Tens of thousands of people waving Iraqi flags staged a peaceful
rally in the southern city of Najaf Monday to demand the withdrawal
of US forces, four years to the day after Baghdad fell to invading
American troops.
The streets of the Iraqi capital itself were largely empty after
authorities clamped a 24-hour ban on vehicles to prevent any
insurgent attacks, especially car bombings.
The anniversary comes as Iraq's Shi'ite-led government is trying
to avert full-scale civil war between majority Shi'ites and
minority Sunnis who were dominant under Saddam Hussein. Sunni and
Shi'ite clerics marched side by side in Najaf.
US military spokesman Rear Admiral Mark Fox said that four years
ago US-led forces had "liberated Iraq from Saddam's republic of
fear". That had allowed Iraqis to exercise their democratic rights
and stage protests such as the one in Najaf.
"While there have been substantial accomplishments, the first
four years have also been disappointing, frustrating and
increasingly dangerous in many parts of Iraq," he said.
The protesters in Najaf were responding to a call by powerful
anti-American cleric Moqtada al-Sadr, who blames the March 2003
invasion for the country's woes and wants a timetable set for a US
troop withdrawal.
Waving red, white and black Iraqi flags, marchers choked the 7
km long road between Najaf and neighboring Kufa and clogged streets
leading to Sadrayn Square, the main rallying point. Many had come
from Baghdad and Shi'ite towns and cities in the south.
Sadr has kept out of sight since US and Iraqi forces began a
crackdown on violence in Baghdad and was not at the rally. The US
military says he is in Iran, but his aides insist he is still in
Iraq, possibly Najaf.
Journalists estimated the size of the crowd at tens of
thousands, while organizers said the number was far greater. The US
military said aerial surveillance pictures showed that 15,000 took
part.
Speaking against the backdrop of an Iraqi flag, a senior
Sadrist, cleric Abdelhadi al-Mohammadawi, called on US forces to
leave. His speech was interrupted by periodic chants of "Leave,
leave occupier!" and "No, no, to the occupation".
(China Daily via agencies April 10, 2007)
