Attention in Iraq is being directed to Najaf in anticipation of the position of the Shiite religious authority from the ongoing massive protests for nearly three weeks now.
“Demonstrations are spontaneous and call for legitimate demands, especially pressing services such as water and electricity,” Iraqi official told Asharq Al-Awsat.
“But the attempts of political parties to manipulate the goals of these demonstrations have led to negative consequences,” the official stressed.
The support of Shiite authorities to the demonstrations during the first Friday sermon following their outbreak led to a wide participation by their supporters, granting these protests massive popular support, the Iraqi official pointed out.
He explained, however, that chanting slogans against the Shiite authorities caused the latter’s supporters to withdraw from these protests, causing negative effects.
Shiite authorities, for their part, refrained from commenting about what is happening on the streets in the following Friday’s sermon last week.
Some provinces have begun to take actions to respond to some demands of the demonstrators or name the members of the negotiating delegation scheduled to be sent to Baghdad and meet with Prime Minister Haider al-Abbadi to discuss these demands.
The Independent High Commission for Human Rights of Iraq (OHCHR) announced Wednesday the release of 176 activists.
“The judicial authorities in the province of Wasit have released all activists detained during protests in the province,” OHCHR said in a statement.
It noted that 158 of the detainees were released after paying bails.
Member of the Council of the province of Dhi Qar Saad al-Badri told Asharq Al-Awsat that the provincial council has taken a series of measures that represent a response to the demands of the demonstrators, which waned the protests.
In response to a question on the transfer of powers to local governments and hold these governments responsible for the imbalance, Badri said that “this step is useless since the financial authority is still in the hands of the central government, which means that there is no actual authorities given”.
