Iraqi election despatches

A free election is a new experience for most Iraqi voters

Iraqi journalists, including those working for the BBC Arabic Service, and some ordinary citizens have been emailing their impressions of the country's landmark elections.

The BBC News website is publishing their daily despatches from all parts of Iraq.

Ahmad Saadawi
BBC Baghdad office, 28 January

I was sharing a taxi with some other people, when one of them started handing out CDs without any explanation. On leaving the taxi, he left some more CDs behind and asked the driver to hand them out to other passengers later in the day. I later discovered that they were essentially slogans and ads for a political group taking part in the election, interspersed with comic skits. Today, the streets of Baghdad feel empty. Some roads have been sealed off, and people are in a rush to finish their daily business and get home before 7 PM local time when a curfew is supposed to come into effect. In my neighbourhood, two families have moved out to another part of the city so that they can be right near polling station. I may have to spend the night in the office, in case getting to work becomes difficult tomorrow. Life is slowing down in Baghdad in anticipation of the big day.

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Khalil Osman
BBC Arabic Service, with the British forces in Basra, 28 January

I arrived in Basra on board a British Royal Air Force aircraft. I will be embedded with British forces in the southern sector of Iraq. Officers from the Multi National Force told me that the see their role in the forthcoming elections as facilitators. They insist that the task of protecting polling stations is largely a matter for the Iraqi police. They will intervene and offer protection only when it is essential. Iraqi officials here strongly echo this, arguing that security is the responsibility of Iraqi security forces. Election banners, leaflets and posters are everywhere in Basra. You see them in places that are supposed to be off limit to electioneering such as universities and schools.

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Zainab Ahmed Bilal
Karbala, 27 January

I started my day in the usual way - going to a petrol station. But by the time I got there, two lines of cars had already formed. A police officer approached my car and told us that the station had already run out of gasoline. My mother was with me and we decided to go the local market to pick up a few essentials in preparation for the extensive curfew that was due to come into effect for elections and which we were told was to last "until further notice". The market was heaving with people who were stocking up on meat, bread, eggs etc. They too were getting ready for this curfew. We did our shopping and headed home, and another candle-lit evening without electricity.

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Essam Ainachi
BBC Arabic Service, Basra, 27 January

As the days pass before elections, the situation has become more inflamed in this part of the country. People's joy at the first democratic event here is tinged with caution and fear. This sense of uncertainty is being compounded by the very heavy presence of the security forces, the police and the National Guard in the city. Talking to some people in Basra, one hears much about the fear and indeed expectation of further acts of violence. Walking around the city, one sees many campaign posters. Some of them unfortunately have been disfigured. The curfew, which comes into force at 2200, is no longer such a nuisance since life comes almost to a stop in the city well before then.

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Ahmad al-Saadawi
BBC Arabic Service, Baghdad, 27 January

The number of journalists waiting outside the conference centre here in Baghdad seems to be increasing every day, as the date for getting the necessary permits approaches. Elsewhere in this city, I have seen families out shopping in the well known al-Shurja market, buying mineral water, food etc. in preparation for any emergency or crisis that may happen in the days that immediately precede the elections. Walking in Baghdad, one can see some campaign posters removed or disfigured. I suspect that rival factions and political parties carry out these acts. Close to Jumhuriya bridge, I have seen youngsters tearing up posters for the prime minister's political party. No-one can ignore the impact on voters of these posters and advertisements, and parties are doing their best to utilise this tool, especially in the last remaining days before the elections.