I think I’ll predict that the “weapons handover” currently being touted as part of a “peace deal” between the Mahdi Army of Muqtada al Sadr and the Occupation and it’s Puppets is well on it’s way to fizzling out.
First of all, the deal was that the Mahdi army turn in “medium and heavy weapons” for cash from the government. Early reports say that whoever was supposed to dole out the cash never showed up. In lieu of the promised cash, the Iraqi police have begun to issue “receipts” which insurgents can cash in at some later unspecified point. If you were a guerilla, would you go for that?
According to the AFP, the guerillas are selling their weapons to dealers who are then bringing them to the weapon collection points to collect the money.
It was intermediaries, not bearded militiamen, who handed over the bulk of weapons.
“You see, our bosses sold weapons to the Mehdi Army in the first place,” says Hashim, seemingly proud that he is part of the whole scheme.
“Now we bought them back from them and we will sell them to whoever pays the highest price, and we heard the government is paying good dollars.”
An RPG launcher was fetching 170 dollars, while a sniper rifle was going for 640 dollars, according to a list drawn up by a committee of the interior and defence ministries and the local city council.
They have been charged with overseeing the whole process, which is expected to last until Friday.
Hashim says most of the weapons that were handed in were Russian-made and belonged to the once-mighty army of ousted president Saddam Hussein.
“If this whole ceasefire falls through, we will be ready to rearm the Mehdi Army,” he says, before he is called over by one his companions to unload another stash of mortar launchers and rockets.
And if early signs are any indication, the so-called ceasefire and disarmament initiative appears to be fraught with mistrust and misunderstanding on both sides.
The mechanics of the deal were verbally thrashed out at a meeting Saturday between two Sadr loyalists, Iraq’s National Security Advisor Kassem Daoud and the US military’s Colonel Abe Abrams.
The aim is to restore security and begin reconstruction in Sadr City, which has been the scene of recurring violence and fighting since Sadr launched his revolt against the US occupation in April.
Sadr leaders said Sunday at their base in Sadr City’s Al-Hikma mosque that they expected nothing less than an immediate end to raids and arrests by US troops in the area.
They also demand the release of all their prisoners held in US-run detention centres, estimating their number at 500.
Although both the Iraqi government and the US military have endorsed the initiative, they have taken a wait-and-see approach given so many false starts in the past, insisting they retain the right to conduct raids.
“There is no agreement, there is no ceasefire,” says the US battalion commander for Sadr City, Lieutenant Colonel Gary Volesky, in front of the Al-Jazayer police station, another drop-off centre.
“The leadership (Sadr) has to get out and say that the militia has no role, and that has not been met yet,” he said.