From WEEKLY MDS No.876, Feb. 25, 2005 issue
Statement

Iraqi Workers Say Elections Were Neither Legitimate Nor Fair

Federation of Workers' Councils and Unions in Iraq - FWCUI

The Iraqi elections is neither legitimate nor fair

In Jan 30 the elections were held after a huge preparation and propaganda by the Iraqi authorities and occupation troops who wanted to legitimize the U.S and its allies installed government, urging the people to participate in the US project.

Amid an insecurity atmosphere and domination of the armed militias belong to many parties and movements in the cities, no agenda put forward for the participants by the parties, the elections campaign was in hands of a very few parties who are very well and heavily supported financially either from the Iraqi belonged money or by the neighboring countries, and the most dangerous part among all, is that some political groups began to use religious and spiritual effects as a tool to attract people to cast the ballot, the major one was the Fatwa issued by Al-Sistany urging the mandate of this elections. Later on Al-Sistany representatives started issuing religious orders and threats towards the people stating that god will be punishing whoever didn't vote for the list blessed by Al-Sistany, which means terrorizing people spiritually. In addition the authorities used the same old fascist ways that were used by the former regime that was cutting off the rations on whoever didn't vote or spreading out rumors stating that the failure of the elections will lead the Wahabbies to win and slaughter the Shiite and Ayad Allawi is the hero who will save us all.

On the whole they have created a dramatically complicated political scene based on frightening and terrorism. Besides all of that some high profile figures who were monitoring the polling station in many regions took advantage of the illiterate women and elderly to vote on their behalf for their own parties.

Thus the outcome of the election is known already and the winning lists were known even before the commencement of the elections.

The political powers with the US masterminding have completed and passed on a political show. They succeeded to maintain the ethnicity and religious division among the Iraqi people and legitimized a government they installed a year ago.

What they called it elections for those reasons are neither legitimate nor fair. Furthermore it will draw the society down to more division and conflicts, and it is eventually strengthening and deepening the US plan in the region.

We call on the, trade Unions, libertarian and secular powers to lead the massive protest against this reactionary and antihuman plan of occupying forces and Islamic and ethnic forces in Iraq and to strengthen the liberation front to put forward the people will to end the occupation of Iraq. Rejection of the division based on the ethnic or religious background which will lead to the failure of the US plan in Iraq and in the region.

Long live freedom
Long live people's will
Long live human choice

FWCUI
Feb 2, 2005

FWCUI-Rep. Abroad
P.B 8553, 3001 Bern, Switzerland
Tel: 0041 78 882 55 89
http://www.uuiraq.org/
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