Accusations of negligence and mismanagement have led Iraqis back to protest squares.

• Protests in Basra Province - April 28, 2024

they accused during demonstrations of merely reviewing inappropriate projects. Accomplished without taking responsibility. The demonstration also included providing services and job opportunities, and preparing administrative divisions for the judiciary, while they called on the Prime Minister and the Governor of Basra to intervene, along with the head of the Provincial Council, Khalaf Al-Badran, as he is considered one of the sons of the judiciary.

One of the protesters pointed out that their stance today is a result of the poor services their area has been suffering from. This gathering is nothing but an announcement of upcoming protests; the numbers seen today are just the beginning of rallies that will include thousands. The marginalized members of the district are angry as they have endured unemployment and neglect for years. It's crucial for decision-makers to address their concerns before it's too late.

Another protester also highlighted that their region suffers from unparalleled neglect. The residents of the marshes struggle to obtain the most basic necessities of life, as well as fundamental rights such as education and healthcare. Therefore, their demands focus on the necessity of implementing the electoral promises made to them by officials who visited the area during elections, and to provide the services they were promised.

The protest continued peacefully until its conclusion several hours later, with no reported acts of violence except for citizens chanting slogans calling for reform and an end to corruption in Iraq. Security forces were not observed in the area, and media coverage was limited to a specific number of media channels along with social media platforms.

Protests in Diyala Province - April 24, 2024

Several residents of Abu Sayda sub-district, belonging to the Muqdadiyah district in northeastern Diyala, organized a demonstration on Tuesday evening in the center of the sub-district against a decision to deduct nine villages with the aim of establishing the Zaganiyah sub-district under the administration of Baqubah district. The monitoring team reported that several residents of Abu Sayda sub-district staged a protest in the center of the sub-district, objecting to political efforts to convert a number of villages in the sub-district into a sub-district named Zaganiyah, administratively affiliated with the city of Baqubah. The residents' protest came as a result of poor services in Abu Sayda sub-district and the weak management of the sub-district by the municipal directorate. The deduction of several villages from this sub-district may negatively affect the already poor services.

One of the protesters emphasized that they reject the deduction of any village from the Abu Sayda sub-district, known as the 'Rock of Diyala,' which has been declared a sub-district belonging to the Muqdadiyah district since 1948. Deducting or annexing any village from Abu Sayda means weakening the sub-district and reducing its administrative and service roles, potentially leading it to become a village over time. Therefore, they call on the government to reconsider or reject any political interventions that could harm our areas, for which we sacrificed our blood to protect from terrorism over the past years.

The protesters demanded the reversal of any decision to divide any village from the sub-district," noting that "the demonstration began amidst heightened security measures." It is worth mentioning that the Member of Parliament for Diyala Province, Raad al-Dahlaki, called for the establishment of the Zaganiyah sub-district, affiliated with the Baqubah district / Diyala Governorate, including villages (Zaganiyah al-Kabeera, Zaganiyah al-Sughra, Al-Makhisah, Abu Karama al-Kuba, Budjah, Sheikh, Had al-Akhder, and Abdul Hamid), due to its high population density. The Ministry of Planning approved the request to establish the sub-district.

No security forces were observed in the area, and media coverage was limited to Facebook and other social media platforms. After hours of continuing the demonstration, it ended peacefully without any notable violence.

Reasons and demands of the demonstrators:

Upon reviewing the protests and events in several Iraqi provinces, it becomes apparent that the most prominent reasons for their occurrence are as follows:

• Poor services.
• Returning villages to their affiliated sub-districts.
• Combatting corruption.

Notes on how security agencies deal with gatherings:

It can be said that the security forces are still weak in terms of professionalism in dealing with the demonstrators. One of the first tasks of the security forces is to be present during demonstrations to protect the demonstrators and the vital facilities in the area where the demonstration is, in addition to maintaining the peacefulness and organization of the demonstration. The absence of security forces during the demonstrations is a negative indicator of the implementation of concern for the safety and lives of citizens during the demonstrations.

Kurdistan Organization for Human Right Watch

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