CPTnet
September 2, 2003
IRAQ: Protest in Modern Babylon
By Peggy Gish
As we walked into the offices of the governor of Hilla/Babylon in
Central Iraq last week, the dozen or so U.S. Marines and Iraqi security
guards seemed shocked to see us. Gene Stoltzfus and I were coming with Lisa
Ndejuru and Yaser Shoukry, two Canadians of the "Iraq Solidarity Project" to
a pre-arranged meeting with the Governor's assistant.
Minutes after we entered the building and were walking through the
soldiers and armed Iraqi guards, we began to hear the chants of a protest
outside the front gates of the building. Officials escorted us to a meeting
room, while apologizing profusely. "There are about 200 protesting, and so
far they are peaceful," they told us, seeming embarrassed and trying to
allay any fears we might have.
The Governor's assistant greeted us, but left, preoccupied with what
they regarded as a siege of their building. Two of us walked up to the roof
where about a dozen more Marines and Iraqi guards stood, taking pictures of
the chanting crowd below.
Their banners said in Arabic, "The people of Babylon are asking for
electricity, oil, water, jobs, and civil services," and "Release the
prisoners detained without any charge." We heard chants of "We don't want
scandal," "The Governor is skillful in robbery," "Where is the gas, the oil
stolen by thieves?"
We decided to go out and talk to the protesters. While two stayed
inside and talked with soldiers and security guards, two of us walked out a
side door of the building and out to the crowd. We asked to talk with the
leaders, but they were inside negotiating with the Governor and his staff.
Very quickly men in the crowd surrounded us and began to pour out their
frustrations and grief. They treated us with utmost respect and seemed
appreciative of our willingness to listen to their concerns.
A teacher complained that only people connected with the corrupt leaders
have been hired. One man told about an American soldier killed five days
ago, and about Polish soldiers who killed five unarmed Iraqis on their way
to work three days ago. A former commissioner of police had lost his job and
was trying to get another. A driver was suffering from the shortage of gas.
Another said that soldiers detained two men who passed out a flyer
criticizing the occupying authorities, but later released them.
They directed most of their anger not at the U.S. administration, but the
Governor, whom they wanted to remove from office. They said he had been a
high-ranking member of the Ba'ath Party, appointed not by the people, but
by U.S. authorities. The people considered him corrupt, and called him a
drunkard and robber.
When we were ready to leave, officials escorted us out a back
door, presumably where they felt we would be safe--far away from the crowd
we had been talking to.
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