- Title: IRAQ-STREET CLEAN-UP Young Iraqis begin Baghdad street clean-up campaign
- Date: 7th September 2015
- Summary: BAGHDAD, IRAQ (RECENT) (REUTERS) DEMONSTRATORS AT BAGHDAD TAHRIR SQUARE VARIOUS OF YOUNG PEOPLE COLLECTING TRASH FROM THE STREETS AT TAHRIR SQUARE IN DOWNTOWN BAGHDAD (SOUNDBITE)(Arabic) MEMBER OF VOLUNTEER GROUP "TOGETHER FOR A MORE BEAUTIFUL BAGHDAD", SUHAILA AL-ASSAM, SAYING: "We are a humanitarian society, a group of young people. We initiated the idea of cleaning up Baghdad streets from Tahrir Square to Kahramana Square, that is our road. (Q: Do you bring trash bags?) "We've volunteered to buy them (trash bags) and collect trash without pressure from anyone. Everyone does it on their own request, without any pressure." VARIOUS OF YOUNG PEOPLE COLLECTING TRASH (SOUNDBITE)(Arabic) MEMBER OF "TOGETHER FOR A MORE BEAUTIFUL BAGHDAD" GROUP, ALI MAHMOUD, SAYING: "We came to the protest, and we saw that the streets are full of trash. Therefore, we brought bin bags and uniforms and we initiated the idea. Our current number is very few and we need support and by support I mean we need to be joined by other young people because as you can see the streets are full of rubbish." FULL TRASH BAGS ON SIDE OF ROAD VARIOUS OF YOUNG PEOPLE COLLECTING TRASH (SOUNDBITE)(Arabic) MEMBER OF "TOGETHER FOR A MORE BEAUTIFUL BAGHDAD", ZINE EL ABIDINE SALIM, SAYING: "We've noticed that protesters do not care if the square is clean or not. They protest and leave and when they leave we start cleaning up. We do not only protest. We have been doing this for two, three four weeks weeks, I am not sure, but I joined them two weeks ago." LOGO (Arabic) ON A T-SHIRT READING: "TOGETHER FOR A MORE BEAUTIFUL BAGHDAD" VARIOUS OF YOUNG MEN COLLECTING TRASH (SOUNDBITE)(Arabic) MEMBER OF "TOGETHER FOR A MORE BEAUTIFUL BAGHDAD", ZINE EL ABIDINE SALIM, SAYING: "We are joined by a group of young men who we don't know, from the square, ordinary protesters. And God willing our number will increase. (Q: Are you trying to increase your number?) We are trying to increase our numbers through social media including Facebook and Instagram. We are trying to increase the number in the group." VARIOUS OF YOUNG MEN COLLECTING TRASH (SOUNDBITE)(Arabic) YOUNG PROTESTER PARTICIPATING IN CLEAN-UP CAMPAIGN, SAYING: "I have been living in wars, corruption, and fear since my birth and until now. I've come here to demand my rights and the right of my family and the people, the poor people who were robbed of their rights. The other thing is that when I saw young people doing that, I volunteered and joined them to serve the people and for me." YOUNG MEN DRAPED IN IRAQI FLAGS COLLECTING TRASH A GROUP OF MEN SITTING ON THE PAVEMENT OF THE STREET
- Embargoed: 22nd September 2015 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Iraq
- Country: Iraq
- Topics: General
- Reuters ID: LVA39HK9I8BWU4NRPIFPUY0UUL63
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Equipped with plastic gloves and trash bags, a group of young people are cleaning the streets of Baghdad.
For more than a month now, the Iraqi capital and many southern cities have witnessed huge Friday demonstrations calling for the provision of basic services, the trial of corrupt politicians, and the shake-up of a system riddled with graft and incompetence.
But when the protests end, a pile of rubbish is often left in place of the protesters, and that's when these young volunteers step in.
"We are a humanitarian society, a group of young people. We initiated the idea of cleaning up Baghdad streets from Tahrir Square to Kahramana Square, that is our road. (Q: Do you bring trash bags?) We've volunteered to buy them (trash bags) and collect trash without pressure from anyone. Everyone does it on their own request, without any pressure," said Suhaila al-Assam, one of the street cleaning volunteers.
The group is known as 'For a more beautiful Baghdad' and their aim is to clean the capital, encouraging their fellow countrymen not to drop litter.
According to those involved in the campaign they want people to adopt a culture of cleanliness.
Ali Mahmoud is one of the volunteers hoping to inspire others to help in the clean up campaign.
"We came to the protest, and we saw that the streets are full of trash. Therefore, we brought bin bags and uniforms and we initiated the idea. Our current number is very few and we need support and by support I mean we need to be joined by other young people because as you can see the streets are full of rubbish,'' said Mahmoud.
One member of the group explained how they're promoting their initiative through a number of social media platforms.
"We are joined by a group of young men who we don't know, from the square, ordinary protesters. And God willing our number will increase. (Q: Are you trying to increase your number?) We are trying to increase our numbers through social media including Facebook and Instagram. We are trying to increase the number in the group,'' said volunteer Zine El Abidine Salim.
As the young men and women collect the rubbish that has been piling up during the protest, protesters give them a helping hand, praising the work that they're doing.
"I have been living in wars, corruption, and fear since my birth and until now. I've come here to demand my rights and the right of my family and the people, the poor people who were robbed of their rights. The other thing is that when I saw young people doing that, I volunteered and joined them to serve the people and for me,'' said one young protester who was helping in the recent removal of rubbish in Baghdad's Tahrir Square.
Protesters' demands, which initially aimed at improving power supply amid a sweltering summer heatwave, have focused more on encouraging the country's Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi to accelerate reforms, put corrupt officials on trial and loosen the grip of powerful parties over the state. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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