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Dubai/Abu Dhabi: The pain of instability in Iraq is stronger than the pain of a loyal Iraqi who insisted on leaving his hospital bed in Abu Dhabi, where he is being treated for diabetes, and going to vote. "The patient, Abu Louay, a merchant, had had leg surgery and came in a wheelchair after insisting that paramedics drive him to the Zayed Sports City to cast his vote," Shukria Bajalan, Director of the Abu Dhabi voting centre, told Gulf News yesterday. The balloting process was successful in Abu Dhabi and Dubai as thousands of Iraqis cast their votes on the last day. She said the voters came in large numbers because it was a weekend. "The first two days were somewhat quiet because most people were busy at work," she said. Thirty people came to vote from Bahrain, in addition to voters from Qatar and Oman, said Shukria.
Dr Reda Al Shahrestani, an expert at the Independent Electoral Commission of Iraq, told Gulf News that more than 6,000 people voted in Dubai's Global Village and 2,000 in Abu Dhabi's Zayed Sports City yesterday. He estimated the number of voters had increased 30 per cent compared to the last elections. Uday a 35-year-old engineer said: "We hope these elections bring democracy and prosperity to our beloved country."
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