School students chant slogans as they take part in a protest over corruption, lack of jobs, and poor services, near the Governorate building in Basra, Iraq, October 28, 2019. REUTERS/Essam al-Sudani
Waves of protests have hit Iraq this past October and November, calling for the resignation of the post-war government and sweeping changes. Last month alone, there have been reports of hundreds of protesters killed and thousands wounded by security forces in clashes across the country, from Tahrir Square in Baghdad to cities like Diwaniyah, Najaf, and Nasiriya in the south. These protests snowballed into the biggest security challenge Iraq has faced since the removal of the Islamic State (ISIS) nearly two years ago.
These protests are directed at the political system, the exploitative class of elite leaders, and the growing Iranian influence seen directly in the powerful Iraqi Shia militias. Demands for change are the following:
Establish a new election law: to break up domination of entrenched political factions/parties, many of which are tied to Iran
Root out corruption and demand the government’s resignation: to remove the elite class of leaders accused of pillaging the country’s wealth while the country continues to grow poorer
Overhaul the judicial system: to ensure accountability and transparency is enforced
Improve job opportunities and basic services: to counter deteriorating living conditions and unemployment
Significant places and events
As an OPEC member with the fourth
largest proven oil reserves in the world, Iraq still suffers from high
unemployment and poor public services. The sectarian power-sharing government
put in place after the US invasion in 2003 developed an entrenched political
class despite regular elections. Currently, the government is dominated by the
country’s Shia majority, and protesters have largely hailed from this sect as
well.
Protests are backed by the influential, pro-Iranian Shia cleric, and political leader, Muqtada al-Sadr. He called upon the government to resign, which sparked further anti-Iranian sentiment among protesters. However, from the beginning of their movement, the protesters’ message has been clear: to no longer accept any current religious or political leadership. Additionally, with a Shia majority, this group of protesters has surprisingly harbored anti-Iranian sentiment, smacking their shoes against banners of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and chanting anti-Iranian slogans.
On the part of the Iraqi government, security forces have utilized live ammunition, rubber bullets, water cannons, and military-grade tear gas grenades in order to contain the protests and disperse demonstrators in certain areas. The international community has condemned the violent methods used by security forces. In addition to this, curfews have been placed in cities across the country, however this has done little to keep demonstrators from coming together.
“Unidentified snipers” kill four in Baghdad – later reports indicate that two are security forces and two are civilians, according to Al Jazeera.
In southern Iraq’s town of Diwaniyah, protesters storm the provincial council after violent clashes with security forces – protesters throw stones and security forces shoot live ammunition.
Iraqi security forces open fire on protesters in Baghdad.
Kuwait, Bahrain, and Qatar put out a travel advisory for Iraq.
Iraq’s Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani backs the protests, urging security forces and protesters not to use violence along with criticizing Iraqi leaders for failing to eradicate corruption.
UN urges Iraq to investigate the use of force by anti-police in a rapid and transparent way.
Muqtada al-Sadr calls for the government to resign and a snap election to be held. Al-Sadr’s coalition had won the largest number of seats in the previous election held last year. He additionally urges members of parliament to boycott the emergency session scheduled for the next day.
Speaker of Parliament Mohamad al-Halbousi expresses support for the protesters’ demands.
Unknown assailants attack the offices of several media outlets in Baghdad. Masked gunmen storm the offices, attack employees, and smash equipment before leaving.
Security forces block access to Tahrir Square despite the lifting of the government-imposed curfew that was imposed on October 3.
At least five protesters are shot and killed in demonstrations in four neighborhoods in Baghdad, according to the Associated Press. Across the city, the day’s death toll rises to fourteen as more clashes take place with security forces.
Mohamad al-Halbousi, meets with representatives of the protesters in an attempt to defuse the political crisis.
Protesters in Nasiriya set fire to two political party offices, receiving live ammunition responses by security forces.
In Diwaniyah, protesters march towards local government offices with no reports of violence.
A previously scheduled emergency session of parliament doesn’t take place, as a number of key politicians fail to show up. Three major blocs decide to boycott the session since they believe that the government doesn’t possess an agenda it can implement, rendering the session useless.
The death toll reaches ninety-nine, with nearly 4,000 wounded according to Iraq’s semi-official High Commission for Human Rights.
New clashes break out between demonstrators and security forces in Baghdad – live ammunition along with tear gas is utilized to disperse crowds in Sadr City, a suburb of Baghdad. Eight protesters are killed, and twenty-five are wounded.
Eight party buildings and fifty-one public and private institutions are set on fire during the protests, along with two police checkpoints
The government designates those killed as “martyrs,” granting their families special benefits.
In a televised speech, Iraqi President Barham Salih condemns the attacks on protesters and the media, urging the security forces to preserve Iraqi rights. He additionally calls for ministerial changes and urges parliament to enact reforms, including electoral changes, to address the protesters’ demands. He also states that compensation should be given to those who have been affected by this week’s violence. “The right to protest and freedom of expression are guaranteed by the constitution,” he says.
Sadr City saw 200 protesters take to the streets demanding job opportunities and denouncing the killing of demonstrators the night before. At least eight people are killed in clashes with security forces, with scores wounded.
Iraq’s military admits to the usage of “excessive force” against protesters in Baghdad and other cities in the south.
US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo urges Prime Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi to exercise “maximum restraint” over the protests, along with addressing the grievances of the protesters. Pompeo states that those who had “violated human rights should be held accountable.”
Prime Minister Abdul Mahdi issues a thirteen-point reform plan centered on subsidies and housing for the poor, along with training and educational initiatives for unemployed youth.
Iraq’s parliament holds its first session after the wave of protests – there is a belief that this is the end of unrest and that life has “returned to normal” after a week of protests.
Iraqi Prime Minister announces three days of mourning for protesters that have been killed. At least 150 people have been killed with more than 6,000 wounded across the country since security forces have cracked down on protesters.
Access to social media sites remains restricted, as internet access in Iraq had been limited for a week. Transparency of the crisis and press coverage has been greatly impacted.
Iraq’s top Shia cleric Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani gives the Iraqi government two weeks to find out which “undisciplined elements” had used snipers to attack protesters.
In a weekly meeting, the Cabinet approves the project of installing two desalination plants in Basra, creating jobs for post-graduate degree holders. Additionally, the Cabinet discusses other policies on employment, housing, and transportation.
