American troops shoot demonstrators

Friday, January 6th, 2006

Worker-communist Party of Iraq

Statement of the Worker-communist Party of Iraq on shooting demonstrators in the northern Iraqi city of Kirkuk. American troops commit another hideous crime.

The enraged masses of people in Kirkuk organized a mass demonstration on January1, 2005 against the poor living conditions, absence of basic services and sharp increase in fuel prices dictated by International Monetary Fund, (IMF.)The USA troops assisted by the local police, which is controlled by the pro-USA ethnic parties, opened fire on demonstrators killing 4 people including, Yokhana Yaqo Yokhana and Omer Foad Othman and wounding at least 10 others.

This criminal act clearly reveals the UGLY face of the democracy that the USAadministration claims it tends to build in Iraq, as the most basic demands of people in one of the richest cities with oil in the world- Kirkuk in providing basic services and fuel in suitable prices are met with bullets and random killings. The USA and pro-USA ethnic forces frequently reveal their outright antagonism with people. It seems that impoverishing people, denying them their basic rights, jeopardizing their livelihood and destroying the Iraqi society economically and as a civil society is not enough, therefore, the USA troops prevent people from protesting and expressing their sufferings amid the current disastrous conditions.

We in the Worker-communist Party of Iraq express our resentment againstthis crime and strongly condemn it and share the relatives of the victims in their pain. We call on the masses to continue their protests and demand that this crime must be investigated and those responsible punished.
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