Civil servants in Iraq heed Sadr’s call to go on strike

Iraqi government employees in Baghdad went on strike and took to the streets on Sunday, following a renewed call by the firebrand Shiite leader Muqtada al-Sadr.

Sadr called on the workers to remain on strike for at least two days, in a bid to force Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi’s government to hasten grassroots reforms, including action against widespread official corruption.

Sadr’s directive includes a campaign to collect millions of signature before the Eid holidays for an anti-corruption drive.

“We are from the oil distribution board and we are on strike now,” said an oil company worker. “We disagree with the actions of politicians and reject sectarian corruption. We side with the plight of the people and their pains. 

What we are working for now is to fight corruption.”

Sadr called on both Shiites, Sunnis and Iraqis of other faiths to his call for a strike.