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| HIkma protesters in Najaf (Al Mirbad) |
Ammar Hakim’s Hikma party went into the opposition in June 2019. This was part of growing criticism of Prime Minister Adil Mahdi’s government. In a test of its new found position the party called for national protests on July 19. Those did not turn out as well as hoped for.
On June 16 Hikma announced that it was leaving the
government and going
into the opposition. A member of its political committee said that the
achievements of Premier Mahdi were
a joke. He called on the prime minister to go out to the streets to see how
the country was really doing dealing with things like poor services. That led
the party to call for
national protests in 14 of Iraq’s 18 provinces. This was a first for Iraq’s
post-2003 political order. After elections every party that won joined the new
administration in a series of national unity governments. Other parties have
criticized Mahdi as well leading to rumors that he could be replaced. The
ruling lists and the premier were both worried about a repeat of the summer of
2018 when annual protests turned into riots in Basra and widespread violence.
That could lead to the fall of the prime minister. These were all likely
reasons why Hikma made its decision.
The demonstrations on July 19 was Hikma’s first real test of
its new position, and the results were not heartening. That started with people
only coming out in seven provinces (Baghdad, Basra, Muthanna, Dhi Qar, Najaf, Karbala, and Qadisiya),
half the amount the party was hoping for. Only a about hundred people showed up
at each demonstration except in Muthanna where it was reported over a thousand were in attendance. Second,
in Basra they did not receive a warm welcome. Beforehand a group
of sheikhs and the protest coordination committee both condemned Hikma’s plans
saying they were trying to use the demonstrations for their own ends. Then the
day of the protests there was a counter-demonstration
in Basra. Finally, when buses were taking the Hikma people away rocks were thrown at them. This
was obviously disappointing for Hakim. He believed that he could tap into
popular discontent that hits the country during the summer heat. Instead he was
called an opportunist trying to take advantage of the work done by local
activists across the south over the years. He couldn’t organize enough people
in enough governorates either. This will likely force a rethink of Hikma’s
strategy.
SOURCES
Iraq News Network, “The Hikma list withdraws
from the reform alliance,” 6/24/19
Al Mada, “Hikma tests its audience with a unified demonstration in 14
provinces and Fatah: the trend without influence,” 7/14/19
Al Masalah, “Hikma, demanding Abdul-Mahdi to
take to the street: the report of the government achievements a “laugh,”” 7/9/19
- “Statement of Hikma demonstrations declares its rejection of the
continuation of corruption and demands the absorption of competencies,” 7/19/19
Al Mirbad, “Basra police raise alert and preparedness after the end of
demonstration,” 7/19/19
- “Demonstrations of the stream of Hikma and parents of the Sons of
Nasiriya demanding services,” 7/19/19
- “Demonstration of the stream of Hikma in Muthanna to demand better
services and implementation of the government program,” 7/19/19
- “Following the stream of Hikma are demonstrating in Muthanna to demand
better government performance,” 7/19/19
- “Massive demonstrations in Najaf, Karbala and Diwaniya are demanding
services,” 7/19/19
- “The return of the buses of the Hikma demonstrators in Basra after
being beaten with stones,” 7/19/19
- “A simultaneous demonstration in Basra against the demonstration of the
Hikma movement,” 7/19/19
NINA, “Abtan: Peaceful Demonstration In Front Of PM’s Office In Baghdad
At 6:pm,” 7/19/19
Sattar, Omar, “Iraqi parliamentary groupings
join hands in bid to oust Abdel Mahdi,” Al Monitor, 6/24/19
Sotaliraq, “Popular rejection of the Hakim demonstrations in Basra,”
7/16/19
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