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Baghdad Burning
... I'll meet you 'round the bend my friend, where hearts can heal and souls
can mend...
Tuesday, March 28, 2006
Uncertainty...
I sat late last night switching between Iraqi channels (the half dozen or so
I sometimes try to watch). Its a late-night tradition for me when theres
electricity- to see what the Iraqi channels are showing. Generally speaking,
there still isnt a truly neutral Iraqi channel. The most popular
ones are backed and funded by the different political parties currently vying
for power. This became particularly apparent during the period directly before
the elections.
I was trying to decide between a report on bird flu on one channel, a montage
of bits and pieces from various latmiyas on another channel and an Egyptian
soap opera on a third channel. I paused on the Sharqiya channel which many Iraqis
consider to be a reasonably toned channel (and which during the elections showed
its support for Allawi in particular). I was reading the little scrolling news
headlines on the bottom of the page. The usual- mortar fire on an area in Baghdad,
an American soldier killed here, another one wounded there
12 Iraqi corpses
found in an area in Baghdad, etc. Suddenly, one of them caught my attention
and I sat up straight on the sofa, wondering if I had read it correctly.
E. was sitting at the other end of the living room, taking apart a radio he
later wouldnt be able to put back together. I called him over with the
words, Come here and read this- Im sure I misunderstood
He stood in front of the television and watched the words about corpses and
Americans and puppets scroll by and when the news item I was watching for appeared,
I jumped up and pointed. E. and I read it in silence and E. looked as confused
as I was feeling.
The line said:
????? ?????? ???? ????????? ??? ??? ???????? ?????? ?????? ????? ??????? ???????
??? ?? ??? ????? ???? ??????? ??????? ?? ??? ???????
The translation:
The Ministry of Defense requests that civilians do not comply with the
orders of the army or police on nightly patrols unless they are accompanied
by coalition forces working in that area.
Thats how messed up the country is at this point.
We switched to another channel, the Baghdad channel (allied with
Muhsin Abdul Hameed and his group) and they had the same news item, but instead
of the general coalition forces they had American coalition
forces. We checked two other channels. Iraqiya (pro-Daawa) didnt
mention it and Forat (pro-SCIRI) also didnt have it on their news ticker.
We discussed it today as it was repeated on another channel.
So what does it mean? My cousins wife asked as we sat gathered
at lunch.
It means if they come at night and want to raid the house, we dont
have to let them in. I answered.
Theyre not exactly asking your permission, E. pointed out.
They break the door down and take people away- or have you forgotten?
Well according to the Ministry of Defense, we can shoot at them, right?
Its trespassing-they can be considered burglars or abductors
I replied.
The cousin shook his head, If your family is inside the house- youre
not going to shoot at them. They come in groups, remember? They come armed and
in large groups- shooting at them or resisting them would endanger people inside
of the house.
Besides that, when they first attack, how can you be sure they DONT
have Americans with them? E. asked.
We sat drinking tea, mulling over the possibilities. It confirmed what has been
obvious to Iraqis since the beginning- the Iraqi security forces are actually
militias allied to religious and political parties.
But it also brings to light other worrisome issues. The situation is so bad
on the security front that the top two ministries in charge of protecting Iraqi
civilians cannot trust each other. The Ministry of Defense cant even trust
its own personnel, unless they are accompanied by American coalition forces.
It really is difficult to understand what is happening lately. We hear about
talks between Americans and Iran over security in Iraq, and then American ambassador
in Iraq accuses Iran of funding militias inside of the country. Today there
are claims that Americans killed between 20 to 30 men from Sadrs militia
in an attack on a husseiniya yesterday. The Americans are claiming that responsibility
for the attack should be placed on Iraqi security forces (the same security
forces they are constantly commending).
All of this directly contradicts claims by Bush and other American politicians
that Iraqi troops and security forces are in control of the situation. Or maybe
they are in control- just not in a good way.
Theyve been finding corpses all over Baghdad for weeks now- and its
always the same: holes drilled in the head, multiple shots or strangulation,
like the victims were hung. Execution, militia style. Many of the people were
taken from their homes by security forces- police or special army brigades
Some of them were rounded up from mosques.
A few days ago we went to pick up one of my female cousins from college. Her
college happens to be quite close to the local morgue. E., our cousin L., and
I all sat in the car which, due to traffic, we parked slightly further away
from the college to wait for our other cousin. I looked over at the commotion
near the morgue.
There were dozens of people- mostly men- standing around in a bleak group. Some
of them smoked cigarettes, others leaned on cars or pick-up trucks... Their
expressions varied- grief, horror, resignation. On some faces, there was an
anxious look of combined dread and anticipation. Its a very specific look,
one you will find only outside the Baghdad morgue. The eyes are wide and bloodshot,
as if searching for something, the brow is furrowed, the jaw is set and the
mouth is a thin frown. Its a look that tells you they are walking into
the morgue, where the bodies lay in rows, and that they pray they do not find
what they are looking for.
The cousin sighed heavily and told us to open a couple of windows and lock the
doors- he was going to check the morgue. A month before, his wifes uncle
had been taken away from a mosque during prayer- theyve yet to find him.
Every two days, someone from the family goes to the morgue to see if his body
was brought in. Pray I dont find him
or rather... I just-
we hate the uncertainty. My cousin sighed heavily and got out of the car.
I said a silent prayer as he crossed the street and disappeared into the crowd.
E. and I waited patiently for H., who was still inside the college and for L.
who was in the morgue. The minutes stretched and E. and I sat silently- smalltalk
seeming almost blasphemous under the circumstances. L. came out first. I watched
him tensely and found myself chewing away at my lower lip, Did he find
him? Inshalla he didnt find him
I said to no one in particular.
As he got closer to the car, he shook his head. His face was immobile and grim,
but behind the grim expression, we could see relief, Hes not there.
Hamdulilah [Thank God].
Hamdulilah E. and I repeated the words in unison.
WE all looked back at the morgue. Most of the cars had simple, narrow wooden
coffins on top of them, in anticipation of the son or daughter or brother. One
frenzied woman in a black abaya was struggling to make her way inside, two relatives
holding her back. A third man was reaching up to untie the coffin tied to the
top of their car.
See that woman- they found her son. I saw them identifying him. A bullet
to the head. The woman continued to struggle, her legs suddenly buckling
under her, her wails filling the afternoon, and although it was surprisingly
warm that day, I pulled at my sleeves, trying to cover my suddenly cold fingers.
We continued to watch the various scenes of grief, anger, frustration and every
once in a while, an almost tangible relief as someone left the morgue having
not found what they dreaded most to find- eyes watery from the smell, the step
slightly lighter than when they went in, having been given a temporary reprieve
from the worry of claiming a loved one from the morgue
- posted by river @ 9:51 PM
Saturday, March 18, 2006
Three Years...
It has been three years since the beginning of the war that marked the end of
Iraqs independence. Three years of occupation and bloodshed.
Spring should be about renewal and rebirth. For Iraqis, spring has been about
reliving painful memories and preparing for future disasters. In many ways,
this year is like 2003 prior to the war when we were stocking up on fuel, water,
food and first aid supplies and medications. We're doing it again this year
but now we don't discuss what we're stocking up for. Bombs and B-52's are so
much easier to face than other possibilities.
I dont think anyone imagined three years ago that things could be quite
this bad today. The last few weeks have been ridden with tension. Im so
tired of it all- were all tired.
Three years and the electricity is worse than ever. The security situation has
gone from bad to worse. The country feels like its on the brink of chaos
once more- but a pre-planned, pre-fabricated chaos being led by religious militias
and zealots.
School, college and work have been on again, off again affairs. It seems for
every two days of work/school, there are five days of sitting at home waiting
for the situation to improve. Right now college and school are on hold because
the arba3eeniya or the 40th Day is coming up- more black
and green flags, mobs of men in black and latmiyas. We were told the children
should try going back to school next Wednesday. I say try because
prior to the much-awaited parliamentary meeting a couple of days ago, schools
were out. After the Samarra mosque bombing, schools were out. The children have
been at home this year more than theyve been in school.
Im especially worried about the Arba3eeniya this year. Im worried
well see more of what happened to the Askari mosque in Samarra. Most Iraqis
seem to agree that the whole thing was set up by those who had most to gain
by driving Iraqis apart.
Im sitting here trying to think what makes this year, 2006, so much worse
than 2005 or 2004. Its not the outward differences- things such as electricity,
water, dilapidated buildings, broken streets and ugly concrete security walls.
Those things are disturbing, but they are fixable. Iraqis have proved again
and again that countries can be rebuilt. No- its not the obvious that
fills us with foreboding.
The real fear is the mentality of so many people lately- the rift that seems
to have worked its way through the very heart of the country, dividing
people. Its disheartening to talk to acquaintances- sophisticated, civilized
people- and hear how Sunnis are like this, and Shia are like that
To watch
people pick up their things to move to Sunni neighborhoods or Shia
neighborhoods. How did this happen?
I read constantly analyses mostly written by foreigners or Iraqis whove
been abroad for decades talking about how there was always a divide between
Sunnis and Shia in Iraq (which, ironically, only becomes apparent when you're
not actually living amongst Iraqis they claim)
but how under a dictator,
nobody saw it or nobody wanted to see it. That is simply not true- if there
was a divide, it was between the fanatics on both ends. The extreme Shia and
extreme Sunnis. Most people simply didnt go around making friends or socializing
with neighbors based on their sect. People didn't care- you could ask that question,
but everyone would look at you like you were silly and rude.
I remember as a child, during a visit, I was playing outside with one of the
neighbors children. Amal was exactly my age- we were even born in the same month,
only three days apart. We were laughing at a silly joke and suddenly she turned
and asked coyly, Are you Sanafir or Shanakil? I stood there, puzzled.
Sanafir is the Arabic word for Smurfs and Shanakil
is the Arabic word for Snorks. I didnt understand why she
was asking me if I was a Smurf or a Snork. Apparently, it was an indirect way
to ask whether I was Sunni (Sanafir) or Shia (Shanakil).
What??? I asked, half smiling. She laughed and asked me whether
I prayed with my hands to my sides or folded against my stomach. I shrugged,
not very interested and a little bit ashamed to admit that I still didnt
really know how to pray properly, at the tender age of 10.
Later that evening, I sat at my aunts house and remember to ask my mother
whether we were Smurfs or Snorks. She gave me the same blank look I had given
Amal. Mama- do we pray like THIS or like THIS?! I got up and did
both prayer positions. My mothers eyes cleared and she shook her head
and rolled her eyes at my aunt, Why are you asking? Who wants to know?
I explained how Amal, our Shanakil neighbor, had asked me earlier that day.
Well tell Amal were not Shanakil and were not Sanafir- were
Muslims- theres no difference.
It was years later before I learned that half the family were Sanafir, and the
other half were Shanakil, but nobody cared. We didnt sit around during
family reunions or family dinners and argue Sunni Islam or Shia Islam. The family
didnt care about how this cousin prayed with his hands at his side and
that one prayed with her hands folded across her stomach. Many Iraqis of my
generation have that attitude. We were brought up to believe that people who
discriminated in any way- positively or negatively- based on sect or ethnicity
were backward, uneducated and uncivilized.
The thing most worrisome about the situation now, is that discrimination based
on sect has become so commonplace. For the average educated Iraqi in Baghdad,
there is still scorn for all the Sunni/Shia talk. Sadly though, people are being
pushed into claiming to be this or that because political parties are promoting
it with every speech and every newspaper- the whole us / them.
We read constantly about how We Sunnis should unite with our Shia brothers
or how We Shia should forgive our Sunni brothers
(note how
us Sunni and Shia sisters dont really fit into either equation at this
point). Politicians and religious figures seem to forget at the end of the day
that were all simply Iraqis.
And what role are the occupiers playing in all of this? Its very convenient
for them, I believe. Its all very good if Iraqis are abducting and killing
each other- then they can be the neutral foreign party trying to promote peace
and understanding between people who, up until the occupation, were very peaceful
and understanding.
Three years after the war, and weve managed to move backwards in a visible
way, and in a not so visible way.
In the last weeks alone, thousands have died in senseless violence and the American
and Iraqi army bomb Samarra as I write this. The sad thing isnt the air
raid, which is one of hundreds of air raids weve seen in three years-
its the resignation in the people. They sit in their homes in Samarra
because theres no where to go. Before, wed get refugees in Baghdad
and surrounding areas
Now, Baghdadis themselves are looking for ways out
of the city
out of the country. The typical Iraqi dream has become to
find some safe haven abroad.
Three years later and the nightmares of bombings and of shock and awe have evolved
into another sort of nightmare. The difference between now and then was that
three years ago, we were still worrying about material things- possessions,
houses, cars, electricity, water, fuel
Its difficult to define what
worries us most now. Even the most cynical war critics couldn't imagine the
country being this bad three years after the war... Allah yistur min il rab3a
(God protect us from the fourth year).
- posted by river @ 3:28 AM
Monday, March 06, 2006
And the Oscar Goes to...
Its Oscar time once again. Weve been bombarded with Oscar propaganda
for nearly a month now. MBC and One TV (a channel from the Emirates) have been
promising us live Oscar coverage since January. It seems like all the interviews
and programs for the last week at least have been about the Oscars- Barbara
Walters, Oprah, Inside Edition, Entertainment Tonight- its an endless
stream of Oscar nominees and analysts.
Now Ive seen the nominees- we see them every year- and Ive come
to a conclusion- Iraqis need an award show. While the Hollywood glitterati make
good entertainers, our local super stars, Hakeem, Jaffari, Talabani, Allawi
et al. make GREAT entertainers. This last year weve seen several dramas
unfold and our political leaders have been riveting!
So
not to be outdone by Barbara Walters and Oprah Winfrey- we bring you
the Baghdad Burning Oscar Special!! Except, for our award show I suggest we
change the name of the little statuette from Oscar to something more local and
familiar. (Oscar is too close in pronunciation to the Arabic word Iskar
which means get drunk. Should we use Oscar I fear the
award show would be hijacked by Sadrs religious militia, hence I would
like to suggest the Sayid Awards!)
Ladies and gentlemen, without further ado, we bring you the nominees for the
2006 Sayid Awards!
Nominees for Best Actor:
Ibraheim Al-Jaffari in Free Iraqi Elections for his attempted portrayal
of a non-sectarian, independent PM of a legitimate Iraqi government.
George W. Bush in OIF: The War on Terror The third sequel to the
original Operation Iraqi Freedom: Weapons of Mass Destruction and
Operation Iraqi Freedom: Liberating Iraqis. Bushs nomination
comes for his convincing portrayal as the worlds first mentally challenged president.
Bayan Baqir Solagh in Torture Houses, for his world-class acting
as the shocked and indignant Iraqi Minister of Interior during the whole torture
houses scandal.
Abdul Aziz Al Hakeem in Men in Black [Turbans] as the deeply devout
Mullah pretending to be independent of his masters in Iran.
Mihsan Abdul Hameed in Fickle for his compelling portrayal of a
victimized pro-war, then suddenly anti-war, anti-occupation Sunni politician.
