact that the Law for the Federal Court needs to be promulgated and the Court’s composition be completed. The corrupt groups in power are trying, once again, to manipulate the electoral system to ensure the perpetuation of their rule. The early election is therefore another arena of fi erce political struggle.

The factors that triggered the Uprising on 1st October 2019 continue to exist, as highlighted by the recent mass demonstrations marking its fi rst anniversary. A peaceful mass protest movement is essential to achieve the just demands of the Uprising, defeat the sectarian quota power-sharing system and corruption, and bring about radical change by asserting the will of the people and move towards a democratic civil state, based on citizenship and social