|
While
some celebrated on the last day of campaigning,
others hunkered down fearing violence in the days
ahead.
The sound of car horns honking and revellers
shouting filled the air as hundreds of cars lined
the main street of Sulaimaniyah on January 27.
Taking advantage of the relative calm in
Sulaimaniyah, in Iraq's northern Kurdish region,
political activists and ordinary citizens were
wrapping up the last official day of campaigning in
a party-like atmosphere. People carrying campaign
banners hung out of car windows, stood on the
streets or sat in the back of pickup trucks.
Most of the flags and posters were for the two main
Kurdish parties and their leaders: the Patriotic
Union of Kurdistan, PUK, headed by Jalal Talabani,
and the Kurdistan Democratic Party, KDP, led by
Massoud Barzani.
Shamam Jamal stood near a local KDP office
distributing posters that said, "Cast your vote for
the Kurdish list. Cast your vote for the KDP."
Nizar Ihsan, who sells small replicas of the
Kurdistan flag, said she was happy with the
campaigning, because it was good for business. "I
have sold 3,000 flags of Kurdistan this evening,"
she said, beaming.
University student Brawa Kamaran was also out on the
street to celebrate the last day of campaigning and
to watch the scene. "We will participate in the
election so that all the ethnic groups - Kurds,
Arabs, Assyrians, and Turkoman - can set out a new
history and live together in a united Iraq,"
Kamaran said.
Other parts of Iraq were considerably less festive,
with residents preparing for the elections by
stocking up on food, water and other provisions
before strict curfews and travel restrictions came
into force.
People were also buying emergency supplies in case
violence breaks out on election day. In Baghdad,
there were long lines at bakeries and grocery
stories. Hussein Hadi, 25, bought five baskets of
bread, saying he wanted to be prepared.
"No one knows what will happen tomorrow," he said.
Kareem Hadi, a supermarket owner in the poor
district of Hai Amel, said his customers were
stocking up on everything they'll need for the next
few days.
"Their main concern is to buy anything and
everything, whether it's a necessity or a luxury
product," he said.
As in Baghdad, prices of bread and other items in
Kut, south of Baghdad, have risen with the
increasing demand, causing even more difficulties
for residents.
Najia Kerar queued for several hours to buy eggs and
meat. "I was standing in another line, but then the
shopkeeper said there was no more stuff to be sold,"
she said. "So now I'm standing in this queue to get
what I need."
This story has not been bylined because of concerns
for the security of IWPR reporters.
http://www.iwpr.net
Top |
® 