Election
Sell-out
The
election in
From Riad
El-Taher, Chair, Friendship Across Frontiers.
Despite the lawlessness and carnage which
has prevailed since the occupation, the US/UK and their surrogate Interim
Government (IIG) are poised to hold elections in January 2005. Why, and what are the reasons for such
eagerness?
It cannot
possibly be to establish democracy. Such
an ideal notion has to evolve and flourish over decades and generations, and
most certainly not by the use of force!
The conduct of the enforcers of democracy, the occupying armies and
their mercenaries, has left deep-rooted bitterness among the population,
particularly the inhabitants of Najaf, Fallujah and others. Indeed, these towns will always be remembered
for the atrocities inflicted. Not too
dissimilar to Hallabcha back in the eighties.
Then if not for
democracy, could it be for oil? Yes,
partially, but more alarming was what Paul Bremner, then (Viceroy of Iraq), did
to prepare the grounds in co-operation with the IGC for a gigantic sell-out of all Iraq’s assets, the grand
privatisation of schools, hospitals, water, electricity, transport, industry
and even museums. To embark on such a
sell-out you require a legitimate (preferably an elected) government to
sanction the award of international contracts, with a few to Iraqi contractors.
Naturally
Hospitals since
occupation have been further deprived of essential medicine,
electricity is sporadic, water cleanliness below acceptable standards,
pollution at its worst. All essential
amenities have been neglected in order to be sold off at bargain prices in poor
repair. Market forces are operating
freely to dismantle the industrial base which
Proclaimed one of the benefits of
occupation was to liberate the Iraqi people from the tyranny of a dictator and
to impose their kind of democracy. The
reality is to legitimise the sell-out of all the country’s assets.
For a comparison: the Scots understandably felt let down by
Defence Secretary Hoon for dismantling the four regiments. Can anyone imagine what the Iraqi
nationalists felt when Bremner and the collaborators on the IGC dismantled the
whole army and police, totalling 500,000, affecting the lives and those of ther
dependants (2 million) who are left with no prospect of jobs, income or
future! Perhaps the whole Iraqi people
will realise that such a future will await them too if the election is allowed
to take place under occupation.
To achieve the
crucial objective of occupation, the IIG is not entitled under the transitional
administration law (TAL) to sign international contracts. The body that will take over after the
election under occupation – the Transitional Government (ITG) in accordance
with Bremner’s TAL (Art. 25 (a), (c) and (e) will provide the compliance of
formulating foreign policy, fiscal policy and managing the national resources
of Iraq. This election under occupation
is desperately needed to eliminate the risk factor to international contractors
of invalidating agreements reached with the transitional government. This election seeks to provide legitimacy
and payback to the international contractors, the financial backers of the
neo-conservatives who covertly provided the lies and deceit to the Bush
administration enabling them to embark on their illegal war, which has
terrorised the world and destabilised the region.
The carnage and
lawlessness in