A reign of terror overwhelms Iraq even as news of the election results recede into relative insignificance, reports Nermeen Al-Mufti from Baghdad In Iraq, the scene is still one of bewilderment and fear as reports of abductions and murder grab the headlines. News of last week's elections play second fiddle to the mayhem engulfing the war-torn country. In spite of the deplorable security situation, neon signs are sprouting in the streets, and benches are being placed once again in parks. But, life is not quite returning to normal in Iraq. People are afraid to go to the market, but if they choose to go to the park instead, they will have something to sit on. It is all absurd. Now the Iraqis have earned the respect of the world by demonstrating their enthusiasm for the elections. But nothing concrete is happening, and the politicians are busy pursuing their own goals and hidden agendas rather than focussing on peace and security in the country. A minister in the interim government, speaking on condition of anonymity to Al-Ahram Weekly, says that his immediate plan is to write a book on his days in power, not to seek a position in the future government. "A total of 117 political entities took part in the elections. Does it make sense for a country in Iraq's situation to have 117 political programmes? Would it not have been better for groups with similar agenda to form alliances?" His scepticism is not confined to the proliferation of agendas. "I heard that some candidates took money from citizens in return for services to be rendered once they are in power." A young politician, who was not part of the race, agrees. "If the groups that contested the elections truly care for the interests of the country and the public, they should exhibit selflessness, not confuse matters by exchanging accusations and counter-accusations." He also warns of a coming wave of rampant corruption. "Some candidates took money from people. This is true. And the latter paid up gladly, for the stakes are high. Administrative corruption is going to wreak havoc in the country." The Elections Commission published daily the total number of votes counted. The counting was expected to end before 10 February. The commission has fined seven groups a sum of three million dinars ($2,000) each for breach of campaigning procedures. The commission promises to look into irregularities in various areas of the country. Over 200,000 Christians and Yazidis in Mosul still demand to vote, as ballot boxes failed to arrive in their areas in time. And the Turkomans want the elections annulled in Karkuk and Talaafar. Turkoman official Riyad Sari Kehya says that about 40 per cent of Turkomans could not vote, particularly in Talaafar and Diyali, due to security breaches and electoral irregularities. Ayn Al-Iraq (Iraq's Eye), an independent Iraqi group monitoring the elections, is collecting reports from the 10,000 observers it deployed at polling centres. According to spokesman Najm Al-Rabiyi, the group found that "Five per cent of the centres were not protected, nine per cent saw attempts to change voters' opinion inside or outside the centre, three per cent experienced cases of employees not showing up for duty, 22 per cent saw candidate representatives not showing up, 34 per cent experienced absence of observers, eight per cent saw observers not allowed in the centre, 10 per cent experienced shortage of balloting equipment, one per cent had ballot boxes not closed properly, 98 per cent placed the empty boxes on display, 91 per cent saw no incidents of repeated voting, and 79 per cent complied with secret balloting measures." The Elections Commission says it received complaints from the Turkoman Front and the Assyrians, among others. The commission promises to abrogate the election results of any group proven to have abused electoral procedures. Meanwhile, Iyad Allawi is meeting with potential allies with a view to forming a coalition capable of challenging the Unified Iraqi Alliance list, which is still ahead. Allawi promises to form a government representing Iraq's entire political spectrum.
