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STORY: IRAQ / ELECTIONS
TRT: 2.33
SOURCE: UNAMI
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGE: ARABIC / NATS
DATELINE: 29-30 APRIL 2014, IRAQ, BAGHDAD
29 APRIL 2014, IRAQ, BAGHDAD
1. Zoom out, central Baghdad, Al-Jumariyah Bridge, Tigris River a day before the elections.
2. Pan left, central Baghdad a day before the general elections, crowded with candidates posters.
30 APRIL 2014, IRAQ, BAGHDAD
3. Pan left, United Nations convoy at the UN compound in Baghdad ready to move and check on the opening of the polling stations.
4. Pan right, wide and long clear area full with different security forces securing polling station in Baghdad.
5. Zoom in, people check the list of the candidates and their numbers.
6. Zoom in, the list of candidates.
7. Zoom in, banner of IHEC (Independent High Electoral Commission) and IHEC employees checking preparations before opening the polling stations for voting.
8. Med shot, IHEC employees checking the electronic registration
9. Med shot, IHEC employees counting the ballots.
10. Pan left, voting room.
11. Med shot, Iraqi woman votes with her young daughter.
12. SOUNDBITE (Arabic), 51 year old man voter with his family:
“We walk for long distance, we know it is security arrangements, but even so it was long it was about one kilometer we walk”. - Why did you vote? - “I think that the country needs the change”.
13. Med shot, old man walking in the voting center
14. SOUNDBITE (Arabic), 46 year old man voter with his son: “it is a joy, a joy for the Iraqi people; we hope it will be good”. He added, “it was easy to come and vote”. When asked why he voted, he said, “We are here to make a change in the faces”.
15. Zoom out, ballot paper.
16. Med shot, agents
17. SOUNDBITE (Arabic), Hamid al-Tany international observer for the Ambassador of Islamic Conference Organization:
”The arrangements that IHEC did were convincing and the electronic registration system was good and made the process smooth for the voter, we wish that the Iraqi people participate on voting in higher numbers”.
18. Wide shot, man voting
Today, (Apr 30) Iraqis have cast their ballots for the Council of Representatives, or legislature, in what will be the country’s third national election under the 2005 Constitution. On the same day, voters in the Kurdistan Region have also voted for their Governorate Council representatives.
Twenty-two million people were eligible to vote in these elections, choosing between 9000 candidates and 276 political entities for 328 seats in the Council of Representatives.
Amid security concerns, authorities have banned all civilian vehicles, which meant some voters had to walk several kilometers to reach their polling stations.
“We walk for long distance, we know it is security arrangements, but even so it was long it was about one kilometer we walk”. – said a 51-year old voter in Baghdad.
In the eve of the vote, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has highlighted the importance of Wednesday’s national elections for peace and stability in Iraq and called for creating the necessary conditions to enable all citizens to participate in the polls.
He also condemned the wave of violence and terrorist attacks that has targeted political leaders, candidates and electoral staff ahead of the elections and conveyed his deepest condolences to the families of those affected.
160 people have died from violence in Iraq in a week leading to the polls.