Nominee for Best Leading Actress:
Condi Rice in Viva Iran! as the vicious Secretary of State in the
charade to stop Irans nuclear power program (in spite of Iranian control
in Iraq).
Nominees for Best Supporting Actor:
Jalal Talbani in Kaka President (Kaka = Kurdish word for 'brother')
for his attempt at playing the legitimate leader of the New Iraq
(and although, technically, hes the star of the movie, we nominate him
for best supporting actor as the PM managed to upstage him all year).
Dick Cheney in OIF: The War on Terror for his role as the devoted,
fanatical VP and his relentless insistence that all goes well in Iraq.
Muqtada Al Sadr in Viva Iran! as the young, charismatic, black-turbaned
spiritual militia leader intent on protecting Iran from all harm and promoting
tolerance between Sunnis and Shia (in spite of his Sadr militia responsible
for vandalism and attacks against Sunnis and secularists).
Scott McClellan in OIF: The War on Terror and "Denial"
best known for his ability to keep a straight face while reading through White
House press briefings.
Nominees for special effects:
Ahmed Al Chalabi in Disappearing Act for his magnificent evaporation
from the Iraqi political scene this year. Mr. Chalabi is quite the master of
illusion and received a previous nomination for his disappearance from Jordan
in The Petra Bank Scandal.
Best production:
OIF: The War on Terror (originally called My Daddys
War) produced by Washington neocons, including Rumsfeld, Wolfowitz, etc.
Free Iraqi Elections- produced (and directed) by Abdul Aziz Al Hakeem
et al. and his army (quite literally) of supporters (the Badrists).
Best motion picture:
OIF: The War on Terror starring George W. Bush, Dick Cheney, and
Condi Rice and others. A riveting drama set in Iraq. Rated G for
Gullibility and R for Republican.
Disappearing Act starring Ahmed Al Chalabi, Adnan Al Pachachi, and
Ghazi Al Yawir.
Free Iraqi Elections- A black comedy based on the farfetched theory
of free elections under foreign occupation starring Abdul Aziz Al Hakeem, Ibraheim
Al-Jaffari and Muqtada Al Sadr.
Kangaroo Court - starring Saddam Hussein, Barazan Hassen, and various
judges, prosecutors and lawyers.
Many honorable mentions:
First and foremost, an honorable mention to Bushs speech writers. It must
be the most difficult job in the world writing scripts to make George W. Bush
sound/look not great, not even good- but passable. It must also be challenging
having to write speeches using words with a maximum of two syllables.
An honorable mention to the Saudis for their support of Sunni extremists and
Wahabis, the Iranians for their support of Shia extremist, and Americans for
their support of chaos.
And so, as our Green Zone glitterati retire to their camps to celebrate their
great victories, Iraqis wonder what wonderful, new cinematic opportunities await.
There is much talk that a block buster is in the works - in the pre-production
stage of this years most anticipated psychological thriller "Iraqi Civil
War".
- posted by river @ 2:50 AM
Monday, February 27, 2006
Volatile Days...
The last few days have been unsettlingly violent in spite of the curfew. Weve
been at home simply waiting it out and hoping for the best. The phone wasnt
working and the electrical situation hasnt improved. We are at a point,
however, where things like electricity, telephones and fuel seem like minor
worries. Even complaining about them is a luxury Iraqis cant afford these
days.
The sounds of shooting and explosions usually begin at dawn, at least thats
when I first sense them, and they dont really subside until well into
the night. There was a small gunfight on the main road near our area the day
before yesterday, but with the exception of the local mosque being fired upon,
and a corpse found at dawn three streets down, things have been relatively quiet.
Some of the neighbors have been discussing the possibility of the men setting
up a neighborhood watch. We did this during the war and during the chaos immediately
after the war. The problem this time is that the Iraqi security forces are as
much to fear as the black-clad and hooded men attacking mosques, houses and
each other.
It does not feel like civil war because Sunnis and Shia have been showing solidarity
these last few days in a big way. I dont mean the clerics or the religious
zealots or the politicians- but the average person. Our neighborhood is mixed
and Sunnis and Shia alike have been outraged with the attacks on mosques and
shrines. The telephones have been down, but weve agreed upon a very primitive
communication arrangement. Should any house in the area come under siege, someone
would fire in the air three times. If firing in the air isnt an option,
then someone inside the house would have to try to communicate trouble from
the rooftop.
The mosques also have a code when theyre in trouble, i.e. under attack,
the man who does the call for prayer calls out Allahu Akbar three
times until people from the area can come help protect the mosque or someone
gets involved.
Yesterday they were showing Sunni and Shia clerics praying together in a mosque
and while it looked encouraging, I couldnt help but feel angry. Why dont
they simply tell their militias to step down- to stop attacking mosques and
husseiniyas- to stop terrorizing people? Its so deceptive and empty on
television- like a peaceful vision from another land. The Iraqi government is
pretending dismay, but it's doing nothing to curb the violence and the bloodshed
beyond a curfew. And where are the Americans in all of this? They are sitting
back and letting things happen- sometimes flying a helicopter here or there-
but generally not getting involved.
Im reading, and hearing, about the possibility of civil war. The possibility.
Yet Im sitting here wondering if this is actually what civil war is like.
Has it become a reality? Will we look back at this in one year, two years
ten
and say, It began in February 2006
? It is like a
nightmare in that you dont realise its a nightmare while having
it- only later, after waking up with your heart throbbing, and your eyes searching
the dark for a pinpoint of light, do you realise it was a nightmare
- posted by river @ 2:27 AM
Thursday, February 23, 2006
Tensions...
Things are not good in Baghdad.
There was an explosion this morning in a mosque in Samarra, a largely Sunni
town. While the mosque is sacred to both Sunnis and Shia, it is considered one
of the most important Shia visiting places in Iraq. Samarra is considered a
sacred city by many Muslims and historians because it was made the capital of
the Abassid Empire, after Baghdad, by the Abassid Caliph Al-Mutasim.
The name Samarra is actually derived from the phrase in Arabic Sarre
men raa which translates to A joy for all who see. This
is what the city was named by Al-Mutasim when he laid the plans for a
city that was to compete with the greatest cities of the time- it was to be
a joy for all who saw it. It remained the capital of the Abassid Empire for
nearly sixty years and even after the capital was Baghdad once again, Samarra
flourished under the care of various Caliphs.
The mosque damaged with explosives today is the Askari Mosque which
is important because it is believed to be the burial place of two of the 12
Shia Imams- Ali Al-Hadi and Hassan Al-Askari (father and son) who lived and
died in Samarra. The site of the mosque is believed to be where Ali Al-Hadi
and Hassan Al-Askari lived and were buried. Many Shia believe Al-Mahdi al
muntadhar will also be resurrected or will reappear from this mosque.
I remember visiting the mosque several years ago- before the war. We visited
Samarra to have a look at the famous Malwiya tower and someone suggested
we also visit the Askari mosque. I was reluctant as I wasnt dressed properly
at the time- jeans and a t-shirt are not considered mosque garb. We stopped
by a small shop in the city and purchased a few inexpensive black abbayas for
us women and drove to the mosque.
We got there just as the sun was setting and I remember pausing outside the
mosque to admire the golden dome and the intricate minarets. It was shimmering
in the sunset and there seemed to be a million colors- orange, gold, white-
it was almost glowing. The view was incredible and the environment was so peaceful
and calm. There was none of the bustle and noise usually surrounding religious
sites- we had come at a perfect time. The inside of the mosque didnt disappoint
either- elaborate Arabic script and more gold and this feeling of utter peace
Im grateful we decided to visit it.
