Tight security measures before protest in Falluja

ANBAR / IraqiNews.com: Tight security measures have been adopted in Anbar before a peaceful demonstration, which calls for better services and fighting corruption. Security forces imposed also a vehicle and a bike ban around the protest region. Iraq‘s prime minister Thursday defended his government’s performance in the face of protesters demanding more jobs, better services and less corruption — charging that lawmakers were just as much to blame for the crisis. Like other countries in the Middle East, Iraq has been buffeted by protests in the wake of the revolutions in Tunisia and Egypt. Unlike elsewhere, demonstrators are not aiming to replace the regime. Instead, they focus on improving government services like electricity supply. “The current situation is not the responsibility of one group, rather it is a joint responsibility,” al-Maliki told them. “The executive and legislative authorities share responsibility in both successes and setbacks.” Small-scale protests have taken place almost daily around the country by people demanding better services, government workers pushing for more pay and widows and orphans asking for government stipends. Most of the protests have been peaceful, but demonstrators and security forces have clashed on many occasions. At least 14 people were killed in Feb. 25 demos billed as the “Day of Rage.” SH (TS) 564