Anti-occupation rallies go non-stop in Iraq

BASRA, June 1 (IslamOnline.net & News Agencies) - Thousands of Iraqis took to the streets of Iraq's southern capital here Sunday, June 1, to protest against the installation of a British officer to rule the region.

British and Iraqi soldiers were deployed around the government house where a ceremony was to take place later in the day to mark the handover, Agence France-Presse (AFP) reported.

"No to British rule over Basra," read one banner. "We can rule ourselves," said another.

Shiite Muslim dignitary Sheikh Ahmed Malki, one of the organizers of the demonstration, told AFP: "We demand an Iraqi governor, elected by the people while they are imposing a British governor on us."

Basra, which has a population of some 1.5 million people, "wants to have a civilian Iraqi governor like other regions," he added.

The organizers released a statement "rejecting a British governor and any administrative council imposed by the occupying forces."

They called on "all Iraqi political forces to quickly hold under U.N. sponsorship a conference" on Iraq's future.

Supporters of the current council leader, Sheikh Muzahem al-Tamimi, expressed anger at the British shakeup.

British forces announced May 24 they would replace an Iraqi by a British military commander.

The decision sparked an angry reaction from the 30-member council, which is headed by a local tribal chief and was working to re-establish civic order in the southern city with British and U.S. blessing.

The so-called Basra interim governorate committee will be chaired by the commander of the British Seventh Brigade, the "Desert Rats," a British forces spokesman said.

It will be made up of “British” heads of public departments and utilities.

However, the spokesman said that "it will be a non-political body with authority to make decisions on technical matters, water, electricity supply, etc," the spokesman said.

On May 22, the head of the U.S.-led administration in Iraq, Paul Bremer, put off until at least July a planned meeting of Iraqi politicians to chart out the country's political future.

Boom Arms Market 

In another development, the U.S.-led forces in Iraq opened weapons collection points around Iraq on Sunday as they began a two-week countdown to the imposition of new firearms controls in a bid to stem post-war lawlessness and following a series of anti U.S. resistance attacks.

But by midday none of the designated police stations visited by AFP correspondents reported even a single weapon had been turned in.

Many Iraqis said they were baffled by the policy and would be unwilling to give up their treasured weapons despite the pending ban.

"Why should anyone want to just give away their weapon when they can sell it for good money?" said Arkan al-Zebaki, waving a 1950s vintage Webley and Scott pistol at Baghdad's open-air arms market.

For the past three days, the U.S.-run radio has broadcast appeals to Iraqis to turn in weapons to the set-up points.

"We have also been using the loudspeakers that our psychological operations teams have. Flyers in Arabic will be posted around the city," a U.S.-led forces spokesman said.

The Iraqis will, however, be allowed to retain pistols, shotguns and rifles up to 7.62 mm, the caliber of the famed Russian firearm, for self-defense, provided they do not take them out of their homes and businesses.

Anyone wanting to carry arms on the street will need a special permit from the occupation administration which has laid down detailed procedures for weapons surrenders to prevent coalition troops mistaking them for armed attacks.

And those wanting to hand in weapons are supposed to obtain a clear plastic bag from a collection point, take it home and place the disassembled firearm inside.

"We think it is going to be a successful policy because of the good Iraqi citizens who want to see law and order restored," the military spokesman said.

But at the arms market, which continues an underground existence despite repeated raids by U.S. troops, buyers and sellers alike said they rejected the policy.

"For us a weapon is a badge of honor," said arms dealer Abbas Fadhel. "Even Saddam didn't dare to take away our weapons. In fact he used to give people rifles or shotguns as a present on big state occasions."

Analysts say that underground arms market has become a boom market following the free-for-all looting that swept the Iraq after the ouster of the Iraqi regime.

As Iraqi soldiers and officers lay down their weapons, the analysts said, looters and arms dealers found their destination in huge arms caches.

Fadhel said that he has mortars for 75 dollars and rocket-propelled grenades for 100 dollars in his home.

Another arms dealer, Faris Mohammad, said it was too early to impose the weapons crackdown.

"I'm only selling weapons here because I lost my job when they abolished the defence ministry."

"It's the same for most of us here, and it's also true of the hoodlums who create the fear on the streets that we all feed off."

"If the Americans could give people jobs, then the problem would right itself."

On the other hand, many Iraqis are convinced the occupation administration is determined to ban all weapons and leave Iraqis defenseless.

"The Americans are doing this because they are afraid of the Iraqi people, they just want to leave us without any protection," said one Iraqi.

U.S. Planes Under Fire

Meanwhile, the U.S.-led forces said Sunday its planes were coming under regular fire when trying to land at airports across the country, especially in Baghdad.

"Many coalition planes carrying humanitarian aid to Iraqi cities, particularly Baghdad, Mosul and Tikrit, are regularly shot at as they approach airports," it said on its Baghdad radio station.

"Those behind this deliberate fire are members of the former regime who want to undermine the rebuilding campaign," it said.

"These criminal acts are a great danger, above all in the capital. That is why Baghdad international airport will remain closed to commercial flights as long as the shooting on the planes continues."

It asked for anyone with information about the shooting to come forward.