We woke up this morning to news that men wearing Iraqi security uniforms walked
in and detonated explosives, damaging the mosque almost beyond repair. Its
heart-breaking and terrifying. There has been gunfire all over Baghdad since
morning. The streets near our neighborhood were eerily empty and calm but there
was a tension that had us all sitting on edge. We heard about problems in areas
like Baladiyat where there was some rioting and vandalism, etc. and several
mosques in Baghdad were attacked. I think what has everyone most disturbed is
the fact that the reaction was so swift, like it was just waiting to happen.
All morning weve been hearing/watching both Shia and Sunni religious figures
speak out against the explosions and emphasise that this is what is wanted by
the enemies of Iraq- this is what they would like to achieve- divide and conquer.
Extreme Shia are blaming extreme Sunnis and Iraq seems to be falling apart at
the seams under foreign occupiers and local fanatics.
No one went to work today as the streets were mostly closed. The situation isnt
good at all. I dont think I remember things being this tense- everyone
is just watching and waiting quietly. Theres so much talk of civil war
and yet, with the people I know- Sunnis and Shia alike- I can hardly believe
it is a possibility. Educated, sophisticated Iraqis are horrified with the idea
of turning against each other, and even not-so-educated Iraqis seem very aware
that this is a small part of a bigger, more ominous plan
Several mosques have been taken over by the Mahdi militia and the Badir people
seem to be everywhere. Tomorrow no one is going to work or college or anywhere.
People are scared and watchful. We can only pray.
- posted by river @ 1:21 AM
Saturday, February 11, 2006
The Raid...
We were collected at my aunts house for my cousins birthday party a few days
ago. J. just turned 16 and my aunt invited us for a late lunch and some cake.
It was a very small gathering- three cousins- including myself- my parents,
and J.s best friend, who also happened to be a neighbor.
The lunch was quite good- my aunt is possibly one of the best cooks in Baghdad.
She makes traditional Iraqi food and for J.s birthday she had prepared
all our favorites- dolma (rice and meat wrapped in grape leaves, onions, peppers,
etc.), beryani rice, stuffed chicken, and some salads. The cake was ready-made
and it was in the shape of a friendly-looking fish, J.s father having
forgotten she was an Aquarius and not a Pisces when he selected it, I
thought everyone born in February was a Pisces
He explained when
we pointed out his mistake.
When it was time to blow out the candles, the electricity was out and we stood
around her in the dark and sang Happy Birthday in two different
languages. She squeezed her eyes shut briefly to make a wish and then, with
a single breath, she blew out the candles. She proceeded to open gifts- bear
pajamas, boy band CDs, a sweater with some sparkly things on it, a red and beige
book bag
Your typical gifts for a teenager.
The gift that made her happiest, however, was given by her father. After shed
opened up everything, he handed her a small, rather heavy, silvery package.
She unwrapped it hastily and gasped with delight, Baba- its lovely!
She smiled as she held it up to the light of the gas lamp to show it off. It
was a Swiss Army knife- complete with corkscrew, nail clippers, and a bottle
opener.
You can carry it around in your bag for protection when you go places!
He explained. She smiled and gingerly pulled out the blade, And look-
when the blade is clean, it works as a mirror! We all oohed and aahed
our admiration and T., another cousin, commented shed get one when the
Swiss Army began making them in pink.
I tried to remember what I got on my 16th birthday and I was sure it wasnt
a knife of any sort.
By 8 pm, my parents and J.s neighbor were gone. They had left me and T.,
our 24-year-old female cousin, to spend a night. It was 2 am and we had just
gotten J.s little brother into bed. He had eaten more than his share of
cake and the sugar had made him wild for a couple of hours.
We were gathered in the living room and my aunt and her husband, Ammoo S. [Ammoo
= uncle] were asleep. T., J. and I were speaking softly and looking for songs
on the radio, having sworn not to sleep before the cake was all gone. T. was
playing idly with her mobile phone, trying to send a message to a friend. Hey-
theres no coverage here
is it just my phone? She asked. J.
and I both took out our phones and checked, Mine isnt working either
J. answered, shaking her head. They both turned to me and I told them that I
couldnt get a signal either. J. suddenly looked alert and made a sort
of Uh-oh sound as she remembered something. R.- will you check
the telephone next to you? I picked up the ordinary telephone next to
me and held my breath, waiting for a dial tone. Nothing.
Theres no dial tone
but there was one earlier today- I was
online
J. frowned and turned down the radio. The last time this happened,
she said, the area was raided. The room was suddenly silent and
we strained our ears. Nothing. I could hear a generator a couple of streets
away, and I also heard the distant barking of a dog- but there was nothing out
of the ordinary.
T. suddenly sat up straight, Do you hear that? She asked, wide-eyed.
At first I couldnt hear anything and then I caught it- it was the sound
of cars or vehicles- moving slowly. I can hear it! I called back
to T., standing up and moving towards the window. I looked out into the darkness
and couldnt see anything beyond the dim glow of lamps behind windows here
and there.
You wont see anything from here- its probably on the main
road! J. jumped up and went to shake her father awake, Baba, baba-
get up- I think the area is being raided. I heard J. call out as she approached
her parents room. Ammoo S. was awake in moments and we heard him wandering around
for his slippers and robe asking what time it was.
Meanwhile, the sound of cars had gotten louder and I remembered that one could
see some of the neighborhood from a window on the second floor. T. and I crept
upstairs quietly. We heard Ammoo S. unlocking 5 different locks on the kitchen
door. Whats he doing? T. asked, Shouldnt he keep
the doors locked? We were looking out the window and there was the glow
of lights a few streets away. I couldnt see exactly where they came from,
as several houses were blocking our view, but we could tell something extraordinary
was going on in the neighborhood. The sound of vehicles was getting louder,
and it was accompanied by the sound of clanging doors and lights that would
flash every once in a while.
We clattered downstairs and found J. and the aunt bustling around in the dark.
What should we do? T. asked, wringing her hands nervously. The only
time Id ever experienced a raid was back in 2003 at an uncles house-
and it was Americans. This was the first time I was to witness what we assumed
would be an Iraqi raid.
My aunt was seething quietly, This is the third time the bastards raid
the area in 2 months
Well never get any peace or quiet
I stood at their bedroom door and watched as she made the bed. They lived in
a mixed neighborhood- Sunnis, Shia and Christians. It was a relatively new neighborhood
that began growing in the late eighties. Most of the neighbors have known each
other for years. We dont know what theyre looking for
La Ilaha Ila Allah
I stood awkwardly, watching them make preparations. J. was already in her room
changing- she called out for us to do the same, Theyll come in the
house- you dont want to be wearing pajamas
Why, will they have camera crews with them? T. smiled wanly, attempting
some humor. No, J. replied, her voice muffled as she put on a sweater, Last
time they made us wait outside in the cold. I listened for Ammoo S. and
heard him outside, taking the big padlock off of the gate in the driveway. Why
are you unlocking everything J.? I called out in the dark.
The animals will break down the doors if they arent open in three
seconds and then theyll be all over the garden and house
last time
they pushed the door open on poor Abu H. three houses down and broke his shoulder
J. was fully changed, and over her jeans and sweater she was wearing her robe.
It was cold.
My aunt had dressed too and she was making her way upstairs to carry down my
three-year-old cousin B. I dont want him waking up with all the
noise and finding those bastards around him in the dark.
Twenty minutes later, we were all assembled in the living room. The house was
dark except for the warm glow of the kerosene heater and a small lamp in the
corner. We were all dressed and waiting nervously, wrapped in blankets. T. and
I sat on the ground while my aunt and her husband sat on the couch, B. wrapped
in a blanket between them. J. was sitting in an armchair across from them. It
was nearly 4 am.
