Date:31/12/2006 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2006/12/31/stories/2006123102410300.htm

Andhra Pradesh - Anantapur

Saddam hanging condemned

Staff Reporter

Effigies of Bush, Blair burnt

ANANTAPUR: The minorities' wings of CPI, CPI(M) and Janasahiti, a left-wing literary organisation, condemned the hanging of former president of Iraq, Saddam Hussein, on Saturday.

Activists of Insaf, the minorities' wing of CPI, and other frontal organisations of the party burnt effigies of US President George Bush and British Prime Minister Tony Blair in Sapthagiri Circle.

`Fake trial'

Speaking at the protest, district secretary of CPI M.V. Ramana and deputy secretary C. Jaffer alleged that the allied forces had destroyed Iraq, installed a puppet Government, captured Saddam Hussein, conducted a fake trial and hanged him.

Invasion of Iraq and trial of Saddam Hussein was against the spirit of all international conventions and norms.

The trial was so farcical that four of Saddam's lawyers were also killed during the process. While Saddam was hanged on the charges of killing 148 Shiites, the CPI leaders sought to know what punishment should George Bush, who was responsible for about six lakh killings in Iraq so far, get.

Effigy burnt

Awaz, the minorities wing of CPI (M), also condemned the hanging of Saddam. Activists led by M. Imtiaz burnt the effigy of Bush in the Tower Clock Circle. He said two-thirds of world's countries had opposed death sentence to Saddam and international human rights organisations had faulted Saddam's trial.

Meanwhile, writers, artistes and students led by Janasahiti took out a rally against Bush and paid tributes to Saddam as a martyr who took on the might of American imperialism.