BASRA: The United Nations envoy to Iraq called Wednesday for “calm” in Basra, after six died in the bloodiest day of protests over poor public services in the southern city.
In a statement, Jan Kubis, the UN’s special representative in Iraq, called on “the authorities to avoid using disproportionate, lethal force against the demonstrators.”
He also urged authorities to “investigate and hold accountable those responsible for the outbreak of violence.”
The authorities said in a press conference on Wednesday that security personnel were wounded in Tuesday’s clashes.
“Thirty members of the security forces were wounded by grenades and incendiary objects being thrown,” said General Jamil Al-Shammari, who is in charge of security operations in Basra.
Basra was nearly deserted on Wednesday morning.
Many shops were closed, while burned tires lay strewn across the city’s streets, an AFP correspondent said.
The city — along with the province of the same name — has been hit by protests since early July against poor public services.
Residents are angry over pollution of the local water supply, which has put 20,000 people in hospital.
Kubis in his statement called on the government “to do its utmost to respond to the people’s rightful demands of clean water and electricity supplies as a matter of urgency.”
The authorities said they would take measures to put an end to the health crisis that has ravaged the oil-rich province.
The local governorate’s headquarters, the main rallying point for protesters, bore the traces of damage from molotov cocktails and fireworks thrown late into the night.
“Six demonstrators were killed and more than 20 wounded” in front of the government building on Tuesday evening, said Mehdi Al-Tamimi, head of the government’s human rights council in Basra province.
Medical sources confirmed the death toll to AFP.
Tamimi accused the security forces of “opening fire directly on the protesters.”
In his weekly press conference in Baghdad on Tuesday, Iraqi Prime Minister Haider Al-Abadi said he had ordered “no real bullets ... to be fired, in the direction of protesters or in the air.”
Shiite leader Moqtada Sadr said in a tweet that “vandals infiltrated” the protesters.
Sadr’s political bloc won the largest number of seats in national elections held in May, and he is trying to form a new government with Abadi.
Protesters also blocked roads and burned tires elsewhere in Basra province on Tuesday night, a correspondent said.
Abadi announced in the night that he had met lawmakers from Basra, who are in Baghdad for the parliament’s first session since the elections.
He again indicated that water pollution would be addressed, without specifying any measures.
In July, the government announced a multibillion dollar emergency plan for southern Iraq, to revive infrastructure and services.
But protesters are wary of promises made by the outgoing government, as negotiations drag on over the formation of the next administration.
UN’s Iraq envoy calls for calm after bloody day in Basra
UN’s Iraq envoy calls for calm after bloody day in Basra
- Jan Kubis, the UN’s special representative in Iraq, called on ‘the authorities to avoid using disproportionate, lethal force against the demonstrators’
- Residents are angry over pollution of the local water supply, which has put 20,000 people in hospital
Security, economic and political partnerships in the spotlight at first Jordan-EU Summit
- Event reflects international confidence in Jordan as a reliable partner in efforts to address security threats, advance peace initiatives, and expand cooperation, analysts say
- Timing is significant, expert says, given the region faces overlapping crises and threats that place security and defense cooperation at the heart of Jordanian-European relations
AMMAN: The inaugural Jordan-EU Summit underlined the depth of the country’s strategic partnership with Europe, officials and experts said, and confirmed the pivotal role Jordan plays in regional security, political stability and economic cooperation.
Analysts told the Jordan News Agency that Thursday’s summit took place at a sensitive moment for the region, but reflected international confidence in Jordan as a reliable partner in efforts to address cross-border security threats, advance peace initiatives, and expand cooperation in trade, investment and development.
Bashir Al-Dajeh, an expert in security and strategy, said the timing of the summit was significant, given the region is facing overlapping crises and transnational threats that place security and defense cooperation at the heart of Jordanian-European relations.
Jordan’s strategic location positions it on the front lines of efforts to tackle illegal migration, organized crime, drug and arms smuggling and cross-border terrorism, he added. The country has hosted more than 3.5 million refugees over the past decade without compromising its security infrastructure, he noted.
Jordan’s effective border controls were helping to curb irregular migration to Europe and disrupting the plans of extremist groups and trafficking networks, Al-Dajeh said, which was directly benefiting regional and European security.
Khaled Abu Hassan, a member of the Jordanian parliament, said the country’s foreign policy under King Abdullah had reinforced its influence, in the region and internationally, particularly its firm stance in support of the Palestinian cause and a two-state solution to the conflict with Israel.
He said the summit reaffirmed Jordan’s political influence in the shaping of regional balances and advancement of efforts to achieve a just and comprehensive peace. The timing of the meeting also demonstrated the resilience of the nation in managing multiple regional and domestic challenges.
Abu Hassan also highlighted the economic aspects of the summit, including the announcement of a Jordan-EU economic conference in April, as a sign of the international recognition of Jordan’s political and economic role.
Economist Mufleh Aql said the high-level summit reflected a shared desire for a broadening of cooperation to encompass politics, trade, security and renewable energy, and Jordan was well-placed to benefit from access to the EU’s large markets, technology and investment opportunities.
The country could benefit from increased exports, technology transfers and financing for major infrastructure projects in sectors such as water, transport and energy, he added, and in return offer the EU skilled human capital amid labor shortages in Europe.
EU support for Jordan’s positions on issues such as Jerusalem, regional stability, energy and migration further strengthens the partnership, Aql said. Jordan also already benefits from EU grants, concessional loans and exports of agricultural, pharmaceutical and chemical products to European markets, he noted.