Meanwhile, the noises outside had gotten louder as the raid got closer. Every
once in a while, you could hear voices calling out for people to open a door
or the sharp banging of a rifle against a door.
Last time they had raided my aunts area, they took away four men on their street
alone. Two of them were students in their early twenties- one a law student,
and the other an engineering student, and the third man was a grandfather in
his early sixties. There was no accusation, no problem- they were simply ordered
outside, loaded up into a white pickup truck and driven away with a group of
other men from the area. Their families havent heard from them since and
they visit the morgue almost daily in anticipation of finding them dead.
There will be no problem, My aunt said sternly, looking at each
of us, thin-lipped. You will not say anything improper and they will come
in, look around and go. Her eyes lingered on Ammoo S. He was silent. He
had lit a cigarette and was inhaling deeply. J. said hed begun smoking
again a couple of months ago after having quit for ten years. Are your
papers ready? She asked him, referring to his identification papers which
would be requested. He didnt answer, but nodded his head silently.
We waited. And waited
I began nodding off and my dreams were interspersed
with troops and cars and hooded men. I woke to the sound of T. saying, Theyre
almost here
And lifted my head, groggy with what I thought was at
least three hours of sleep. I squinted down at my watch and noted it was not
yet 5 am. Havent they gotten to us yet? I asked.
Ammoo S. was pacing in the kitchen. I could hear him coming and going in his
slippers, pausing every now and then in front of the window. My aunt was still
on the couch- she sat with B. in her arms, rocking him gently and murmuring
prayers. J. was doing a last-minute check, hiding valuables and gathering our
handbags into the living room, They took babas mobile phone during
the last raid- make sure your mobile phones are with you.
I could feel my heart pounding in my ears and I got closer to the kerosene heater
in an attempt to dispel the cold that seemed to have permanently taken over
my fingers and toes. T. was trembling, wrapped in her blanket. I waved her over
to the heater but she shook her head and answered, I.... mmmm
n-n-not
c-c-cold
It came ten minutes later. A big clanging sound on the garden gate and voices
yelling Ifta7u [OPEN UP]. I heard my uncle outside, calling out,
Were opening the gate, were opening
It was moments
and they were inside the house. Suddenly, the house was filled with strange
men, yelling out orders and stomping into rooms. It was chaotic. We could see
flashing lights in the garden and lights coming from the hallways. I could hear
Ammoo S. talking loudly outside, telling them his wife and the children
were the only ones in the house. What were they looking for? Was there something
wrong? He asked.
Suddenly, two of them were in the living room. We were all sitting on the sofa,
near my aunt. My cousin B. was by then awake, eyes wide with fear. They were
holding large lights or torches and one of them pointed a Klashnikov
at us. Is there anyone here but you and them? One of them barked
at my aunt. No- its only us and my husband outside with you- you
can check the house. T.s hands went up to block the glaring light
of the torch and one of the men yelled at her to put her hands down, they fell
limply in her lap. I squinted in the strong light and as my sight adjusted,
I noticed they were wearing masks, only their eyes and mouths showing. I glanced
at my cousins and noted that T. was barely breathing. J. was sitting perfectly
still, eyes focused on nothing in particular, I vaguely noted that her sweater
was on backwards.
One of them stood with the Klashnikov pointed at us, and the other one began
opening cabinets and checking behind doors. We were silent. The only sounds
came from my aunt, who was praying in a tremulous whisper and little B., who
was sucking away at his thumb, eyes wide with fear. I could hear the rest of
the troops walking around the house, opening closets, doors and cabinets.
I listened for Ammoo S., hoping to hear him outside but I could only distinguish
the harsh voices of the troops. The minutes we sat in the living room seemed
to last forever. I didnt know where to look exactly. My eyes kept wandering
to the man with the weapon and yet I knew staring at him wasnt a good
idea. I stared down at a newspaper at my feet and tried to read the upside-down
headlines. I glanced at J. again- her heart was beating so hard, the small silver
pendant that my mother had given her just that day was throbbing on her chest
in time to her heartbeat.
Suddenly, someone called out something from outside and it was over. They began
rushing to leave the house, almost as fast as theyd invaded it. Doors
slamming, lights dimming. We were left in the dark once more, not daring to
move from the sofa we were sitting on, listening as the men disappeared, leaving
only a couple to stand at our gate.
Wheres baba? J. asked, panicking for a moment before we heard
his slippered feet in the driveway. Did they take him? Her voice
was getting higher. Ammoo S. finally walked into the house, looking weary and
drained. I could tell his face was pale even in the relative dark of the house.
My aunt sat sobbing quietly in the living room, T. comforting her. Houses
are no longer sacred
We cant sleep
We cant live
If you cant be safe in your own house, where can you be safe? The animals
the bastards
We found out a few hours later that one of our neighbors, two houses down, had
died. Abu Salih was a man in his seventies and as the Iraqi mercenaries raided
his house, he had a heart-attack. His grandson couldnt get him to the
hospital on time because the troops wouldnt let him leave the house until
theyd finished with it. His grandson told us later that day that the Iraqis
were checking the houses, but the American troops had the area surrounded and
secured. It was a coordinated raid.
They took at least a dozen men from my aunts area alone- their ages between
19 and 40. The street behind us doesnt have a single house with a male
under the age of 50- lawyers, engineers, students, ordinary laborers- all hauled
away by the security forces of the New Iraq. The only thing they
share in common is the fact that they come from Sunni families (with the exception
of two who I'm not sure about).
We spent the day putting clothes back into closets, taking stock of anything
missing (a watch, a brass letter opener, and a walkman), and cleaning dirt and
mud off of carpets. My aunt was fanatic about cleansing and disinfecting everything
saying it was all Dirty, dirty, dirty
J. has sworn never to
celebrate her birthday again.
Its almost funny- only a month ago, we were watching a commercial on some
Arabic satellite channel- Arabiya perhaps. They were showing a commercial for
Iraqi security forces and giving a list of numbers Iraqis were supposed to dial
in the case of a terrorist attack
You call THIS number if you need the
police to protect you from burglars or abductors
You call THAT number
if you need the National Guard or special forces to protect you from terrorists
But
Who do you call to protect you from the New Iraqs security forces?
- posted by river @ 12:43 AM
Thursday, February 02, 2006
Election Results...
Iraqi election results were officially announced nearly two weeks ago, but it
was apparent from the day of elections which political parties would come out
on top. Im not even going to bother listing the different types of election
fraud witnessed all over Iraq- its a tedious subject and one weve
been discussing for well over a month.
The fact that a Shia, Iran-influenced religious list came out on top is hardly
surprising. Im surprised, however, at Iraqis who seem to be astonished
at the outcome. Didnt we, over the last three years, see this coming?
Iranian influenced clerics had a strong hold right from 2003. Their militias
were almost instantly incorporated into the Ministry of Interior and the Ministry
of Defense as soon a move was made to create new Iraqi security forces. Sistani
has been promoting them from day one.
Why is it so very surprising that in times of calamity people turn to religion?
It happens all over the world. During tsunamis, hurricanes, earthquakes, blockades,
wars- people turn to deities
Its simple- when all else fails, there
is always a higher power for most people.
After nearly three years of a failing occupation, I personally believe that
many Iraqis voted for religious groups because it was counted as a vote against
America and the occupation itself. No matter what American policy makers say
to their own public- and no matter how many pictures Rumsfeld and Condi take
with our fawning politicians- most Iraqis do not trust Americans. America as
a whole is viewed as a devilish country that is, at best, full of self-serving
mischief towards lesser countries and, at worst, an implementer of sanctions,
and a warmongering invader.
