Return to Transcripts main page
CNN Live Sunday
Protests in Iraq
Aired January 11, 2004 - 11:01 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
KRIS OSBORN, CNN ANCHOR: We begin with the stoning of U.S. soldiers in southern Iraq. It came during a second day of protests in one Iraqi town. Iraqis are demanding jobs, promised by the coalition. CNN's Karl Penhaul is following the story. He joins us now live from Baghdad.
Hello, Karl.
KARL PENHAUL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Kris. Yes this was the second day of protests by several hundred demonstrators. Today, no sign of the Iraqi police in charge of crowd control. Today, it was the British troops that were taking the lead on this and they very much trying to keep a lid on things, trying to ensure there was no flare-up of yesterday's violence. There are some reports that there was some stone throwing, but certainly nothing on the scale of yesterday.
During the protests yesterday, there were a number of flare-ups in the course of the day. Both Iraqi police and British troops had to open fire on these protesters in Amarah and say that they killed five protesters and wounded one other. They do say that they were firing in self-defense and that they came under fire first. There is an investigation now into those incidents. The regional governor today, also out on the street, promising protesters that he would look for some short-term solutions to unemployment that in some areas is as high as 60 percent.
Turning away from the military and social developments, a development on the political front. Members of Iraq's Governing Council traveled down to this holy city of An-Najaf to meet the Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani. He's the spiritual leader for the Shia Muslim majority who make up about 60 percent of Iraq's 25 million population. He, in the past, has made some very strong declarations against the coalition plans to hand over power to a transitional Iraqi government. He says that he wants all Iraqis to have a say in direct elections. The coalition, however, is insisting that there is no time for that and that the new transitional government will be chosen by a series of regional committees or caucuses. No breakthrough in that meeting today, as far as we understand. The Grand Ayatollah insisting on direct elections. The Iraqi Governing Council coming back with no agreement.
OSBORN: Karl, what's the latest you're hearing on the time frame of those upcoming elections and this transformation you talked about?
PENHAUL: The time frame is certainly on course, according to a November 15 agreement between the coalitional authorities and the Iraqi Governing Council. Power should be transferred to a transitional Iraqi government by July the 1st. That will involve choosing a parliament by the end of May, and the parliament will then choose the government. When that happens, that will effectively end the political occupation, at least, of Iraq, though troops are expected to stay here much longer.
OSBORN: Many watching that. Thank you very much. CNN's Karl Penhaul in Baghdad.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Aired January 11, 2004 - 11:01 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
KRIS OSBORN, CNN ANCHOR: We begin with the stoning of U.S. soldiers in southern Iraq. It came during a second day of protests in one Iraqi town. Iraqis are demanding jobs, promised by the coalition. CNN's Karl Penhaul is following the story. He joins us now live from Baghdad.
Hello, Karl.
KARL PENHAUL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Kris. Yes this was the second day of protests by several hundred demonstrators. Today, no sign of the Iraqi police in charge of crowd control. Today, it was the British troops that were taking the lead on this and they very much trying to keep a lid on things, trying to ensure there was no flare-up of yesterday's violence. There are some reports that there was some stone throwing, but certainly nothing on the scale of yesterday.
During the protests yesterday, there were a number of flare-ups in the course of the day. Both Iraqi police and British troops had to open fire on these protesters in Amarah and say that they killed five protesters and wounded one other. They do say that they were firing in self-defense and that they came under fire first. There is an investigation now into those incidents. The regional governor today, also out on the street, promising protesters that he would look for some short-term solutions to unemployment that in some areas is as high as 60 percent.
Turning away from the military and social developments, a development on the political front. Members of Iraq's Governing Council traveled down to this holy city of An-Najaf to meet the Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani. He's the spiritual leader for the Shia Muslim majority who make up about 60 percent of Iraq's 25 million population. He, in the past, has made some very strong declarations against the coalition plans to hand over power to a transitional Iraqi government. He says that he wants all Iraqis to have a say in direct elections. The coalition, however, is insisting that there is no time for that and that the new transitional government will be chosen by a series of regional committees or caucuses. No breakthrough in that meeting today, as far as we understand. The Grand Ayatollah insisting on direct elections. The Iraqi Governing Council coming back with no agreement.
OSBORN: Karl, what's the latest you're hearing on the time frame of those upcoming elections and this transformation you talked about?
PENHAUL: The time frame is certainly on course, according to a November 15 agreement between the coalitional authorities and the Iraqi Governing Council. Power should be transferred to a transitional Iraqi government by July the 1st. That will involve choosing a parliament by the end of May, and the parliament will then choose the government. When that happens, that will effectively end the political occupation, at least, of Iraq, though troops are expected to stay here much longer.
OSBORN: Many watching that. Thank you very much. CNN's Karl Penhaul in Baghdad.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
