Protests in Iraq this month have strikingly witnessed no participation in Sunni provinces, as the nine governates involved have been Shiite.

Protesters raised banners with the slogan, “Sunni and Shiite Brothers,” alluding to the idea that they have a shared destiny and shared goals. But Omar, a young Sunni man from Mosul, explained the Sunni absence, saying, “It is because in the eyes of some people, we are seen as the Islamic State [which imposed a violent, extreme version of Sunni Islam]. If we protest, they will take us off the streets and throw us in secret prisons. Yet we are still oppressed and our situation is as bad as everyone else’s and even worse," he told Al-Monitor.

Anbar provincial council member Farhan al-Obeidi emphasized this fear in his statements to the press Oct. 8. “The Sunni silence and avoidance of taking part in the protests is the right thing to do [right now]. There are ready-made accusations to frame them and put them in jail. They might be accused of working for the old regime, the Baath or Saddam Hussein’s party," he said.

Obeidi believes Sunni leaders, rather than the public, took the decision not to participate in the protests. “The Sunni silence and absence is a decision made by Sunni bloc leaders and most Sunni politicians. They deem it positive based on their readings of the current situation,” he noted.