Iraqi MPs demand new polls after ‘arson’ at ballot storage
Some of Iraq’s top politicians yesterday demanded new elections after a warehouse storing ballot papers caught fire, bringing a warning from Prime Minister Haider Al Abadi that those responsible would pay.
“Burning election warehouses is a plot to harm the nation and its democracy,” said Mr Al Abadi, whose allies placed third in the May 12 election.
“We will take all necessary measures and strike with an iron fist all who undermine the security of the nation.”
The storage site went up in flames on Sunday afternoon ahead of a planned recount prompted by claims of irregularities but authorities said all of the papers were saved.
There have been weeks of rancour since the election, which was won by supporters of Shiite cleric Moqtadr Al Sadr.
Mr Al Abadi’s claim of arson was supported by the Interior Minister, Qassem Al Araji.
“There is no doubt that it was a deliberate act,” he said.
“I am following up on the investigation with the police and the committee tasked with probing the fire.”
The fire at the warehouse in Baghdad’s eastern district of Al Russafa added to allegations of fraud and vote rigging, and a poor turnout of less than 45 per cent of eligible voters.
Interior Ministry spokesman Gen Saad Maan said the site was divided into four warehouses and only one, holding electronic equipment and documents, had burnt down.
Mr Al Abadi said that a government investigation had found serious fraud in the election. He has blamed Iraq’s independent elections commission for most of the errors.
The departing Parliamentary Speaker, Salim Al Jubouri, who was not re-elected in last month’s poll, has demanded new elections.
“The crime of burning bal-
lot-box storage warehouses in the Russafa area is a deliberate act, a planned crime, aimed at hiding instances of fraud and manipulation of votes, lying to the Iraqi people and changing their will and choices,” Mr Al Jubouri said.
His call was supported by Vice President Ayad Allawi, the leader of the electoral alliance for which Mr Al Jubouri ran.
“Based on what happened yesterday and the low voter turnout, a new process must be found to restore the confidence of the Iraqi people in the political and electoral process,” a spokesman for the Wataniya bloc told The National.
Mr Al Sadr urged against any new polls, urging Iraqis to unite.
“Is it not time to stand as one for building and reconstruction instead of burning ballet boxes or repeating elections just for one seat or two?” Mr Al Sadr asked.
He added that people must “stop fighting for seats, posts, gains, influence, power and rule.”
One of Mr Al Sadr’s close aides, Dhiaa Al Asadi, said the fire “was carried out to cancel the election or destroy the stuffed ballots counted among the results”.
Mr Al Sadr, who has ruled himself out of becoming prime minister, once led a militia that fought against American troops.
The election chaos follows the appointment of nine judges to supervise a manual vote recount that had been ordered by the country’s departing parliament.
The Supreme Council of Justice yesterday appointed a chairman and deputy to take over the country’s electoral commission after the allegations of fraud.
The electoral board of commissioners has said it will appeal against the law forcing the recount.