Sadr City prepares for historic election

(28 Jan 2005)

1. Various of Sadr City, Baghdad
2. Street scene in Sadr City
3. Wide shot of elementary school and policemen near the gate of school
4. Close up of two signs read, Moussa Al Kadhem and Kafr Qassim Elementary schools
5. Iraqi flag on the top of the school
6. Mid shot of Ibraheem Al Jafari, Interim Vice President and candidate of the United Iraqi Alliance
7. Close up of the Iraqi flag
8. SOUNDBITE: (Arabic) Ibraheem Al Jafari, Interim Vice President and candidate of the United Iraqi Alliance:
"I think the date of the 30th is a political birth because it is the first time in Iraq (that) people stand in line to vote for the one they want and they are free to choose anyone they vote for, there is no compulsory act and there are no guns raised against them."
9. Cutaway hands
10. SOUNDBITE: (Arabic) Ibraheem Al Jafari, Interim Vice President and candidate of the United Iraqi Alliance:
"Despite the threats, our people are determined to take part in the election."
11. Armed police at the election centre in Sadr City
12. Policeman behind barriers with gun
13. Banner for the Islamic al-Dawa party candidates
14. Demonstrators carrying banners chanting anti-US slogans near Shi'ite mosque
15. SOUNDBITE: Nasir Al Saa'di Moqtada, Al Sadr supporter:
"We did not reject the issue of election but we put conditions on it. The election should be democratic and by the hands of the Iraqis and not supervised by the occupiers and at least the occupiers should put a schedule for their withdrawal from Iraq. But if they do not release the detainees we will reject the idea of the election and we reject the election totally, if they don't release the supporters of the al Sadr movement "
16. People reading newspapers

STORYLINE:

Just a few months ago, Sadr City was a war zone. Armed militiamen loyal to radical Shi'ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr battled daily with US troops in the rubbish-strewn streets.

But in October, al-Sadr offered to disarm his militia and now the sprawling slum, home to more than a million Shi'ites, is preparing for the historic elections on Sunday.

Polling stations at schools in the district are well protected by armed police, although the likelihood of violent sabotage of the US-sponsored elections is less of a threat than in Sunni areas, and a high turnout is hoped for.

While al-Sadr has declined to run in the national elections on Sunday, some of his followers are running on tickets led by interim prime minister Ayad Allawi and the United Iraqi Alliance, endorsed by the leading Shi'ite cleric, Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani.

Ibraheem Al Jafari, the Shi'ite vice president of the interim government and candidate of the United Iraqi Alliance list, said the election was an historic moment for the Iraqi people, free at last to make their own political choices.

Shi'ites make up approximately 60 percent of Iraq's 26 (m) million population.

Al-Sadr, who led two major uprisings against US forces last year, has told his followers it is up to them to decide whether to vote.

Meanwhile, Nasir Al Saa'di Moqtada, an al-Sadr supporter, stressed the election should be administrated by Iraqis and not by occupiers, and that they should release al-Sadr supporters or the elections will be discredited.

On January 30, Iraqis will choose a 275-member National Assembly and regional legislatures.

Sunni Muslim extremists have threatened to sabotage the election and many Sunni clerics have called for a boycott because of the presence of 170-thousand US and other foreign troops.

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