In response to the protests, local power-industry managers promised to increase the number of hours that the electricity would be on in Basra.
“Ministry teams are working hard to repair damaged lines, and we promise people that the supply will improve," Sabah Abdul Wahed, director-general of Basra’s electricity distribution department, told IWPR. "I can tell you that there’s been a marked improvement in the last few days".
Local residents acknowledged that things had got a bit better, but expressed doubt that this would be sustained.
"We’re now getting a better level of electricity – about six hours a day, but who can say how long that will last?" student Hanan Abuldamir said. "If they do it again – cut the power supply – we will do it again – protest."
Abu Iraq (a pseudonym) and Khalid Waleed are IWPR-trained journalists in Iraq. Mohammed al-Zaidi, an IWPR-trained journalist, contributed reporting.
(Photo by Abu Iraq).
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