Middle East News

Iraqi protesters demand more jobs, better living standards

Feb 9, 2011, 13:51 GMT

Hilla, Iraq - Hundreds of Iraqi protesters took to the streets on Wednesday demanding greater employment opportunities, higher living standards and less corruption.

Demonstrators in Hilla city, some 100 kilometres south of Baghdad, carried banners and called for the dismissal of the provincial council of Hilla, as well as the municipal council.

Thousands of people have been protesting across Iraq over the past week, demanding better living standards and an improvement in electricity and water services.

Iraq's power problems date back to the early 1990s when the national electricity network was destroyed in the first Gulf War. Since the US-led invasion in 2003, most attempts at fixing the power supply crisis and providing better water resources have failed.

Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki last week agreed to cut his salary in half to help 'reduce the gap in the living standards for the different classes' after growing unrest about poor public services and water shortages in the country.

Iraq's demonstrations come amid political unrest in Egypt, where anti-government protesters have demanded that President Hosny Mubarak step down after nearly 30 years in power.

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