http://news.linktv.org Link TV News Videos (Filtered by topics: Muqdadiyah) en-us Wed, 14 Dec 2011 00:00:00 -0800 Copyright 2011 Link Media, Inc. http://news.linktv.org/videos/mosaic-news-121411?start=1035 <p>Egyptians seek more "balanced" vote in second round of parliamentary elections, Obama's speech at Fort Bragg marks end of Iraq war, Syria faces surge of violence as Assad's brigades invade Hama killing 32 civilians, and more.</p> Wed, 14 Dec 2011 00:00:00 -0800 http://news.linktv.org/videos/mosaic-news-121411 Withdrawal of US troops from Iraq, Israel Defense Forces, Jerusalem, Iraq, Israel, Egypt, Syrian Civil War, Yemen Uprising, Bahrain Uprising, Al-Shabaab Presenter, Female #1 Protests broke out in a number of areas in Diyala rejecting the provincial council's decision to declare the province an independent administrative and economic region. Presenter, Male #1 Protestors marched across the streets of Baqubah, the villages of al-Khalis County, Salam District, and Muqdadiyah. They carried banners and chanted slogans rejecting division, partition and sectarianism, and calling for national unity. Reporter, Male #2 "No, no to the region" is the message from the residents of the two counties of Muqdadiyah and al-Khalis to the provincial council, which lacked a majority vote to declare the province an administrative region, in a spontaneous and peaceful demonstration that flooded the streets of the city known as the "City of Orange." Residents of Baqubah city joined the demonstration and the masses of protestors stood in front of the provincial council building, raising their voices of condemnation and denunciation, and threatening to hold a sit-in if the provincial council insists on implementing its decision. We walked among the protestors and interviewed them about the province's declaration to be a region. Their rejection to the declaration was firm, and is based on national consideration connected to the country's unity and sovereignty. Guest, Male #3 (Ibrahim Mohamed, Citizen) We do not accept, we do not accept, and we do not accept the decision to declare this province a separate region. And we will march on this path until death! Guest, Male #4 (Amr Ali, Citizen) We will not accept partition, sectarianism, and humiliation. Diyala is part of the country, and the country is one! Reporter, Male #2 Even officials in the province had a firm stance on the issue and rejected the decision. Their statements were in harmony with the citizens' words. Guest, Male #5 (Sadiq al-Hosseini, Deputy Chairman of Diyala Provincial Council) The council of ministers promised us that a meeting would be convened on December 21 with his Excellency the prime minister. Then the problems of Diyala Province will be brought forth to his Excellency the prime minister. Guest, Male #6, (Essam Shakir, Member of Diyala Provincial Council) The session was not held at the provincial council, nor was it attended by members of the provincial council, nor the chairman of the council, nor his deputy. The law requires attendance from the council's chairman and his deputy in order to convene a session. Therefore, the decision at this time in fact serves terrorism and terrorists and those trying to fish in murky waters. This is the honest truth. Reporter, Male #2 Others believed this step was politicized by parties inside the provincial council who are supported by politicians in the capital Baghdad, and who in turn carry out their agendas dictated by foreign powers. Guest, Male #7 (Engineer Faleh al-Ameri, Deputy of Minister of Construction and Housing) This move seemed to be rushed and politicized by a group of members in the provincial council. The evidence is that the governor and the head of the provincial council did not know. Reporter, Male #2 The local councils for the counties of al-Khalis, Muqdadiyah and Baqubah unanimously issued a decision rejecting the province's declaration to be an administrative region. In addition, they say they will take to the streets for a sit-in if the provincial council does not retract yesterday's decision. Haidar Shakur, al-Iraqiya.