Hundreds of Sadr supporters continue to camp at Iraqi parliament

The occupation that began on Saturday was the second time in days that Shia cleric Moqtada al Sadr's supporters had forced their way into the legislative chamber.

Despite oil wealth and elevated global crude prices, Iraq remains hobbled by corruption, unemployment and other problems, which sparked a youth-led protest movement in 2019. (AFP)

Hundreds of followers of Iraqi Shia cleric Moqtada al Sadr have began a second day camped at the country's parliament.

On Sunday morning, the demonstrators marked the Muslim month of Muharram, a traditional Shia celebration, with religious chants and collective meals.

Volunteers distributed soup, hard-boiled eggs, bread and water to the protesters.

Some had spent the night inside the air conditioned building — which dates from Saddam Hussein's era — with blankets spread out on the marble floors.

Others took to the gardens, on plastic mats under palm trees.

A day earlier, they stormed the complex despite tear gas, water cannon and baking temperatures that touched 47 degrees Celsius.

They pulled down heavy concrete barricades on roads leading to Baghdad's fortified Green Zone of diplomatic and government buildings to break in.

READ MORE: Iraqi parliament sessions suspended due to storming by Sadr supporters

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Political deadlock

Nearly ten months after October elections, Iraq is still without a new government despite intense negotiations between factions.

Analysts have said Sadr, a mercurial cleric who once led a militia against US and Iraqi government forces, is using street protests to signal that his views must be taken into account in government formation.

The immediate trigger for the occupation was the decision by a rival Shia bloc, which is pro-Iran, to pick Mohammed Shia al Sudani for the prime minister's post.

In multi-confessional and multi-ethnic Iraq, government formation has involved complex negotiations since a 2003 US-led invasion toppled Hussein.

Sadr's bloc emerged from elections in October as the biggest parliamentary faction, but was still far short of a majority.

In June his 73 lawmakers quit in a bid to break a logjam over the establishment of a new government.

That led to a pro-Iran block becoming the largest in parliament, but still there was no agreement on naming a new prime minister, president or cabinet.

READ MORE: Muqtada al Sadr's supporters storm Iraq's parliamentary building

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Source: AFP

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Hundreds of human rights leaders killed in Colombia in 5 years

The state response has been "insufficient to reduce the levels of violence, prevent abuses committed by criminal organisations and adequately protect communities in the territories," according to the report.

Despite the peace agreement signed by the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) guerrillas and the government in 2016, violence has intensified. (AP)

More than 562 human rights defenders were killed in Colombia between 2016 and 2021, according to a report by the United Nations Human Rights Office.

The report, published Tuesday, revealed that at least 22 human rights defenders have been killed this year in Colombia, where rising violence perpetrated by criminal organisations that seek control of territories for drug trafficking is having a "devastating" effect. The number could be much higher, the report said, as the UN office has received up to 114 complaints, many of which are still in the process of being verified.

The state response has been "insufficient to reduce the levels of violence, prevent abuses committed by criminal organisations and adequately protect communities in the territories," according to the report.

Despite the peace agreement signed by the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) guerrillas and the government in 2016, violence has intensified.

READ MORE: FARC guerrilla group dissidents killed in Colombian military operation

After signing the peace deal, a FARC unit of dissidents said it would not lay down arms and would continue fighting. Other armed groups such as the National Liberation Army and the Gulf Clan also remain.

"In some places these groups seem to supplant some of the State's own functions and regulate many aspects of community life, even making decisions on family issues or local justice," said Juliette De Rivero, Colombian representative of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, during the presentation of the report.

Achieving peace with all the criminal armed groups that still have a significant presence in the country is one of the biggest challenges that incoming President Gustavo Petro faces when he takes office August 7.

The report said the current military strategy has failed to stop armed groups' expansion and urged the incoming government to prioritise tackling violence that is particularly affecting women, children, indigenous peoples, Afro-descendants, community leaders and human rights defenders.

READ MORE: Clashes between Colombia rebels kill over two dozen

Source: AA

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