Iraqi PM Issues Statement on Basra Operation; Security Roundup

Al-Iraqiyah Television reports on the following political and security developments within its 1700 gmt newscast on 28 March:

39 Killed Since Start of Clashes in Al-Sadr City

– “A medical source today said that 39 people have been martyred and 389 others wounded since the outbreak of clashes and shelling in Al-Sadr City in eastern Baghdad. This was announced by the Imam Ali and Al-Sadr Hospitals in the city.”

VP Al-Hashimi’s Office Attacked

– “A source at the office of Vice President Tariq al-Hashimi has said that mortar shells fell on Al-Hashimi’s office Friday afternoon, causing the martyrdom of a guard and the wounding of six others.”"The source said that Al-Hashimi was not in his office when the shelling took place.”

Al-Maliki Meets Commanders of Basra Operation

– “Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki has met with the commanders of Operation Charge of the Knights in the Basra Governorate. Al-Maliki was briefed on the current incidents on the ground and the progress achieved by the security forces with regard to achieving security in the governorate. Meanwhile, a number of citizens have flocked to the premises of the Basra Operations Command to join the security agencies in support of their mission in the city.”

Curfew Hours in Basra Reduced

– “The Basra Operations Command has issued the following statement: “In response to the calls of the members of the Law Support Committee, tribal chieftains, men of religion, and the dignified citizens of Basra, and in order to allow the residents of Basra to resume normal life and fulfil their day-to-day needs, his excellency the prime minister and commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces ordered the following: First, the curfew will be lifted between 0600 until 1800. Second, all state agencies in the government should extend the necessary services to the citizens during the period in which the curfew is lifted.”

Al-Maliki Issues Statement on Basra Operation

– The prime minister and commander-in-chief of the armed forces has issued the following statement: “After the armed criminal gangs wreaked havoc in beloved Basra, which prompted the citizens to complain and call on the elected government to put an end to lawlessness and tragedies, represented by criminal acts of betrayal targeting innocents and smuggling of oil and drugs, which are carried out by the criminal gangs, the state, represented by the elected government, has drawn up a plan to eradicate these gangs. This took place after the goals were set, and which focus on arresting a number of criminals against whom there is hard evidence that they took part in killing innocents and women, mutilating their bodies, and smuggling oil and drugs. The judicial authorities had issued arrest warrants against these persons. The government has prepared the required equipment and troops to carry out this mission, which does not target any specific trend, party, or group. The surprising thing in Basra was that before the state embarked on implementing these specific goals which were part of a specific plan, the militias – which are armed with various weapons, ammunitions and dirty means – had attacked the government agencies and state agencies in an unprecedented manner. The attacks targeted the infrastructure of the Basra Governorate by planting explosive charges to detonate oil installations and oil pipelines, attacking water and electricity projects, and suspending services related to the daily life of citizens. These were the same methods used by the defunct regime and the Al-Qa’idah. This reveals the aggressive and wicked intentions of these groups, which thrive on ill-gotten money and citizens’ property without being deterred by religion or conscience. What is even worse is that some of these sides shed tears on and defended these criminals who shed the blood of citizens and violated their property. They attacked the government for confronting these groups.

“All dear citizens, particularly the dignified residents of Basra, are urged to wisely consider and analyse the acts of these criminal gangs and those defending them, who seek to shuffle cards and use political gimmicks by saying that these gangs were done injustice. They deliberately ignore the sanctities and blood of citizens which were violated, the state institutions which were destroyed, and the violation of law after Iraq has become a constitutional country. All of this took place after the intentions of the gangs were revealed sooner than they expected through their barbaric actions. We are proud of the cooperation of the Iraqi tribes, the sons of Basra and political forces with their elected government to eradicate these gangs. Despite their suffering as a result of the curfew, lack of services, and threats of some of these criminal gangs, the citizens expressed their happiness at the state’s measures to eradicate these criminal gangs.”

