Ewa Jasiewicz
Occupation Watch

Today saw thousands of former soldiers riot in the streets of Basra after being denied three months worth of survival payments from the CPA.

Approximately 2000 ex-service men amassed in the streets of Ashaar, a crowded market, hawker-mafia district, with sellers and junk stalls flanking a filthy river, and the home of the Raffidian Bank, aka pay-out HQ. Today was Iraqi Army Day - the annual celebration of over 80 years of soldiering and saluting to the beat of many a monarchy, authoritarian, general coup fought and dictatorship drum. For the thousands of ex-service men laid off in May and demonstrating outside CPA South HQ on a weekly basis, today had a deeper significance. It was also the deadline for their 10-day pay-or-face-our-organized-wrath vow over 3 months of financial destitution courtesy of CPA indifference.