Sadr targets corruption in poem after Iraqis’ ballots were burned
ERBIL, Kurdistan Region — In an emotional poem, the winner of Iraq's elections Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadri called for his wounded country to be healed and rid of corruption.
"Your Iraq is wounded. The injuries of your Iraq are not healed yet. Your Iraq is in need of cooperation and solidarity," read a part of a poem from Sadr.
A fire torched one of Iraq's electoral body's warehouses in Baghdad on Sunday.
The Sadr Movement aligned with the Communist Party of Iraq to appeal to the countries poor and disenfranchised. They campaigned against corruption in the current government.
Sadr opposes outside influence, including by the United States and Iran.
Sadr's poem added: "Your Iraq is still suffering from occupation, terrorism and corruption.
"Your Iraq is full of the poor, the oppressed, the orphans, the wounded, the bereaved, the widows, the elderly, the destitute and the disabled.
"Your Iraq is without water, electricity, cultivation, industry, money, infrastructure, services, good environment, secure borders."
Sadr's Sayirun list beat out incumbent Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi's Nasr (Victory) Coalition, and the Fatih (Conquest) Alliance, headed by Hadi al-Amiri — both prominent Shiite politicians in Iraq.
Abadi called the ballot box burning a "plot" against Iraqi democracy.
“Burning election warehouses ... is a plot to harm the nation and its democracy. We will take all necessary measures and strike with an iron fist all who undermine the security of the nation and its citizens,” Abadi stated on Sunday.
The election results are currently disputed by various parties. Iraq's parliament called for a manual recount of the ballots last week. It also replaced nine members Iraq's High Independent Electoral Commission with appointed judges.
"Your Iraq is wounded. The injuries of your Iraq are not healed yet. Your Iraq is in need of cooperation and solidarity," read a part of a poem from Sadr.
A fire torched one of Iraq's electoral body's warehouses in Baghdad on Sunday.
The storehouse only contains votes cast in the predominately Shiite al-Rusafa area of Baghdad, a source from the Iraqi Interior Ministry told Rudaw.
Al-Rusafa lies on the eastern bank of the Tigris, where Sadr City is located. Sadr City is one of the poorest areas in the Iraqi capital, and where the Sayirun Alliance list head garnered massive support.
The Sadr Movement aligned with the Communist Party of Iraq to appeal to the countries poor and disenfranchised. They campaigned against corruption in the current government.
Sadr opposes outside influence, including by the United States and Iran.
Sadr's poem added: "Your Iraq is still suffering from occupation, terrorism and corruption.
"Your Iraq is full of the poor, the oppressed, the orphans, the wounded, the bereaved, the widows, the elderly, the destitute and the disabled.
"Your Iraq is without water, electricity, cultivation, industry, money, infrastructure, services, good environment, secure borders."
Sadr's Sayirun list beat out incumbent Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi's Nasr (Victory) Coalition, and the Fatih (Conquest) Alliance, headed by Hadi al-Amiri — both prominent Shiite politicians in Iraq.
Abadi called the ballot box burning a "plot" against Iraqi democracy.
“Burning election warehouses ... is a plot to harm the nation and its democracy. We will take all necessary measures and strike with an iron fist all who undermine the security of the nation and its citizens,” Abadi stated on Sunday.
The election results are currently disputed by various parties. Iraq's parliament called for a manual recount of the ballots last week. It also replaced nine members Iraq's High Independent Electoral Commission with appointed judges.