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The government’s decision to purchase 350 armored cars for the members of the Iraqi parliament has sparked a war of words between the Sadr bloc and the rest of the deputies.
The Sadr bloc is the political arm of the movement led by the senior Shiite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr which draws most of its popular base from the low-income neighborhoods of Baghdad and the southern Iraqi provinces.
While most deputies think driving in armored cars in Baghdad and elsewhere is necessary due to rising violence in the country, Sadr legislators believe they are a waste of money.
“The money to be spent on these cars should be doled out to the poor Iraqi families. Members of the Sadr bloc will not use them,” said Ali al-Tamimi, a Sadr deputy.
The Sadr movement has 42 deputies in the parliament and is part of the ruling coalition led by Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki.
Tamimi said the movement wanted the public to be aware of how their money was being wasted. He said Iraqi people should know which parties want their deputies to drive in armored cars, each costing the treasury more than $60,000.
“Deputies of the Sadr block voted against the purchase of the armored cars and therefore they cannot accept them,” Tamimi said.
The Sadr movement is now collecting signatures of those opposing the deal to purchase the vehicles.
“The sums to be spent on buying these armored vehicles should be spent on projects in low-income areas or handed out to poor families,” Tamimi said.
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The Sadr bloc is the political arm of the movement led by the senior Shiite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr which draws most of its popular base from the low-income neighborhoods of Baghdad and the southern Iraqi provinces.
While most deputies think driving in armored cars in Baghdad and elsewhere is necessary due to rising violence in the country, Sadr legislators believe they are a waste of money.
“The money to be spent on these cars should be doled out to the poor Iraqi families. Members of the Sadr bloc will not use them,” said Ali al-Tamimi, a Sadr deputy.
The Sadr movement has 42 deputies in the parliament and is part of the ruling coalition led by Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki.
Tamimi said the movement wanted the public to be aware of how their money was being wasted. He said Iraqi people should know which parties want their deputies to drive in armored cars, each costing the treasury more than $60,000.
“Deputies of the Sadr block voted against the purchase of the armored cars and therefore they cannot accept them,” Tamimi said.
The Sadr movement is now collecting signatures of those opposing the deal to purchase the vehicles.
“The sums to be spent on buying these armored vehicles should be spent on projects in low-income areas or handed out to poor families,” Tamimi said.
[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]