Even Iraqis who believe America is here to help (and they seem to have grown
fewer in number these days), believe that it helps not out of love for Iraqis,
but out of self-interest and greed.
Shia religious parties, like SCIRI and Daawa, have decidedly changed their
tone in the last year. During 2003, they were friends of America- they owed
the US their current power inside of the country. Today, as Iraqis are becoming
more impatient with the American presence inside of Iraq, they are claiming
that they will be the end of the occupiers. They openly blame the
Americans for the lack of security and general chaos. The message is quite different.
In 2003, there was general talk of a secular Iraq; today, that no longer seems
to be an option.
In 2003, Jaffari was claiming he didnt want to see Iraqi women losing
their rights, etc. He never mentioned equal rights- but he did throw in a word
here and there about how Iraqi women had a right to an education and even a
job. I was changing channels a couple of weeks ago and I came across Jaffari
speaking to students from Mustansiriya University- one of Iraqs largest
universities, with campuses in several areas in Baghdad. I couldnt see
the students- he might have been speaking with a group of penguins, for all
I could tell. The camera was focused on him- his shifty eyes and low, mumbling
voice.
On his right sat an Ayatollah with a black turban and black robes. He looked
stern and he nodded with satisfaction as Jaffari spoke to the students (or penguins).
His speech wasnt about science, technology or even development- it was
a religious sermon about heaven and hell, good and evil.
I noticed two things immediately. The first was that he seemed to be speaking
to only male students. There were no females in the audience. He spoke of their
female sisters in absentia, as if they had absolutely no representation
in the gathering. The second thing was that he seemed to be speaking to only
Shia because he kept mentioning their Sunni brothers, as if they
too were absent. He sermonized about how the men should take care of the women
and how Sunnis werent bad at all. I waited to hear him speak about Iraqi
unity, and the need to not make religious distinctions- those words never came.
In spite of all this, pro-war Republicans remain inanely hopeful. Ah well- so
Ayatollahs won out this election- the next election will be better! But there
is a problem
The problem with religious parties and leaders in a country like Iraq, is that
they control a following of fervent believers, not just political supporters.
For followers of Daawa and SCIRI, for example, its not about the
policy or the promises or the puppet in power. Its like the pope for devout
Catholics- you dont question the man in the chair because he is there
by divine right, almost. You certainly dont question his policies.
Ayatollahs are like that. Muqtada Al-Sadr is ridiculous. He talks like his tongue
is swollen up in his mouth and he always looks like he needs to bathe. He speaks
with an intonation that indicates a fluency in Farsi and yet
he commands
an army of followers because his grandfather was a huge religious figure. He
could be the least educated, least enlightened man in the country and hed
still have people willing to lay down their lives at his command because of
his familys religious history. (Lucky Americans- he announced a week ago
that should Iran come under US attack, he and his followers would personally
rise up to Irans defense.)
At the end of the day, people who follow these figures tell themselves that
even if the current leader isnt up to par, the goal and message remain
the same- religion, Gods word as law. When living in the midst of a war-torn
country with a situation that is deteriorating and death around every corner,
you turn to God because Iyad Allawi couldnt get you electricity and security-
he certainly isnt going to get you into heaven should you come face to
face with a car bomb.
The trouble with having a religious party in power in a country as diverse as
Iraq is that you automatically alienate everyone not of that particular sect
or religion. Religion is personal- it is something you are virtually born into
it belongs to the heart, the mind, the spirit- and while it is welcome in day
to day dealings, it shouldnt be politicized.
Theocracies (and we seem to be standing on the verge of an Iranian influenced
one), grow stronger with time because you cannot argue religion. Politicians
are no longer politicians- they are Ayatollahs- they become modern-day envoys
of God, to be worshipped, not simply respected. You cannot challenge them because
for their followers, that is a challenge to a belief- not a person or a political
party.
You go from being a critic or opposition to simply being a heathen
when you argue religious parties.
Americans write to me wondering, But where are the educated Iraqis? Why
didnt they vote for secular parties? The educated Iraqis have been
systematically silenced since 2003. Theyve been pressured and bullied
outside of the country. Theyve been assassinated, detained, tortured and
abducted. Many of them have lost faith in the possibility of a secular Iraq.
Then again
who is to say that many of the people who voted for religious
parties arent educated? I know some perfectly educated Iraqis who take
criticism towards parties like Daawa and SCIRI as a personal affront.
This is because these parties are so cloaked and cocooned within their religious
identity, that it is almost taken as an attack against Shia in general when
one criticizes them. Its the same thing for many Sunnis when a political
Sunni party comes under criticism.
Thats the danger of mixing politics and religion- it becomes personal.
I try not to dwell on the results too much- the fact that Shia religious fundamentalists
are currently in power- because when I do, Im filled with this sort of
chill that leaves in its wake a feeling of quiet terror. Its like when
the electricity goes out suddenly and youre plunged into a deep, quiet,
almost tangible darkness- you try not to focus too intently on the subtle noises
and movements around you because the unseen possibilities will drive you mad
-
posted by river @ 1:34 AM
Wednesday, January 18, 2006
A Tribute to Iraqi Ingenuity...
January 17, 2006 marks the 15th commemoration of the Gulf War in 1991 after
Iraq occupied Kuwait (briefly) in 1990. (Or according to American terminology,
after Iraq liberated Kuwait in 1990.)
For 42 days, Baghdad and other cities and towns were bombarded with nearly 140,000
tons of explosives, by international estimates. The bombing was relentless-
schools, housing complexes, factories, bridges, electric power stations, ministries,
sewage facilities, oil refineries, operators, and even bomb shelters (including
the only baby formula factory in Iraq and the infamous Amirya Shelter bombing
where almost 400 civilians were killed).
According to reports and statistics made by the Iraqi Reconstruction Bureau
and the ministries involved in reconstruction, prior to the 2003 war/occupation,
the following damage was done through 42 days of continuous bombing, and various
acts of vandalism:
Schools and scholastic facilities 3960
Universities, labs, dormitories 40
Health facilities (including hospitals, clinics, medical warehouses)
421
Telephone operators, communication towers, etc. 475
Bridges, buildings, housing complexes 260
Warehouses, shopping centers, grain silos 251
Churches and mosques 159
Dams, water pumping stations, agricultural facilities 200
Petroleum facilities (including refineries) 145
General services (shelters, sewage treatment plants, municipalities) - 830
Factories, mines, industrial facilities - 120
And much, much more- including radio broadcasting towers, museums, orphanages,
retirement homes, etc. While the larger damage- damage to dams, bridges, warehouses,
ministries, food silos, etc.- was done by warplanes and missiles, the damage
to smaller facilities was caused largely by vandalism in the south of the country
and in areas like Kirkuk. In the south it was mainly the work of the intifadah
which was initiated by the tawabin or The Repentant
who infiltrated the south from Iran and found supporters inside of the country.
(Many of the Tawabin are known today as Badirs Brigade.)
What happened in the south in 1991 is similar to what happened in Baghdad in
2003- burning, looting and attacks. The area fell into chaos after the Republican
Guard was pulled out to different governorates for the duration of the war.
Meanwhile, the US was bombing the Iraqi army as it was pulling out of Kuwait
and the Tawabin were killing off some of the Iraqi troops who had abandoned
their tanks and artillery and were coming back on foot through the south. Many
of those troops, and the civilians killed during the attacks, looting, and burning,
were buried in some of the mass graves we conveniently blame solely on Saddam
and the Republican Guard- but no one bothers to mention this anymore because
its easier to blame the dictator.
But I digress- the topic today is reconstruction. Immediately after the war,
various ministries were brought together to do the reconstruction work. The
focus was on the infrastructure- to bring back the refineries, electricity,
water, bridges, and telecommunications.
