In Iraq Living conditions remain tragic

In a recent edition of Tareeq Al-Shaab, the living conditions of the Iraqi people were described as horrific. “More than ten weeks have passed since the collapse of the dictatorial regime, however, the situation remains at standstill,” with no progress nor any relief from the extremely tense conditions, the article said.

“The security situation remains poor,” including acts of arson on oil pipelines and electricity networks. “Economic and living conditions remain tragic, with public and municipal services in shambles.”

The report said the Iraqi people and their political parties and organizations “continue to be marginalized, gravely ignoring their right to express their views about the major issues facing the country today.”

The newspaper was very critical of decisions being made “away from the eyes of the Iraqi public opinion, without consultation with their representatives” by the occupation forces.

The problems cannot “be resolved by just increasing military patrols or security control measures,” the article stated.

Tareeq Al-Shaab is the weekly newspaper of the Iraqi Communist Party. The Iraqi Communist Party called for an urgent meeting of all the Iraqi patriotic parties and forces. “They must meet and discuss our homeland’s current ordeal, and seek urgent solutions before it is too late.” Such a national conference has to take up the issue of self-government.

“The overwhelming majority of people do not see a solution for the present problem in our country except by taking their cause and destiny into their own hands, through their own representatives in the political parties and forces, and through setting up the transitional coalition government.”