Prepared for tomorrow’s demonstration – Sadrists

BAGHDAD / IraqiNews.com: A senior Sadrist official on Monday said that preparations were finalized to render success Saturday’s massive demonstration, which would call for the departure of U.S. forces from Iraq and condemn the long-term Iraq-U.S. security agreement. “The movement formed several committees to arrange how demonstrators leave and return,” Sayyed Hazem al-Aaraji, a senior figure of Shiite leader Muqtad al-Sadr’s movement, told IraqiNews.com. “Instructions were made to demonstrators that it would be necessary to raise Iraqi flags and chant slogans that reject the occupation and express the unity of Iraq ‘s people and land,” he said. “Demonstrators coming from other provinces have started arriving in Baghdad , to participate in the demonstration that was recently postponed for security reasons,” he added. “This demonstration would be an annual occasion arranged by Sadrists to express their stances regarding the occupation,” he noted. On October 15, 2008, Ahmed al-Massoudi, a lawmaker loyal to Sadr, said that the U.S. army forces closed down the outlets of the Shiite Sadr City in eastern Baghdad to prevent demonstrations to be staged by Sadrists this weekend. Sadr’s parliamentary bloc has 30 out of a total 275 seats in the Iraqi council of representatives. MH (S)/AmR 1