Iraq Stampede Kills up to 1000,

[uppityperson]

Posted in LBN but I wanted it here too since it is also an important tragic disaster that we should know about and be concerned about. Peace

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x1739812
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/4199618.stm

As many as 1,000 people may have died in a stampede of Shia pilgrims in northern Baghdad, Iraqi health officials have said. The incident happened on a river bridge as about a million Shias marched to a shrine for a religious festival.

Witnesses said panic spread over rumours of suicide bombers.Radical Sunni groups have often targeted Shias in the past, but Iraqi officials said the tragedy had nothing to do with sectarian tension.

Many victims, mostly women, children or elderly, were crushed or drowned.
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The government has declared three days of mourning.

More at link, pictures too.

[hiley]

1. So tragic

my heart aches.Before I went to bed early this morning the report was over 600 Iraqis' now look how much the number has grown...
:cry:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/4199618.stm
snip--
Earlier, mortar rounds had been fired into the crowd, killing at least seven people.

About 36 others were injured when four mortar rounds landed close to the Kadhimiya mosque.

A Sunni group said it carried out the mortar attacks, according to a statement posted on a website frequently used by groups linked to al-Qaeda.

"The mujahedeen of the Jaysh al-Taifa al-Mansoura (Army of the Victorious Sect) fired mortars and Katyusha rockets at the bastion of the infidels and apostates ... to punish the genocides committed against Sunnis," it said.


There were also reports that some worshippers had been poisoned.
snip--

[uppityperson]

2. Disasters all around.

My dream is that people get together and support each other, generously and cooperatively. Life is hard enough.

[hiley]

5. I have the same

dream.
:grouphug:

[bribri16]

3. Before we invaded their wasn't even a notion of "suicide" bombers in Iraq.

This is so sad. i think God is getting fed up with all of us. I am so sorry for these people. One disaster man made another by nature...or maybe both man made? Certainly the hurricane was not man made but the ensuing disaster ....I wonder?

[uppityperson]

4. Yes. Things have to get bad enough for people to want change

We may be getting there. One thing about the hurricane damage (using the term broadly to cover death, destruction, break down of society, recession, etc) is that it will affect everyone and that if (when) something majorly bad does/did happen here in the USA, response is out of control. Hopefully people who have supported this administration will see that they don't have a clue about how to care for the world. I am in NO WAY happy this has happened, am heartbroken about everything, but enough shit has to happen at 1 time to get people's attention. Bad thing about this timing is most people in the USA, even here on DU, are focused on hurricane, I found this Iraq disaster by accident even.

[hiley]

6. Early this a.m. around 6 or so I heard maybe

at 30 second bleep on CNN and MSNBC in regards to the Iraqi tragedy! When I woke up at 11 a.m. it was barely a bleep here as well.
edit to say recommend

[hiley]

7. I found this thread missed it earlier...

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=102&topic_id=1739812&mesg_id=1739812
And it was even in your OP, guess that is what happens when you can't rest..:shrug: