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DEL.ICIO.USSoldiers note Iraqi voter turnout higher than back home
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Yusufiyah, Iraq - The woman in the black abaya and bright blue dress zigzagged through a maze of concertina wire, around rifle-wielding Iraqi soldiers and into an elementary school to cast her ballot this morning.
One poll worker checked Sadia Ali Mutar’s identity. The next volunteer handed her a red, white and blue ballot. And a third man led her behind a cardboard screen. She checked “Yes” on her ballot, signifying she supports the proposed national constitution.
Louie Favorite/AJC
Sadia Ali Mutar shows off her ink-stained hand after voting Saturday.
Mutar proudly disclosed she had studied the document before arriving at her polling place. She hopes it will boost security in her mostly rural farming community, located about 10 miles south of Baghdad. This area is nicknamed “The Triangle of Death” for its violent insurgency.
“I know it very well. It’s a very good constitution,” she said through an Arabic interpreter who was working with Georgia National Guard soldiers at the voting sites. “I accept it 100 percent.”
Mutar, a homemaker and mother of nine, added she was glad she could vote in the referendum. “Women are very important in society,” she declared.
She dropped her folded ballot in a clear plastic container. And then an election official led her to a small table with an orange bottle of indelible ink. She dipped her right index finger in it. The blue stain lasts for 72 hours and protects against people voting more than once.
Mutar smiled as the poll workers encouraged her to show off her ink-stained finger. While she prepared to leave, a visitor asked her if she thought the constitution would pass. “Inshalah,” she responded in Arabic for “If God wills it.”
Louie Favorite/AJC
Volunteer poll workers frisk a voter as he enters the Omer Bin Kadab primary school in Yusufiyah.
A few hours later, insurgents mortared a separate polling place several hundred yards away. They fired a mortar at a third polling place Thursday, slightly injuring a small girl. They also fired a rocket-propelled grenade at the U.S. base here and fired mortars and detonated roadside bombs near surrounding U.S. and Iraqi checkpoints Friday. No one was injured in the attacks.
Poll workers paused for about 10 minutes when the mortar rounds exploded near them in an open field today. And then they resumed work.
“It’s like I heard music. We hear that everyday,” said Abtisam Abbas, 38, a pharmacist from Baghdad who was frisking female voters at the entrance to the site.
Like Mutar, Abbas voted for the constitution.
“We have to show the Arabic countries that we have democracy in Iraq,” said Abbas, who wore a cream-colored headscarf and blue floral-print dress.
Of the three polling sites in this town, Abbas was at the busiest. About 1,700 voters showed up there by 2:45 p.m. Turnout was light in the two other locations this morning. Less than 10 appeared at one site in the first hour.
Dozens of poll workers — who are each being paid the equivalent of $200 — stood around at one site with little to do, complaining that they wanted to eat. They predicted, however, that turnout would increase as the day wore on. The polls were set to close at 5 p.m.
Amad Hussein Asey is one of 265 volunteer poll workers who arrived here from Baghdad on cattle trucks Friday afternoon. He said he dreamed of his three young children as he slept Friday night at Sadir Al Yusufiyah, a girls secondary school.
Louie Favorite/AJC
Security was everywhere during Saturday’s vote.
“First of all, it is for my country,” said Asey, 37, a national treasury employee. “The situation in Iraq is bad. People need security and to stabilize their country.”
About 20,000 people were expected to vote here by the end of the day. The only requirements to vote: you must be an Iraqi citizen, at least 18 years old and have photo identification. Prisoners were allowed to vote earlier this week.
Ali Hatim Hussein, 22, a specialist in the Iraq army, took a break from manning a checkpoint today to vote. He said he hopes a new constitution will increase his county’s stability and make it unnecessary for U.S. forces to be here.
“We appreciate the coalition for what they did for us and we will never forget it. But it is important for the Iraqi citizens to see an Iraqi army protecting them,” he said.
Sgt. Casey Roberts stood guard outside the school where Hussein voted, observing people streaming in and out.
“It’s a better turnout then what you get back home,” said Roberts, 31, a police detective from Statesboro. “These folks are facing bodily harm to come here, but they are coming out. It’s kind of neat, something I can look back on and tell my kids about.”
Roberts is a medic, so he was popular this morning. An elderly man who showed up to vote approached him, complaining of involuntary shaking. Roberts said he appeared to have Parkinson’s disease. He promised to help him get medical care in Baghdad.
Earlier in the morning, one of the top Iraqi election official politely asked for Roberts and the other U.S. soldiers to stay outside the polling places. Maj. Ray Bossert agreed, instructing his men to keep a low profile. They were stationed at the voting sites, he said, only in case of emergencies. The Iraqi army was in charge of security.
“That’s the way it should be,” Bossert, 38, a retiree from Douglasville, said as he walked through the town’s garbage strewn streets. “There should be an Iraqi face on the whole thing. We should be in the background.”
Tahir K. Kadhim was one of the first voters to show up at his polling place this morning. The 63-year-old repairman wore his blue Ministry of Electricity jumpsuit to vote. It was open at the collar, revealing dark reddish skin weathered by Iraq’s scorching sun. He showed a poll worker his orange and blue government employee identification card.
“Just sign yes or no. You don’t need to write down your name,” a volunteer told Kadhim as he handed him a ballot.
Kadhim checked “yes” on the ballot, which reveals seashell designs when held up to the light. Kadhim said he cannot read but he heard about the constitution on TV and has faith it will make things better in Iraq.
“In Saddam Hussein’s time, there was security. But now we can’t feel secure in our city,” said Kadhim, who boasts about his two wives and 18 children. “We need security. And the people will get jobs. There are a lot of people who have no work. God bless everybody.”
Before leaving, Kadhim dipped his finger in the indelible ink. He said he wouldn’t try to conceal the stain or scrub it off, despite threats from insurgents. He said he wasn’t scared. God, he said, could take his life at any time.
Comments
Commenting is now closed for this entry.
By Cristina S.
October 15, 2005 09:07 AM | Link to this
As I sit here and read this article, tears filled my eyes, because we live in such a great country. We are blessed to live in the land of the free. These people have to worry about their safety while going to the voting polles.
To the AJC, thank you for what you are doing to keep us inform on our 48th Brigade soldiers. I knew I could go on your website and find out how the voting is going and how our soldiers are doing.
To my husband J.K. Stanley and the whole 48th Brigade. I’m so proud of you. You are doing your job without complaining. You live in poor conditions and you continue to fight for these people to have the same freedoms as you do. You are our heroes and we miss you and pray for your safety. May GOD bless the 48th Brigade and all our US Soldiers station in Iraq.
Cristina
By Linda Healton
October 15, 2005 10:42 AM | Link to this
Jeremy..You and Louie are doing a FANTASTIC job on reporting. Thank you so much for keeping us all up to date and for reporting from the FOBs as well as the camps.Keep up the great work. We all appreciate it.
By Brian G. Finlay
October 15, 2005 11:06 AM | Link to this
Although I did not think we should have invaded Iraq, I support our soldiers there and hope that the Iraqi vote will hasten their return home. I am impressed that the Iraqi people vote despite the instability and threat of danger for doing so. I wish the American people valued their right to vote as much and hope that the example of the brave Iraqi will lead Americans to make better use of their right to vote. God bless our troops and God bless the Iraqi people and guide them to peace and stability.
By Tammy
October 15, 2005 11:10 AM | Link to this
Ditto on Christina and Linda’s comments!!! God Bless you Jeremy and Louie and all of our soldiers! You are doing wonderful things and you Are making a difference! I believe you are making a difference in in the hearts of alot of people back home to. How can we read this and take our freedoms so lightly ever again! God Bless you all and keep you safe, as well as the Iraqis who are standing up for their Democracy.
By sa
October 15, 2005 11:11 AM | Link to this
im excited for the Iraqis. i agree with them when they say “if it is Gos’s will.” God will make everything right for us all. One thing caught my eye —it said prisoners were allowed to vote—in America prisoners lose thier right to vote. Maybe we can learn from the Iraqi’s.
By Stacey
October 15, 2005 12:40 PM | Link to this
Jeremy, … your reporting is top notch!!! This is a great day for the people of Iraq as well as our troops. I am so proud of the 48th and all soldiers that have been there to make this happen. You all are such heros and keep up the great work! I know I am so proud of my soldier and all soldiers!
By Penny
October 15, 2005 08:22 PM | Link to this
To the Brave and Courageous 48th BDE! Job Well Done!!!
To Jeremy and Louie this is the best reporting that I think has come from the AJC during your turn. You show all sides of the war and what our brave men and women are going through.
HOOAH!!!!!!!!
By Amy in Fayetteville, GA
October 17, 2005 12:48 PM | Link to this
So many thank-you’s not only to our Wonderful Soldiers, but to the reporters as well.
I read as much as I can to see if Maj. Ray Bossert is alive and well, I haven’t seen, nor heard from him in over a year. My heart is comforted to know you are doing your job well and staying safe. Our thoughts and prayers are with each and everyone over there. We continue to pray for a quick and safe return home. Miss you
By Thank you 48th BDE
October 17, 2005 02:50 PM | Link to this
Gratitude and congratulations 48th BDE for another job well done.
I do not support war - but I love and support our military!!!
I hope that all the nay-sayers will read this article and better understand why our warriors are willing to be in Iraq. They went there to fight for and bestow upon the people of Iraq freedom. And to help build and train an Iraqi army to protect that freedom for their homeland as our warriors protect our freedom.
God bless our military,the coalition and the Iraqi military.