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Muqtada al-Sadr calls for pursuing reforms demanded by the people

Rasa – The leader of Iraq’s Sadrist Movement called for the implementation of genuine reform in the country’s political structure, saying they will bring progress adding that radical reforms should also be pursued by the people.

News ID: 3254

Date: 31 August 2015 - 21:08

RNA – In the wake of the million-strong protests which began last Friday in the Iraqi capital, Baghdad, wherein the people called for the complete implementation of the government’s radical political reform program, Sayyid Muqtada al-Sadr, the leader of the country’s Sadrist Movement, has issued a statement expressing his hope that this grassroots movement will lead to real reform of the Iraq’s political structure and that its people will witness the further flourishing of the country.

In his statement, al-Sadr asked God to "always keep the Islamic nation of Iraq calm and keep its people safe from the threats of terrorism, ISIL, extremism and ethnic and sectarian violence."

He also thanked the protestors and the security forces for clearing the path for reform and national unity and the rejection of sectarianism.

“We hope for the birth of a new Iraq filled with peace and prosperity, faith and brotherhood and life, justice, dignity and freedom, truth and goodness,” he said, expressing his full support for unity, independence and reform, justice and freedom and partnership and rejected sectarianism and occupation, corruption, injustice, decay and quotas in the strife-torn nation.

al-Sadr offered his support to all ethnic and religious groups in Iraq, including Christians, Izadis, Sabaeans, and Sunni and Shi’a Muslims and said that the first step in the reform process is that mankind reforms himself through thought and then society can begin to reform itself.

The Iraqi cleric continued, saying that political reforms should also be pursued by the people and they should not expect that the corrupt Iraqi political system will reform itself.

Last Friday’s protests in Baghdad’s Tahrir Square and elsewhere in the country were attended by millions of people who called on the Iraqi government to implement Prime Minister Haydar al-Abadi’s ambitious reform plan, end the rampant corruption in the country and provide badly needed services and employment opportunities for the people.

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