In the middle of Iraq's ongoing protests and the people's demands to reform the governmentby fighting corruption, dismissing corrupted officials and paying real attention to the very bad public services, Baghdad mayor Sabir al-Esawi appeared on Iraqia TV two nights ago with a big smile on his face. He proudly announced the opening of the second biggest Ferris Wheel in the middle east in al-Zawraa Park in west Baghdad. Al-Esawi said the ferris wheel cost 6,000,000 USD,It is made by an Italian company and it'ss only one part of a bigger project which aims to build an amusement park to be named Sindbad land. The total cost of the park cost is 50 million USD. 

    My whole family was watching the news. We were really surprised by this news about the ferris wheel. We were not happy. Frankly, we were disappointed and frustrated.

    I can't understand the purpose of that report or how could a ferris wheel could affect positively our life. A new ferris wheel is not an issue. People didn't complain about staying home because of the lack of the amusement parks . They suffer real crises like the lack of water, lack or electricity and the lack of jobs.

     Yet, this is not my main concern.

    My real concern is the amount of money that is to be spent for the whole project. i am talking about 50 millions USD. This money can be used in more useful projects that can serve more people especially in the poor neighborhoods. We still have mud made schools in the southern provinces. We have many crowded schools where more than 45 students share a single classroom. We have very dirty hospitals and clinics in many poor areas. These medicals facilities need to be removed completely because they are not useful anymore. In fact, patients who visit these places are subject to infection.

    The news about the ferris wheel reveals one simple fact. Iraqi government strategy is not made by experts. Its just a random strategy. This random strategy waste Iraq's budget. In facts, it doesn't really waste it but it moves it from the central bank to the bank accounts of some corrupted officials.

     If the Iraqi Prime Minister is serious in his claims to fight corruption, he will stop this project to spend the money in other projects. Projects can bringreal relief and happiness to some poors in Iraq. Poors who will never care about building the second biggest FERRIS WHEEL or the first biggest one.

    After one year of her participation in the last parliamentary election in March 7th 2010, Hiyam Tawfiq is completely disappointed because she feels that she had been deceived by the promises of the Iraqi political party she voted for. Her frustration and disappointment led here to Tahrir square in  downtown Baghdad to join few hundred Iraqis organized a demonstration in March 7 2011; one year after the election. They call their demonstration THE DAY OF REGRET referring to their regret for participating in the parliamentary election. The demonstrators were confined to certain area of the square designated by yellow police tape and surrounded by dozens of Iraqi security forces who were searching those who join the demonstration.
“I feel a volcano inside me because of my anger that can damage the whole Green Zone if I release it”, said Hiyam, a 34 years former employee in the high electoral commission that prepared for the election.

    In Mrch 7 2010, Iraq held the parliamentary election that came up with Iraqia list headed by the secular Shiite political figure Ayad Allawi at the lead with 91 seats and only two seats more than the State of Law bloc headed by the current Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri Kamil al Maliki whose bloc won 89 seats. An Alliance between the State of Law bloc and main Shiite parties gave him the majority to nominate for the PM position for a second term and to start the efforts of forming the new government. Yet, these efforts were not enough even after one year to form a complete cabinet. The dilemma about some main positions had not been solved yet in spite of the many meetings and promises made by the political parties. Ali al-Mosawi, the media advisor the Iraqi Prime Minister confirmed in a phone call that the issue of the security ministers will be soon solved. “The Prime Minister will present the names of the candidates for the positions of the security ministries within the coming three days, said al Mosawi.

    Lack of services, the decrease of the substances of the ration food card, lack of job opportunities and the corruption that spread in all the governmental establishments were more than enough reasons for Iraqis to start a wave of demonstrations more than three weeks ago. The resignation of the governors in the southern provinces of Basra, Wasit and Babil provided a very good motive for Iraqis to hold more demonstrations. The 25 of February demonstration was the biggest and the most violent in spite of the curfew that was imposed by the security authorities. People and journalists were attacked and detained for hours by the anti riot forces.

 
    Intellectuals, farmers and house wives participated in the demonstration. Their demands varied from simple demands like providing service to bigger ones that include a call to reform the whole political process.  Abu Mohammed is a 33 year doctor who was moving among the demonstrators holding a small loudspeaker asking them to shout loudly against what he called the corrupted government. “We will keep demonstrating and we will increase our demands every time we demonstrate until the collapse of the government and holding new election that brings honest people to rule Iraq, said Abu Mohammed who refused to use his real name for security reasons”. 

    Abu Mazin Al Rubai’e, a 59 year farmer believes that the current government couldn’t do anything for people and its important to demonstrate to remind the politicians with their promises
“I was only 7 years when the former Iraqi president Abdul Kareem Qasim led the 1958 revolution. He could achieve a lot within five years in spite of all the conspiracies that targeted him. He could achieve a lot because he was a real patriotic leader unlike our current leaders who forgot us as soon as they won the election.”