Iraqis on Election: "How can you have free elections under martial law?"

[BurtWorm]

From a symposium of Iraqis on the election at opendemocracy.net:

http://www.opendemocracy.net/debates/article-2-114-2317.jsp#one

Usama Shabibi, Pharmacist

As an Iraqi who fled the tyranny of Saddam Hussein’s regime thirty years ago and now living in England, I have my reservations in participating in the 30 January elections.

Besides the fact that Iraq, being under occupation, is not a sovereign country, my main objection is due to the lack of security. The Oxford dictionary defines “security” as safety and freedom from danger.

How can you have free elections when a country is under martial law, shops closed, people’s movements are sharply restricted, and with kidnapping and murder occurring on a daily basis? How can you have a fair and democratic election when hundreds of thousands of second generation Iraqis abroad are allowed to vote while millions of Iraqis inside will not venture to go to the polling stations?

I fully understand and sympathise with those inside Iraq who look forward to this month’s vote and also fully condemn any attempts to sabotage their freedom to elect. I strongly oppose any violence against any Iraqi civilians from all sides in Iraq, whether occupying forces or extremist groups. However, I think a fully democratic election is far fetched now under the present situation in Iraq.

[LynnTheDem]

1. And don't forget...

election for only half the country, under occupation by a foreign army for unknown candidates at unknown polling stations during a raging war.