IRAQ: IRAQIS GO TO POLLS IN REFERENDUM EXPECTED TO RETURN PRESIDENT SADDAM HUSSEIN FOR ANOTHER 7-YEAR TERM
Record ID:
644553
IRAQ: IRAQIS GO TO POLLS IN REFERENDUM EXPECTED TO RETURN PRESIDENT SADDAM HUSSEIN FOR ANOTHER 7-YEAR TERM
- Title: IRAQ: IRAQIS GO TO POLLS IN REFERENDUM EXPECTED TO RETURN PRESIDENT SADDAM HUSSEIN FOR ANOTHER 7-YEAR TERM
- Date: 15th October 2002
- Summary: (U2) BAGHDAD, IRAQ (OCTOBER 15, 2002) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) 1. SLV: EXTERIOR OF A POLLING STATION 0.07 2. SV'S: BANNER WITH "DOWN, DOWN BUSH AND HIS TAIL BLAIR" WRITTEN ON IT /ANOTHER ANTI-BUSH BANNER (2 SHOTS) 0.14 (W3) BAGHDAD, IRAQ (OCTOBER 15, 2002) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) 3. SV: IZZAT IBRAHIM VICE-CHAIRMAN OF THE REVOLUTIONARY COMMAND COUNCIL (RCC) AMONG PEOPLE TO CAST HIS VOTE 0.22 4. SCU: (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) IZZAT IBRAHIM VICE-CHAIRMAN OF THE REVOLUTIONARY COMMAND COUNCIL (RCC) CASTING HIS VOTE SAYING: "Iraq is the spirit of the nation, Iraq is the protector of the nation, and when we say "Yes" for President Saddam Hussein, we say "Yes", for the aspirations and longings of the Nation." / IBRAHIM WALKING AWAY 1.20 5. SV/CU: SCHOOL CHILDREN SAYING (Arabic) "Bush! Bush! Listen up! we all love Saddam Hussein!" (2 SHOTS) 1.28 (W4) TIKRIT, SALAHEDDIN PROVINCE, 90 MILES NORTH OF BAGHDAD, IRAQ (OCTOBER 15, 2002) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) 6. SLV: MILITARY CARS CARRYING SOLDIERS 1.36 7. SV/MV: THE SOLDIERS GETTING OUT OF CARS AND SHOUTING (Arabic): "Yes, yes for Saddam!" (2 SHOTS) 1.58 8. MV: TRUCKS WITH SOLDIERS LEAVING 2.02 9. SV: EXTERIOR OF POLLING CENTRE 2.07 10. SV: VOTERS WAITING TO CAST THEIR VOTES 2.12 11. CU: WORKER LOOKING FOR THEIR NAMES ON VOTING LISTS 2.16 12. CU: BALLOT PAPERS 2.17 13. SCU: VOTERS MAKING FINGERPRINTS ON VOTING CARDS USING BLOOD 2.24 (W5) BASRA, IRAQ (OCTOBER 15, 2002) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) 14. GV: VESSELS ON SHATEL-ARAB RIVER 2.30 15. VARIOUS OF STATUES OF IRAQI SOLDIERS KILLED IN IRAQ/IRAN WAR 2.33 16. VARIOUS OF PEOPLE CASTING THEIR VOTES 2.41 17. CLOSE OF VOTE DROPPING INTO BALLOT BOX 2.44 18. SV: VOTER INSERTING PICTURE OF SADDAM INTO BALLOT BOX - POLLING CARD STUCK ONTO VOTER CARD 2.47 (W5) BAGHDAD, IRAQ (OCTOBER 15, 2002) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) 19. VARIOUS OF PEOPLE VOTING 2.57 20. SV: CHILD CASTING VOTE ON BEHALF OF SADDAM HUSSEIN'S ELDEST SON, UDAY 3.13 21. MV: RED CAR BELONGING TO UDAY OUTSIDE POLLING STATION AMID TIGHT SECURITY 3.38 (U6) BAGHDAD, IRAQ (OCTOBER 15, 2002) (REUTERS- ACCESS ALL) 22. VARIOUS: COUNTING BEING SUPERVISED; PEOPLE SEPARATING OUT VOTING CARDS UNDER THE SUPERVISION OF A JUDGE (4 SHOTS) 4.06 23. SCU: (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) JUDGE YOUSSEF AL MADHI SAYING: "The referendum was done legally and with lawful procedure and it was carried out from 8am to 8pm (0500GMT -1700GMT) without any delay. It was done democratically." 4.37 24. SV: CELEBRATIONS ATTENDED BY VICE-CHAIRMAN OF THE REVOLUTIONARY COMMAND COUNCIL IZZAT IBRAHIM / PEOPLE DANCING AND SINGING 4.45 25. VARIOUS SHOTS OF PEOPLE DANCING 4.50 Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
- Embargoed: 30th October 2002 12:00
- Keywords:
- Location: BAGHDAD, TIKRIT AND BASRA, IRAQ
- Country: Iraq
- Reuters ID: LVA8UY4LGECB7XQ0DU4QKBQEFWSR
- Story Text: Iraqis have gone to the polls in a referendum expected
to return President Saddam Hussein for another 7-year term.
Amid vows to defend President Saddam Hussein to the
death, Iraqis cast ballots in a nationwide presidential
referendum on Tuesday (October 15) certain to be declared a
landslide victory.
Some voters ticked "Yes" for another seven-year term for
the Iraqi leader with their own blood. There was no official
turnout figure and it was difficult to gauge the extent of
public participation despite festive scenes.
The nearly 2,000 polling stations closed at 8 p.m. (1700
GMT) after 12 hours of voting. Ballot counting began
immediately. Official results will be released on Wednesday.
But the outcome is a forgone conclusion with the voting
process tightly controlled by the government and no
independent observers or other candidates.
Saddam won 99.96 percent in a first referendum in 1995.
Officials say privately they want an even higher percentage
this time, with some hoping for a perfect 100 percent "Yes"
result.
Nearly 12 million Iraqis are eligible to answer a simple
"Yes" or "No" for a new term for Saddam, who has ruled Iraq
for 23 years through the tight grip of the military and
police.
There was no sign of the president, who rarely appears in
public, but his eldest son Uday did vote.
Uday drove in a red Rolls Royce to a polling station in
central Baghdad. Surrounded by bodyguards, he got out of his
car, marked his ballot paper and gave it to a young boy.
Tea and refreshments were distributed free at polling
stations in Baghdad by ruling Ba'ath Party members. Telephone
dialling tones in some districts of the capital were replaced
by a recorded message of "yes, yes to Saddam".
Displays of enthusiasm for Saddam were strongest in his
hometown of Tikrit, 180 km (110 miles) north of Baghdad.
Iraqi soldiers, men, women and children danced in the
streets. With Saddam stickers on their chests, about 20
soldiers vowed to sacrifice themselves to defend their leader
as they flashed the V-for-victory sign.
Children wearing T-shirts with pictures of Saddam gathered
outside the polling stations, clapping and cheering.
"Saddam, Saddam, we love you," they chanted.
Appointed president in 1979, Saddam has led Iraq through
two major wars and survived several challenges to his rule.
But with the United States determined to disarm Iraq, his
toughest test might come in the next few months.
Bush, who says Saddam is producing weapons of mass
destruction, has pushed ahead with U.S. policy for a "regime
change" in Baghdad. He is seeking a tough U.N. resolution on
weapons inspections after obtaining congressional
authorisation for the use of force against Saddam.
Iraq denies it has nuclear, chemical or biological
weapons.
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