HEYET Net – Southern Branch of the Association of Muslim Scholars in Iraq (AMSI) issued weekly report on Basra Situation as following:

1.    Security and Political Scene Bombing of Occupation Base with Katyusha Rockets

2.    Mass Grave in Basra New Witness to the Crimes of the Sectarian Death Squads

3.    Sporadic Clashes between Gunmen and Members of the Army-Police

4.    Confessions of Involvement of Some MPs in Smuggling Oil

5.    Complaints of Escalated Violations against Journalists

6.    Union Demonstrations to Demand Transfers to the Permanent Staffing 

Security and Political Scene 

Official sources confirmed that the government armed groups opened last Sunday 18 / 5 around 20 Katyusha rocket fire at British base in Basra International Airport. 

Mass Graves in Basra 

On the other hand within the mass graves of victims of sectarian violence, were found on the morning of Wednesday 14 May 2008 on a new mass grave with 26 bodies of victims in the district of Al-Zubair (17 km south west of Basra) in Ahmad cemetery. The bodies of the victims remain after maintaining sectarian incidents in last year and earlier. The victims have been identified by the the victim's relatives, six of whom were abducted by sectarian death squads on 17/5/2007 from the blood bank in Basra General Hospital (Republican) and took them to unknown place. 

Sporadic Clashes between Gunmen and Members of the Army-Police  
 

At the level of confrontations in the streets of Basra between the Mahdi militias and government forces, the city have seen during the past two days, armed clashes, which sporadic exchange of fires were heard.. 

A source from Basra police said on Sunday 18 May 2008 that two elements of the police and the same number of gunmen were injured in confrontations with armed clashes in Kornish area (central Basra). 

A source from Basra police said on Sunday that "unknown gunmen targeted one of the supermarkets selling CDs (CD) which caused the crash of the glass façade of the place without any casualties." 

At the turn of events, security and religious sources announced that unknown gunmen blew himself up the house of one of the man of Sistani without casualties. 

Confessions of Involvement of Some MPs in Smuggling Oil  

In another context, deputy Haidar al Abadi, - on the Joint Coalition - said in a press statement earlier that "confessions made by some involved in Basra events revealed links between some deputies were involving in oil smuggling and other issues, refusing to disclose their names. For his part, the independent MP Wael Abdel Latif clarified that he made a meeting between the Presidency of the Council of Deputies and heads of parliamentary blocs to discuss the subject of requests from Parliament Recognizes judicial bodies to lift the immunity of several deputies. According to Article 20 of the Rules of Procedure of the House of Representatives, lifting the immunity of a deputy needs under a court order with the consent of an absolute majority. 

Complaints of Escalated Violations against Journalists  

On another side a group of journalists complained of the conditions of journalistic work in this southern city, considering the recurrence of abuses during the recent events pointing out there is no changes in the security conditions. 

One journalist described the situation as a gesture irony where there is allegation on the recent security improvement witnessed in the city while the fear of movement for journalists has become more dangerous from being subjected to attacks against by the security authorities during their coverage of events in the city.

 
He warned that "some journalists subjected to constant violations which lead to a situation of restricting media freedom in Basra and affect their role in society. 

In less than a month, a number of journalists in the city assaulted, beaten and verbally abused during their coverage of events in the city following the attack on the Chief of the syndicate in Basra two weeks ago, which led to the closure of Journalists Union in Basra doors to protest the incident. 

Union Demonstrations to Demand Transfers to the Permanent Staffing 

Dozens of temporary workers in the electricity centre of Basra demonstrated after the despair of the implementation of promises and serious consideration to the fact demanding the government agencies responsible for the installation of permanent cadres and improve their pension wondering. “Is it justice to determine salaries ninety thousand dinars per month where the market prices rise in various areas the Iraq witnessed.” Said protestors. 

The demands of workers wanted for turning temporary encompassing to permanent and the rights and privileges as their peers, with an emphasis on the need to take advantage of scientific testimony. They hold the demonstration at a time when the country is in dire need of these energies. 

HEYET Net