Protests in Saddam's Home Town as Trial Begins

Hundreds of people in Tikrit marked the trial of Saddam Hussein this week with mass demonstrations that reflected mistrust of the Iraqi government as much as solidarity with the former Iraqi leader.

As the trial opened, currents of anger and resentment toward the continuing presence of United States-led forces and the Iraqi government flowed through the city, once a centre of Baathist power.

However, the demonstrations were closely watched by police and no major security incidents were reported.

Tikrit, capital of the Salahaddin province, is located 180 kilometres north of Baghdad, and is considered Saddam’s home town as he was born in the village of Al-Oja just seven kilometres away.

Many residents did not disagree that Saddam and his aides needed to be tried, but maintained that they would not receive fair hearings in the Supreme Iraqi Criminal Tribunal established under the occupation.

The former Iraqi leader and seven of his aides are accused of crimes against humanity in the town of Dijail in 1982, where 143 people were killed, and mass arrests and torture took place.

Their trial opened for one day on October 19 and was adjourned until November 28 to give Saddam’s lawyer more time to prepare.

Ramazn Azab, a 37-year-old former security officer, argued that the tribunal was not credible because it was formed under the US-created Coalition Provisional Authority in 2003. He also said that “occupation forces” were now committing crimes similar to Saddam’s every day.

"The Americans came to Iraq under the pretext that [Iraq had] weapons of mass destruction, but they did not find anything,” he said. “Then they began talking about mass graves. They create mass graves by killing dozens of Iraqis daily, and yet no one questions them about it. Is this not a crime?"

Maaz Ahmed Hamid of the Saladdin lawyers’ association agreed that the court was invalid because it was established under an “occupation government”.

“Any president should enjoy international immunity that prevents him from being summoned to the court,” said Hamid. “This is what is stated in the old Iraqi constitution, and in other constitutions around the world."

US-based Human Rights Watch released a report ahead of the trial expressing concern about the fairness of the tribunal. It addressed the political climate, questioning whether disputes by Iraqi political factions over control of the court would jeopardise its “appearance of impartiality”.

Saddam and his aides are accused of committing the crimes in Dijail following an assassination attempt against the former leader.

In Tikrit, some said they did not believe the charges levelled against Saddam and his former deputies had any substance.

Jasim Khalaf Jaburi, of Tikrit's cultural centre, said Saddam was not an ideal president but that “any leader would have done what he did”.

"My personal view is that this [trial] is a staged scene presented by the Americans,” he said. “Through this mockery they want to draw people’s attention away from the constitution.

Tikrit is a stronghold for Sunni Arabs, many whom have felt alienated from power since Saddam’s government was toppled in 2003. Initial results from last week’s constitutional referendum showed 78 per cent of voters in Tikrit rejected the proposed constitution.

The Independent Electoral Commission of Iraq is recounting votes in some regions where preliminary figures showed suspiciously high approval ratings. In Mosul, a majority Sunni Arab city that reportedly approved of the referendum by a wide margin, many suspected fraud.

"Saddam's trial is being held specifically at this time, as a well-organised game by this false government, which is an American government,” said Gaylan Abas Hamad, a traffic police captain. “They want to justify the constitution and cover up the fraud in Mosul.”

Jasim al-Sabawi is an IWPR trainee in Iraq.