The task was a daunting one because so many of Iraqs major infrastructure
projects and buildings had been designed and built by foreign contractors from
all over the world including French, German, Chinese and Japanese companies.
The foreign expertise was unavailable after 1991 due to the war and embargo
and Iraqi engineers and technicians found themselves facing the devastation
of the Gulf War all alone with limited supplies.
Two years and approximately 8 billion Iraqi dinars later, nearly 90% of the
damage had been repaired. It took an estimated 6,000 engineers (all Iraqi),
42,000 technicians, and 12,000 administrators, but bridges were soon up again,
telephones were more or less functioning in most areas, refineries were working,
water was running and electricity wasnt back 100%, but it was certainly
better than it is today. Within the first two years over 100 small and large
bridges had been reconstructed, 16 refineries, over 50 factories and industrial
compounds, etc.
It wasnt perfect- it wasnt Halliburton
It wasnt KBR
but
it was Iraqi. There was that sense of satisfaction and pride looking upon a
building or bridge that was damaged during the war and seeing it up and running
and looking better than it did before.
Now, nearly three years after this war, the buildings are still piles of debris.
Electricity is terrible. Water is cut off for days at a time. Telephone lines
come and go. Oil production isnt even at pre-war levels
and Iraqis
hear about the billions upon billions that come and go. A billion here for security
Five hundred million there for the infrastructure
Millions for voting
Iraq falling into deeper debt
Engineers without jobs simply because they
are not a part of this political party or that religious group
And the
country still in shambles.
One of the biggest, most complicated and most swiftly executed reconstruction
projects was the Dawra Refinery in Baghdad. It is Iraqs oldest refinery
and one of its largest. It was bombed several times during the Gulf War and
oil production came to a halt. After the war, it is said that the Iraqi government
negotiated with an Italian company to reconstruct it but the price requested
by the company was extremely high. It was decided then that the reconstruction
effort would be completely local and the work began almost immediately. Several
months later, during the summer of 1991, when the Italian experts came back
to assess the damage, they found that the refinery was functioning.
Below are some pictures that were sent to me by an engineer who was a part of
the reconstruction effort and is currently jobless in Amman. The pictures are
both painful and inspiring. Fifteen years later and it is difficult to see the
damage that was wrought on the country
But the after pictures
give me faith that Iraq will rise once more- in spite of occupiers and meddlers.
Note: I was tempted to stamp all the after pictures with AMERICANS
DID NOT RECONSTRUCT THIS as I know that in a month some clueless Republican
will send them back to me with the words, Look at how we reconstructed
your country!.
Dawra Refinery (before): Dawra Refinery (after reconstruction):
Alwiya Operator (public switchboard): Before reconstruction Alwiya Operator
(after reconstruction):
Fayha Bridge in Basrah (before): Fayha Bridge in Basrah (after):
Special thanks to M. Hamed for the pictures and the info about the reconstruction
effort.
- posted by river @ 1:52 AM
Thursday, January 12, 2006
Thank You for the Music...
When I first heard about the abduction of Christian Science Monitor journalist
Jill Carroll a week ago, I remember feeling regret. It was the same heavy feeling
I get every time I hear of another journalist killed or abducted. The same heavy
feeling that settles upon most Iraqis, I imagine, when they hear of acquaintances
suffering under the current situation.
I read the news as a subtitle on tv. We haven't had an internet connection for
several days so I couldn't really read about the details. All I knew was that
a journalist had been abducted and that her Iraqi interpreter had been killed.
He was shot in cold blood in Al Adil district earlier this month, when they
took Jill Carroll... Theysay he didn't die immediately. It is said he lived
long enough to talk to police and then he died.
I found out very recently that the interpreter killed was a good friend- Alan,
of Alan's Melody, and I've spent the last two days crying.
Everyone knew him as simply 'Alan', or "Elin" as it is pronounced
in Iraqi Arabic. Prior to the war, he owned a music shop in the best area in
Baghdad, A'arasat. He sold some Arabic music and instrumental music, but he
had his regular customers - those westernized Iraqis who craved foreign music.
For those of us who listened to rock, adult alternative, jazz, etc. he had very
few rivals.
He sold bootleg CDs, tapes and DVDs. His shop wasn't just a music shop- it was
a haven. Some of my happiest moments were while I was walking out of that shop
carrying CDs and tapes, full of anticipation for the escape the music provided.
He had just about everything from Abba to Marilyn Manson. He could provide anything.
All you had to do was go to him with the words,"Alan- I heard a great song
on the radio... you have to find it!" Andhe'd sit there, patiently, asking
who sang it? You don't know? Ok- was it a man or a woman? Fine. Do you remember
any of the words? Chances were that he'd already heard it and even knew some
of the lyrics.
During the sanctions, Iraq was virtually cut off from the outside world.We had
maybe four or five local tv stations and it was only during the later years
that the internet became more popular. Alan was one of those links with the
outside world. Walking into Alan's shop was like walking into a sort of transitional
other world. Whenever you walked into the store, great music would be blaring
from his speakers and he and Mohammed, the guy who worked in his shop, would
be arguing over who was better, Joe Satriani or Steve Vai.
He would have the latest Billboard hits posted on a sheet of paper near the
door and he'd have compiled a few of his own favorites on a 'collection' CD.
He also went out of his way to get recordings of the latest award shows- Grammys,
AMAs, Oscars, etc. You could visit him twice and know that by the third time,
he'd have memorized your favorites and found music you might be interested in.
He was an electrical engineer- but his passion was music. His dream was to be
a music producer. He was always full of scorn for the usual boy bands - N'Sync,
Backstreet Boys, etc. - but he was always trying to promote an Iraqi boy band
he claimed he'd discovered,"Unknown to No One". "They're great-
wallah they have potential." He'd say. E. would answer, "Alan, they're
terrible." And Alan, with his usual Iraqi pride would lecture about how
they were great, simply because they were Iraqi.
He was a Christian from Basrah and he had a lovely wife who adored him- F. We
would tease him about how once he was married and had a family, he'd lose interest
in music. It didn't happen. Conversations with Alan continued to revolve around
Pink Floyd, Jimmy Hendrix, but they began to include F. his wife, M. his daughter
and his little boy. My heart aches for his family- his wife and children...
You could walk into the shop and find no one behind the counter- everyone was
in the other room, playing one version or another of FIFA soccer on the Play
Station. He collected those old records, or 'vinyls'. The older they were, the
better. While he promoted new musical technology, he always said that nothing
could beat the soundof a vintage vinyl.
We went to Alan not just to buy music. It always turned into a social visit.
He'd make you sit down, listen to his latest favorite CD and drink something.
Then he'd tell you the latest gossip- he knew it all. He knew where all the
parties were, who the best DJs were and who was getting married or divorced.
He knew the local gossip and the international gossip, but it was never malicious
with Alan. It was always the funny sort.
The most important thing about Alan was that he never let you down. Never. Whatever
it was that you wanted, he'd try his hardest to get it. If you became his friend,
that didn't just include music- he was ready to lend a helping hand to those
in need, whether it was just to give advice, or listen after a complicated,
difficult week.
After the war, the area he had his shop in deteriorated. There were car bombs
and shootings and the Badir people took over some of the houses there. People
went to A'arasat less and less because it was too dangerous. His shop was closed
up more than it was open. He shut it up permanently after getting death threats
and a hand grenade through his shop window. His car was carjacked at some point
and he was shot at so he started driving around in his fathers beaten-up old
Toyota Cressida with a picture of Sistani on his back window, "To ward
off the fanatics..." He winked and grinned.
