Fallujah takes to the streets in nonviolent protests

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Jul 21, 2004 - Protestors have been active in Fallujah this week, starting a sit-in on Monday and launching ademonstration on Tuesday against the latest US air strike in the city.

Fallujans are sitting-in downtown to demand compensation for damages incurred inthe dozens of US bombing and shelling campaigns against the town, particularly duringthe month of April, which resulted in the destruction of a number of mosques, hospitals and homes. More than 800 people, mostly noncombatants, were killed during the attacks in the city of more than half a million.

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Bannersat the sit-in, which isexpected to last at least five days,read, "Rebuild our houses from our oil revenues."Protesters claimed that while some aid is coming in, it does not compensate for the damages suffered at the hands of occupation forces. Recent reports have suggested US administrators grossly mismanaged Iraq’s oil revenues.

On Tuesday, hundreds of Fallujans expressed opposition to the latest US bombing of the city in a lively protest.Demonstrators denied USmilitary officials' claimsthat the strike targeted militants loyal to Abu Musab Al-Zarqawi, whom the US blames for numerous terror bombings and other attacks.

"We hear about Al-Zarqawi in the media, but have never seen or felt his presence or any of his followers in Fallujah," Fallujah resident Dr. Muhammad Al-Hamadani told Aljazeera TV.