Citizens Urged To Hand Over Weapons

– “Staff Maj-Gen Abd-al-Karim Khalaf, commander of the Operations Centre at the Ministry of Interior, has called on those included in the decision of the prime minister and commander-in- chief of the armed forces to seize the opportunity and hand over their weapons to the Iraqi forces without bearing any legal responsibility.”

Parliament Holds “Emergency” Session

– “Dr Mahmud al-Mashhadani, speaker of the Council of Representatives, had announced that the Council would hold an emergency session today, Friday, to discuss the current situation in the country. In another development, Parliament Member Dr Ibrahim al- Ja’fari announced that a committee has been formed under the chairmanship of the Speaker of the Council of Representatives to present proposals, led by calling for ending armed manifestations.”

Al-Maliki Says “No Negotiations” With “Criminal Gangs”

– “A statement issued by the Baghdad Operations Command: At 1430 today, Nuri al-Maliki, prime minister and commander-in-chief of the armed forces, contacted the commander of Baghdad operations and field commanders. He ordered that the following measures be taken: First, dealing firmly and strongly with the outlawed armed groups and criminal gangs. Second, there will be no negotiations with or leniency towards the criminal gangs, which are considered the other side of the terrorist Al-Qa’idah Organization. Third, our security units are deployed in their areas of responsibility to provide security for citizens. It is these criminal groups which attacked the units, checkpoints, and the infrastructure of the state in a number of Baghdad areas. Thus, the response should be decisive and strong. They will be pursued. Fourth, we call on citizens to cooperate with the security forces and report the terrorist elements – some of whom used houses of worship, homes, and shops as placing for opening indirect fire – to protect the blood of innocent civilians. Fifth, we assert the need to observe the curfew to guarantee the safety and security of citizens. Any violators will be considered outlawed armed targets. [Signed] Baghdad operations Command on 28 March 2008.”

Al-Sadr Trend Official Cited on “Crimes” Against Trend’s Followers in Basra

– At 1738 gmt, the TV anchor conducts a live telephone interview with Mazin al-Sa’idi, director of Martyr Sayyid Al-Sadr [in Al- Karkh].

Asked about Muqtada al-Sadr’s call for preventing the shedding of Iraqis’ blood, Al-Sa’idi says: “Sayyid Muqtada al-Sadr and the Al- Sadr Trend always call for protecting the blood of the Iraqis. He is the safety valve for the prevention of bloodshed in Iraq. The sons of the Al-Sadr Trend have been committed to this from the beginning. Regrettably, the Iraqi Government wants to shed the blood of the followers of the Al-Sadr Trend. The crimes that are being committed against the trend’s followers in Basra prove this. We calle d and still call for calm. We are trying to resort to a political solution, but we believe that the prime minister rejects all political solutions and is determined to implement the agenda which the occupation has imposed on him.”

Al-Sa’idi adds: “The followers of the Al-Sadr Trend always support the political process and the security forces everywhere. The security violations which took place in Basra recently were committed by Al-Yamani’s followers. It was the Al-Sadr Trend and the Armed Forces which jointly confronted these people. The raids and indiscriminate killings targeting the trend’s followers in Al- Diwaniyah and other governorates have made the followers of the Al- Sadr Trend lose confidence in the government.”

Al-Sadr Trend MP Urges Dialogue To End “Crisis”

– “Dr Baha al-A’raji, member of the Council of Representatives for the Al-Sadr Bloc, has said that everybody is seeking to unify efforts to ensure the inviolability of the Iraqi blood. He said that there are proposals to end the crisis.”

Al-A’raji is then shown saying: “We hope that the government forces will stop the fighting and that the brothers in the Imam [Al- Mahdi] Army and the Al-Sadr Trend will adhere to the orders of his eminence Sayyid [Muqtada al-Sadr] to consider dialogue and peaceful means the only solution. We hope that the efforts of the warring sides will be directed against fighting terrorism, the Saddamists and the occupier.”

Originally published by Al-Iraqiyah TV, Baghdad, in Arabic 1700 28 Mar 08.

(c) 2008 BBC Monitoring Middle East. Provided by ProQuest Information and Learning. All rights Reserved.