IRAQ: IRAQIS PREPARE FOR REFERENDUM THAT MAY PAVE WAY FOR ANOTHER SEVEN YEARS OF PRESIDENCY FOR SADDAM HUSSEIN

Record ID: 647185

  • Title: IRAQ: IRAQIS PREPARE FOR REFERENDUM THAT MAY PAVE WAY FOR ANOTHER SEVEN YEARS OF PRESIDENCY FOR SADDAM HUSSEIN
  • Date: 13th October 2002
  • Summary: (W4)BAGHDAD, IRAQ (OCTOBER 12, 2002) (REUTERS) 1. SLV STREET SCENES WITH PEOPLE PUTTING UP BANNERS OUTSIDE POLLING CENTRE READING: "YES YES FOR PRESIDENT SADDAM HUSSEIN", "YES YES FOR THE LIBERATION OF AL-QUDS (Jerusalem)." (8 SHOTS) 0.32 2. SLV SCHOOL GIRLS CHANTING "DOWN, DOWN USA, LONG LIVE SADDAM HUSSEIN" IN BOTH ARABIC AND ENGLISH (3 SHOTS) 0.52 3. (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) HEADMISTRESS, MINAHAL SILFIJ, SAYING "We challenge all the enemies who want to target (Iraqi) President Saddam Hussein and we say 'Yes' for Saddam Hussein. One billion 'Yeses' for our leader, for our comrade Saddam Hussein." 1.04 4. MV/SCU GIRLS CHANTING 1.14 5. (SOUNDBITE) (English) SCHOOL TEACHER, AMEL AL-UBEIDI SAYING "We have the right to say 'Yes' to our president or 'No'. America will not impose on us a president as Bush likes. No! We don't want any president but Saddam Hussein." 1.29 6. MV SET UP ABDUL-RAZZAK AL-NASS 1.32 7. (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) ABDUL-RAZZAK AL-NASS, ANALYST, SAYING "The Iraqi citizen is adhering to his leadership, particularly in this stage as it is a confrontation stage, and a stage of challenge, so we are not convinced with what has been stated at the White House, nor in London, and in some capitals that back the American stand." 1.51 8. MV POLLING CENTRE 1.56 9. SCU/MV BANNERS FOR REFERENDUM (4 SHOTS) 2.10 10. SLV EXTERIOR OF THE HEADQUARTERS OF THE ISLAMIC CONFERENCE ORGANISATION (5 SHOTS) 2.24 11. SLV INTERIOR SHOWING ISLAMIC LEADERS; MV/SCU AUDIENCE (4 SHOTS) 2.36 12. (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) ABDUL KADAR AL AANNY, SENIOR MEMBER OF THE ORGANISATION OF THE ISLAMIC CONFERENCE, SAYING "If the aggression will take place, each muslim capable of Jihad should declare Jihad on the US administration." 2.54 13. WIDESHOT OF MEETING OF THE ISLAMIC CONFERENCE ORGANISATION 2.59 Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
  • Embargoed: 28th October 2002 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: BAGHDAD, IRAQ
  • Country: Iraq
  • Reuters ID: LVADVR69SN8KIG9GMWLC4G7A6CGJ
  • Story Text: As Iraqis prepare for a referendum which may pave the
    way for another seven years of presidency for President Saddam
    Hussein, they are paying no heed to threats of war by America
    against their country.

    Numerous streets in the city of Baghdad have been
    adorned with different size banners showing support of Iraqi
    President Saddam Hussein, a statement that many Iraqi people
    want him for president.

    Support is not only orchestrated but strongly felt by many
    people on the streets. Open declarations of support are
    organised. At one of those, headmistress Minahal Silfij said:
    "We challenge all the enemies who want to target [Iraqi]
    President Saddam Hussein and we say 'Yes' for Saddam Hussein.

    One billion 'Yeses' for our leader, for our comrade Saddam
    Hussein." And her colleague Amel Al-Ubeidi adds: "We have the
    right to say 'Yes' to our president or 'No'. America will not
    impose on us a president as Bush likes. No! We don't want any
    president but Saddam Hussein."
    Iraqi's go to the polls on October 15, and it is expected
    that over 11 million Iraqi's will cast their votes
    re-affirming their support for Hussein. It is also expected
    that Saddam will lead the country for another seven years.

    These polls come at a time when the United States of
    America is considering waging a war against Iraq because of
    Hussein's capability of producing weapons of mass destruction.

    That is seen by analysts as another incentive to stand by
    the president. "The Iraqi citizen is adhering to his
    leadership, particularly in this stage as it is a
    confrontation stage, and a stage of challenge, so we are not
    convinced with what has been stated at the White House, nor in
    London, and in some capitals that back the American stand,"
    says Abdul-Razzak al-Nass.

    During the last referendum in 1995, official results show
    that President Saddam Hussein won by 99.96 per cent. Many
    Iraqi's believe that this time, he will win 100 per cent of
    the votes.

    Meanwhile, Islamic leaders in the capital have declared
    that they will attack the United States, if they wage a war
    against them.

    A senior of the Organisation of the Islamic Conference,
    Abdul Kadar Al Aanny, said: "If the aggression will take
    place, each muslim capable of Jihad should declare Jihad on
    the US administration."
    They have called upon all muslim countries to stand beside
    the Iraqi people.


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