Iyad Allawi's 'change' campaign

Iyad Allawi's 'change' campaign

On the once-sealed Zeitoun street, in Baghdad’s Mansour district, one of the biggest gatherings anyone we were with could remember, was under way.

Hundreds of Iraqi voters - around 600 or 700 by our estimates - turned out on Wednesday to hear Iyad Allawi, head of the opposition Iraqiya coalition, speak.

“We promise to change everything,” he told supporters gathered just outside his place of residence in the Iraqi capital.

“In Iraq’s future, there is no difference between Kurds and Arabs. There is no difference between Muslim and Christian and Turkmen,” Allawi said.

It underscored a new message, a new direction in Iraqi politics, and the main platform of Iraqiya: an end to sectarianism, and a welcoming of secularism.

Allawi’s message evidently resonated with those at the rally, who told us they were voting for Iraqiya and Allawi because the government - that of Nouri al-Maliki - had not done enough for them.

Allawi several times in his speech called on his supporters to make sure to vote in the upcoming March 7 poll, although turnout is expected to be higher than the two previous national polls.

The gathered Iraqiya supporters, on the whole, appeared quite upbeat on their political prospects, often breaking into song and dance, sometimes even cutting off Allawi, or Abu Hamza as they affectionately referred to him.

Before Abu Hamza was even able to speak, one of his fans insisted on loudly reciting a poem in his honour.

But despite the cheery mood at what has been such an unusually-large gathering for Baghdad in recent years, it was evident that so many were only willing to turn out because of the very high security measures.

No vehicles were allowed nearby, and police and troops were present in large numbers.

In fact, there was even a (fairly minor) security incident as Abu Hamza exited stage and journalists rushed in to try to get something more out of the hopeful candidate.

A certain international correspondent pressing to get closer - red faced, determined look, and with a heavy (bullet-proof) vest under his shirt - drew a few looks of surprise from the guards, followed by a heavy prodding of his chest.

Most media members were, however, then allowed onto Allawi's yard for a chat with him, Adnan Pachachi, and a few other members of his coaliton.

By the time we were done, 20-30 minutes later, there were few indications that a stage had ever been there, just a few rally stragglers, some of whom were clearly awaiting handouts.

Update - March 4: Added in video of Iraqis dancing at the campaign rally