3 Year Anniversary of Iraq’s Protests Shows Dwindling Movement

Demonstration in Maysan to mark 3 yr anniversary of protest movement (Al Mirbad)

October 25 marked the three-year anniversary of Iraq’s protest movement. People came out in 10 provinces but not in the large numbers seen in previous times.

 

There were marches across 10 provinces in Iraq. That included Babil, Najaf, Karbala, Maysan, Wasit, Basra, Dhi Qar, and Muthanna. As usual they demanded political reforms, ending corruption and to hold people responsible for killing demonstrators. In Baghdad activists met in Tahrir Square which has always been a center of protests. They were met by police leading to a clash.

 

Al Aalem reported that there was poor coordination between protest groups which led to smaller attendance than expected. One issue was that the different organizations decided to have demonstrations across the south instead of focusing upon Baghdad as they had before to get the largest crowd possible.

 

Another issue was that the protest movement has lost its momentum due to government and Hashd repression. Activists have faced kidnappings, assassinations, and threats that have driven many leaders underground or forced them to move to Kurdistan or to leave Iraq all together. That has led to dwindling numbers. When people showed up on October 1 there was not many people present either. A member of an organizing committee said that was because they feared violence showing that the intimidation campaign has worked. Unless there is a galvanizing event that mobilizes people the movement will continue to wither.

 

SOURCES

 

Al Aalem, “October 25 .. Weak coordination and a new kind of movement,” 10/25/22

- “Small numbers, limited influence .. Stakeholders analyze what happened to Tishreen,” 10/2/22

 

Al Masalah, “Demonstrations in Najaf and Karbala in memory of October,” 10/25/22

 

Al Mirbad, “Activists in Wasit commemorate October and stress their continued demands for an independent, non-partisan government,” 10/25/22

- “Demands to hold accountable the killers of protesters in Maysan and light candles in remembrance of their sacrifice,” 10/25/22

- “A demonstration in Samawa to commemorate the third anniversary of October 25,” 10/25/22

- “A demonstration to commemorate October in the center of Nasiriya,” 10/25/22

 

NINA, “A demonstration on vehicles in Babylon on the occasion of the anniversary o the start of the October Revolution,” 10/25/22

- “Al-Tahrir Square witnessed a friction between demonstrators and security forces,” 10/25/22