Angry Iraqi protester: lawmakers ‘eating chocolates’ as people starve
By Mustafa Goran
BAGHDAD – Hundreds of protesters broke into the parliament building in Baghdad on Saturday, smashing furniture, venting anger at lawmakers eating chocolates while the people starve and detaining at least one lawmaker.
Shortly after breaking into the building, protesters detained lawmaker Ammar Toema from the Fazila faction.
“We are sick of problems, we are sick of this parliament and the failed government,” one of the protesters inside the parliament told Rudaw, amid scenes of mayhem.
“We gave them time. They (the government) don’t understand our situation, our problems,” he shouted.
“We warned them a thousand times,” said another demonstrator amid scenes of chaos inside, as hundreds of protesters, some waving flags and other with headbands in the colors of the flag, stormed all the way inside the empty assembly.
“People have nothing to eat. The lawmakers are sitting here eating chocolates and mocking our pain,” said another protester, pointing to chocolates left on desks inside the legislature.
Hundreds stormed the legislature, as the Shiite cleric behind the demonstrations warned he could bring down the Iraqi government.
No other MPs were believed to be inside the parliament, as the legislature postponed a session earlier in the afternoon that was supposed to vote on new ministers. Sources said that Kurdish MPs were rushing to the airport to return to the northern Kurdistan Region.
Meanwhile, Shiite Iraqi cleric Muqtada al-Sadr warned he could “destroy” Iraq’s government.
“I am promising you that I will not make any agreements with other politicians. I work for the benefit of the nation,” Sadr said in a speech in the holy city of Najaf.
“If the nation lets me I can end the current government and form a new one without any corruption,” said the firebrand cleric, who has been pressuring Iraqi Prime Minister Haidar al-Abadi to announce a “government of technocrats.”
Abadi was expected to present five new ministers to parliament on Saturday, as he reshuffles his government to meet demands to root out corruption, under pressure from Sadr supporters and other Iraqis. But the session was postponed, sources told Rudaw.
“All the ministers should be changed,” Sadr said. “I am waiting for the nation to announce a revolution against corruption.”
He warned that, “The government has two choices: either reform or we will destroy it.”
Kurdish factions in parliament also have been meeting to discuss ministries that will go to the Kurds, under a power-sharing agreement in multi-religious and multi-ethnic Iraq.
Despite tight security, a car bomb killed 20 and wounded 18 others in the city earlier Saturday.
BAGHDAD – Hundreds of protesters broke into the parliament building in Baghdad on Saturday, smashing furniture, venting anger at lawmakers eating chocolates while the people starve and detaining at least one lawmaker.
Shortly after breaking into the building, protesters detained lawmaker Ammar Toema from the Fazila faction.
“We are sick of problems, we are sick of this parliament and the failed government,” one of the protesters inside the parliament told Rudaw, amid scenes of mayhem.
“We gave them time. They (the government) don’t understand our situation, our problems,” he shouted.
“We warned them a thousand times,” said another demonstrator amid scenes of chaos inside, as hundreds of protesters, some waving flags and other with headbands in the colors of the flag, stormed all the way inside the empty assembly.
“People have nothing to eat. The lawmakers are sitting here eating chocolates and mocking our pain,” said another protester, pointing to chocolates left on desks inside the legislature.
Hundreds stormed the legislature, as the Shiite cleric behind the demonstrations warned he could bring down the Iraqi government.
No other MPs were believed to be inside the parliament, as the legislature postponed a session earlier in the afternoon that was supposed to vote on new ministers. Sources said that Kurdish MPs were rushing to the airport to return to the northern Kurdistan Region.
Meanwhile, Shiite Iraqi cleric Muqtada al-Sadr warned he could “destroy” Iraq’s government.
“I am promising you that I will not make any agreements with other politicians. I work for the benefit of the nation,” Sadr said in a speech in the holy city of Najaf.
“If the nation lets me I can end the current government and form a new one without any corruption,” said the firebrand cleric, who has been pressuring Iraqi Prime Minister Haidar al-Abadi to announce a “government of technocrats.”
Abadi was expected to present five new ministers to parliament on Saturday, as he reshuffles his government to meet demands to root out corruption, under pressure from Sadr supporters and other Iraqis. But the session was postponed, sources told Rudaw.
“All the ministers should be changed,” Sadr said. “I am waiting for the nation to announce a revolution against corruption.”
He warned that, “The government has two choices: either reform or we will destroy it.”
Kurdish factions in parliament also have been meeting to discuss ministries that will go to the Kurds, under a power-sharing agreement in multi-religious and multi-ethnic Iraq.
Despite tight security, a car bomb killed 20 and wounded 18 others in the city earlier Saturday.