From: wolda002@umn.edu
Date: Mon Feb 02 2009 - 22:07:49 EST
Low turnout in Iraq's election reflects a disillusioned nation
By Leila Fadel, McClatchy Newspapers Sun Feb 1, 4:12 pm ET
BAGHDAD — Voter turnout in Iraq's provincial elections Saturday was the
lowest in the nation's short history as a new democracy despite a relative
calm across the nation. Only about 7.5 million of more than 14 million
registered voters went to the polls.
Interviews suggest that the low voter turnout also is an indication of
Iraqi disenchantment with a democracy that, so far, has brought them very
little.
Since the U.S.-led invasion in 2003 and the fall of a brutal dictator,
Iraqis witnessed unprecedented violence in their nation and what they
believe is humiliation under a foreign occupation. Even on Saturday, U.S.
tanks could be spotted across Baghdad on largely empty roads.
Following elections in 2005 Iraq spiraled into a sectarian war. People
cowered in their homes while others literally killed each other in the
streets. Many here feel the people they elected were party to or were at
least complicit in the violence. The security forces too were feared as
sectarian death squads and Iraqis also believed that American raids or
passing U.S. tanks sometimes resulted in innocent civilian deaths.
Many blame the U.S. presence in Iraq for sowing the seeds of sectarianism
by bringing back exiles to rule them.
Beyond the disillusionment, thousands of potential voters were unable to
cast ballots Saturday because official voter lists did not contain their
names. Street protests resulted.
"I didn't participate in this election because I don't trust any list,"
Yasir Baqir , 28, said on Saturday in Fallujah . "Like any election, we
read and see many promises but nothing real (happens) and there is still a
crisis, a security crisis, an economic and a services crisis."
Saturday's turnout of about 51 percent was well below the 76 percent
turnout who cast ballots in national elections in December 2005 and even
below 57 percent who voted for provincial councils and their national
assembly in January 2005 . On Election Day in January 2005 , 44 people were
killed. Saturday one person was reported killed in non-election related
violence.
"There was a mood of apathy before the elections," said Ali al Adeeb a
Shiite legislator from Prime Minister Nouri al Maliki's party. "Many asked
themselves what is the good? Why should we vote and for what? The
enthusiasm came as the elections got closer."
Despite the turnout, the Independent High Electoral Commission said
participation was a positive sign for provincial elections. The commission
also characterized voting violations on Election Day as extremely low.
"[The commission] is very pleased with the turn out," said Judge Qassim al
Aboudi . "All these complaints who claimed not to be on a voter registry
for a number of reasons were at the wrong center or did not update their
information."
Despite that assessment, it seems that tens of thousands of mostly
displaced people didn't get to vote. The commission said this was a mistake
on the voter's part. Many didn't check where they were supposed to vote
before Election Day .
Most of the confusion seemed to be concentrated in Sunni Arab and Kurdish
areas.
On Sunday Maliki's Coalition of the State of Law seemed to be the big
winner but preliminary results will not be available until the end of the
week. Maliki spent weeks heavily campaigning for the party of candidates
who would fill the seats across the nation. He was widely criticized by
other slates for using government resources to campaign.
The extent of the power of the provincial councils is unclear. While they
control the security, public facilities and influence local ministry
official appointees, their budgets come from the central government.
Governors, who are elected by the provincial councils, can be ousted by a
vote of the national parliament.
Maliki has strongly advocated for a stronger central government and weaker
provinces. If he can fill provinces with his supporters, he may be able to
garner further power for the federal government.
Many officials outside of Maliki's circle worry he has grown too strong.
As a Shiite Islamist, he recast himself last year as a nationalist despite
heading a Shiite Islamist party. Maliki cracked down on Shiite militias in
the south and in Baghdad and his support for Arab parties in the Kurdish
Arab regions has given him new support from some Arab Sunni constituents.
Iraqis cast their ballots in 42,000 heavily secured polling stations across
the country on Saturday. The electoral commission received the most
complaints from Nineveh province and Diyala province where Kurds and Arabs
rub up against each other and are vying for power.