Monday, January 05, 2004
However, from the other point of view, there is this ridiculous report on Islam Online. 'Iraqi politial analysts' are angry at the restrictions put on people wanting to demonstrate in Iraq, especially Baghdad. What are these restrictions?
A statement issued by the U.S.-led authority ... said no individual or group is allowed to organize marches or demonstrations or even gather in streets, public places or buildings at any time without a prior from the occupation command. It demanded those who want to demonstrate or organize a meeting to submit a written request to the occupation authorities no less than a day before. The request, according to the statement, must include the purpose and duration of the demonstration, an estimate of the maximum number of demonstrators and names and addresses of the organizers. If a permit is granted, the American statement said, demonstrators would not be allowed to wear the traditional galabiya (a loose shirt-like garment), helmets, hoods or even cover their faces. Would-be Iraqi demonstrators must also not carry guns, even the licensed, stones or sticks, added the statement. Last but not least, any demonstration must not last more than four hours and should not be organized less than 500 meters away from the headquarters of the occupation forces and the affiliated institutions.
Now, years of Saddam Hussein, where his cronies organised all the 'spontaneous' demonstrations might have meant that people in Baghdad are not up to date with how these things work, but it doesn't seem to be that different from how things work over here. Groups that want to organise demonstrations in London need permission from 'occupation authorities', in this case the Met, and have to give them some idea of how long it's going to take so they know how long there's going to be demonstration to traffic. We've faced restrictions to where we're allowed to march, we can't go along Downing Street or too close to the American Embassy. Having to make this request only a day before a march when in the US and UK these things need to be okayed months in advance is a great favour. And as for the request that Iraqi's neither cover their faces nor take weapons to demonstrations, I don't think it's really asking too much that people who go on demos be expected to act in a law abiding manner.
If the American administration were banning the Iraqis right to march then I'd agree that they were getting a raw deal in this but I think that actually they're being given an enviable amount of freedom in this, especially considering that there are still guerrilla actions going on in the country.
A statement issued by the U.S.-led authority ... said no individual or group is allowed to organize marches or demonstrations or even gather in streets, public places or buildings at any time without a prior from the occupation command. It demanded those who want to demonstrate or organize a meeting to submit a written request to the occupation authorities no less than a day before. The request, according to the statement, must include the purpose and duration of the demonstration, an estimate of the maximum number of demonstrators and names and addresses of the organizers. If a permit is granted, the American statement said, demonstrators would not be allowed to wear the traditional galabiya (a loose shirt-like garment), helmets, hoods or even cover their faces. Would-be Iraqi demonstrators must also not carry guns, even the licensed, stones or sticks, added the statement. Last but not least, any demonstration must not last more than four hours and should not be organized less than 500 meters away from the headquarters of the occupation forces and the affiliated institutions.
Now, years of Saddam Hussein, where his cronies organised all the 'spontaneous' demonstrations might have meant that people in Baghdad are not up to date with how these things work, but it doesn't seem to be that different from how things work over here. Groups that want to organise demonstrations in London need permission from 'occupation authorities', in this case the Met, and have to give them some idea of how long it's going to take so they know how long there's going to be demonstration to traffic. We've faced restrictions to where we're allowed to march, we can't go along Downing Street or too close to the American Embassy. Having to make this request only a day before a march when in the US and UK these things need to be okayed months in advance is a great favour. And as for the request that Iraqi's neither cover their faces nor take weapons to demonstrations, I don't think it's really asking too much that people who go on demos be expected to act in a law abiding manner.
If the American administration were banning the Iraqis right to march then I'd agree that they were getting a raw deal in this but I think that actually they're being given an enviable amount of freedom in this, especially considering that there are still guerrilla actions going on in the country.
