100,000 Iraqis march for elections

by digger Tuesday, Jan. 20, 2004 at 9:34 AM

Iraqis block traffic on a Baghdad street while carrying an Iraqi flag and portraits of Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Husseini al-Sistani and other Shiite clerics this Monday, Jan. 19, 2004. Up to 100,000 marched peacefully to demand an elected government and an end to U.S. occupation. The second photo shows an Iraqi Christian... also in the march, holding a carpet with an image of Jesus Christ. So... where is the democracy promised to Iraq by bu$hco? (AP Photo/Muhammed Muheisen)

100,000 Iraqis march...
freedom_now.jpg, image/jpeg, 660x268

Iraq Shiites Demand Elections in Protest
Associated Press

BAGHDAD, Iraq - Tens of thousands of Shiite Muslims marched peacefully in Baghdad on Monday to demand an elected government.

Huge crowds of Iraqi Shiites, estimated by reporters at up to 100,000, marched about three miles to the University of al-Mustansariyah, where a representative of Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Husseini al-Sistani delivered a speech he said was directed at Annan, the U.S.-led occupation authority and its Iraqi allies.

It was the biggest display of Shiite political power in Baghdad since Saddam Hussein's regime collapsed in April. It followed a similar demonstration on Thursday by some 30,000 Shiites in the southern city of Basra.

Al-Sistani, the country's most influential Shiite leader, has rejected a U.S. formula for transferring power through a provisional legislature selected by 18 regional caucuses, insisting on direct elections instead.
The legislature is supposed to appoint a transitional government, which will take over from the U.S.-led coalition administration July 1 before holding full elections in 2005.

"The sons of the Iraqi people demand a political system based on direct elections and a constitution that realizes justice and equality for everyone," al-Sistani's representative, Hashem al-Awad, said. "Anything other than that will prompt people to have their own say."

The crowd responded by chanting: "Yes, yes to elections! No, no to occupation!"

Two U.S. military helicopters hovered low over the demonstrators but otherwise there was no sign of American soldiers. Scores of armed Iraqi police stood by.

"This demonstration is a message to America that we want elections," said Naim Al-Saadi, a 60-year-old tribal chief. Many marchers linked hands. Others carried portraits of al-Sistani and other Shiite leaders and waved computer printout banners saying, "Real democracy means real elections."