A leader in the Sadr Movement warned today, Sunday, about infiltrators, while the Coordination Framework commented that Muqtada al-Sadr's statements regarding "fundamental change to the political system" border on calls for a coup.
Salah Muhammad al-Iraqi stated in a message: "Beware of infiltrators among you, O revolutionaries... Report them and reject all acts of violence, sabotage, and bloodshed." He added: "From here, I call upon our dear security forces to be cautious and alert because the people are your people, and reform can only be achieved through you."
This statement comes after Muqtada al-Sadr described today, Sunday, the situation in the country as "a great opportunity to change the political system and the constitution." He mentioned: "I sincerely hope that the golden opportunity from 2016 is not missed again... Yes, this is a great opportunity for a fundamental change to the political system, the constitution, and the elections."
In response to al-Sadr, the Coordination Framework said: "The Coordination Framework persists in calling for dialogue with all political forces, especially our brothers in the Sadr Movement, while unfortunately, we see a continuous escalation and a regrettable development of events that have reached the point of calling for a coup against the people, the state, its institutions, and the political process, and the constitution and elections. This is a call to overthrow the constitutional legitimacy that has enjoyed popular, revered, and international support over the past years, and that the people voted for with an absolute majority."
The statement clarified that this "is a dangerous matter that brings to mind the bloody coups that Iraq experienced during decades of dictatorship before the change... The authentic Iraqi people and their honorable clans and active forces will not allow any infringement of these constitutional foundations by the supporters of a single political bloc that does not represent all the Iraqi people."
It added: "We announce that we in the Coordination Framework stand with the people in defending the rights of citizens, the legitimacy of the state, and the political process, the constitution, and all of its legal outputs, and we defend them by all means possible... Anyone with an opinion or project for amending the constitution is welcome to do so through constitutional frameworks... Any action contrary to this is a violation of all red lines and a threat to civil peace and the rule of law and opens the door wide for the corrupt who have seized the people's money and pillaged the state."
Yesterday, Saturday, the heavily fortified Green Zone in Baghdad witnessed an incursion by thousands of supporters of the Sadr Movement, who declared their sit-in inside the parliament building to express their opposition to the nomination of Mohammed al-Sudani for prime minister.
With the situation escalating, Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi issued a statement holding the political factions responsible for the escalation and urged them to prioritize dialogue and make concessions to overcome the crisis.
Additionally, an unknown group identifying itself as the "Organizational Committee to Support Legitimacy and Maintain State Institutions" called for counter-demonstrations tomorrow, Monday, in front of the Green Zone. The committee stated in a message: "We call upon our Iraqi people of all spectrums, tribal, academic, and cultural activities to rise and peacefully demonstrate to defend their state."