E. and I would stop by his shop sometimes after the war, before he shut it down.
We went in once and found that there was no electricity,and no generator. The
shop was dimly lit with some sort of fuel lampand Alan was sitting behind the
counter, sorting through CDs. He was ecstatic to see us. There was no way we
could listen to music so he and E. sang through some of their favorite songs,
stumbling upon the lyrics and making things up along the way. Then we started
listening to various ring tones and swapping the latest jokes of the day. Before
we knew it, two hours had slipped by and the world outside was forgotten, an
occasional explosion bringing us back to reality.
It hit me then that it wasn't the music that made Alan's shop a haven- somewhere
to forget problems and worries- it was Alan himself.
He loved Pink Floyd:
Did you see the frightened ones?
Did you hear the falling bombs?
Did you ever wonder why we
Had to run for shelter when the
Promise of a brave, new world
Unfurled beneath the clear blue sky?
Did you see the frightened ones?
Did you hear the falling bombs?
The flames are all long gone, but the pain lingers on.
Goodbye, blue sky
Goodbye, blue sky.
Goodbye. Goodbye.
(Goodbye Blue Sky - Pink Floyd)
Goodbye Alan...
- posted by river @ 10:05 PM
Wednesday, January 04, 2006
2006...
Here we are in the first days of 2006. What does the 6 symbolize?
How about- 6 hours of no electricity for every one hour of electricity? Or
6 hours of waiting in line for gasoline that is three times as expensive as
it was in 2005? Or an average of six explosions per day near our area alone?
The beginning of the new year isnt a promising one. Prices seem to have
shot up on everything from fuels like kerosene and cooking gas, to tomatoes.
A typical conversation with Abu Ammar our local fruit/vegetable vendor goes
something like this:
R: Oh nice lemons today Abu Ammar
give us a kilo.
Abu A: They are Syrian. You should see the tomatoes- if you think these
are nice, take a look at those.
R: Hmmm
they do look good. Two kilos of those. How much will that
be?
Abu A: That will be 3600 dinars.
R (feigning shock and awe): 3600 dinars! What? That is almost double what
we paid a week ago
why?
Abu A (feigning sorrow and regret): Habibti
you know what my supplier
has to go through to bring me these vegetables? The cost of gasoline has gone
up! I swear on the life of my mother that Im only profiting 50 dinars
per kilo
R: Your mother is dead, isnt she?
Abu A: Yes yes- but you know how valuable the dear woman was to me- may
Allah have mercy on her- and on us all! The dogs in the government are going
to kill us with these prices
R (sighing heavily): You voted for the dogs last year Abu Ammar
Abu A: Shhh
dont call them dogs- its not proper. Anyway,
its not their fault- the Americans are making them do it
my Allah
curse them and their children
R (with eyes rolling) and Abu A (in unison):
and their childrens
children.
A few days ago, the cousin took me to buy a pack of recordable CDs. The price
had gone up a whole dollar, which may seem a pittance to the average American
or European, but it must be remembered that many Iraqis make as little as $100
a month and complete families are expected to survive on that.
B. why has the price of these lousy CDs gone up so much??? I demanded
from the shop owner who is also a friend, Dont tell me your supplier
has also pushed the prices up on you because of the gasoline shortage?
I asked sarcastically. No- supplies cost the same for him- he has not needed
to stock up yet. But this is how he explained it: his car takes 60 liters of
gasoline. It needs to be refueled every 2-3 days. The official price of gasoline
was 50 Iraqi dinars before, so it cost him around 3000 dinars to fill up his
car, which was nearly two dollars. Now it costs 9000 Iraqi dinars IF he fills
it up at a gas station and not using black market gasoline which will cost him
around 15,000 dinars- five times the former price- and this every two to three
days. He also has to purchase extra gasoline for the shop generator which needs
to be working almost constantly, now that electricity is about four hours daily.
Now how am I supposed to cover that increase in my costs if I dont
sell CDs at a higher price?
People buy black market gasoline because for many, waiting in line five, six,
seven
ten hours isnt an option. Weve worked out a sort of
agreement amongst 4 or 5 houses in the neighborhood. According to a schedule
(which is somewhat complicated and involves license plate numbers, number of
children per family, etc.), one of us spends the day filling up the car and
then the gasoline is distributed between the four or five involved neighbors.
The process of extracting the gasoline from the car itself once it is back at
the house was a rather disgusting and unhealthy one up until nearly a year ago.
A hose was inserted into the gasoline tank and one of they unlucky neighbors
would suck on it until the first surge of gasoline came flowing out. Now, thanks
to both local and Chinese ingenuity, we have miniature gasoline pumps to suck
out the gasoline. The man who invented these, My cousin once declared
emotionally, holding the pump up like a trophy, deserves a Nobel Prize
in
something or another.
I know for most of the world, highly priced gasoline is a common concern. For
Iraqis, it represents how the situation is deteriorating. Gasoline and kerosene
were literally cheaper than bottled water prior to the war. Its incredibly
frustrating that while the price of petrol is at a high, one of the worlds leading
oil-producing countries isnt producing enough to cover its own needs.
There is talk of major mismanagement and theft in the Oil Ministry. Chalabi
took over several days ago and a friend who works in the ministry says the takeover
is a joke. You know how they used to check our handbags when we first
walked into the ministry? She asked the day after Chalabi crowned himself
Oil Emperor, Now WE check our handbags after we leave the ministry- you
know- to see if Chalabi stole anything.
I guess the Iraqis who thought the US was going to turn Iraq into another America
werent really far from the mark- we too now enjoy inane leaders, shady
elections, a shaky economy, large-scale unemployment and soaring gas prices.
Goodbye 2005- the year of SCIRI, fraudulent elections, secret torture chambers,
car bombs, white phosphorous, assassinations, sectarianism and fundamentalism
you will not be missed.
Let us see what 2006 has in store for us.- posted by river @ 11:32 PM
Thursday, December 15, 2005
Elections...
Elections have been all we hear about for the last ten days at least.
The posters are everywhere in Baghdad. There are dozens of parties running for
elections, but there are about four or five lists which stand out
from the rest:
- National Iraqi (731): Ayad Allawis list, which now includes some other
prominent puppets including Adnan Al-Pachachi, Ghazi Al-Yawir, Safiya Al-Suhail,
etc. Ayad Allawi is a secular Shia, CIA-affiliated, ex-Baathist.
- Unified Iraqi Coalition List (555): Hakim, Jaaffari and various other
pro-Iran fundamentalists, in addition to Sadrists.
- Kurdistani Gathering (730): Barazani, Talbani and a few other parties.
- Iraqi Front for National Dialogue (667): Mainly Sunni, secular list
includes the Iraqi Christian Democratic Party and is headed by Salih Al-Mutlag.
- Iraqi Alliance Front (618): Mainly Sunni Islamic parties.
Weve been flooded with election propaganda this last week. Every Iraqi
channel you turn to is showing one candidate or another. Allawi, Hakim and a
handful of others dominate the rest though. No one is bothering much with the
other lists because quite frankly, no one hears of them that often. Allawis
face is everywhere, as is Hakims turbaned head. Its disconcerting
to scan a seemingly innocent wall and have a row of identical Hakims smiling
tightly down on you.
The last press conference I watched of Hakim was a few days ago. He was warning
his followers of electoral fraud, which is slightly ironic considering his group
has been accused of all sorts of fraud this last year. The audience was what
caught my interest. The women were sitting on one side of the audience and the
men were sitting on the other side, the sexes separated by a narrow aisle. The
women all wore black abbayas and headscarves. It could have been a scene out
of Teheran.
Some of Allawis campaign posters show himself and Safiya Al-Suhail. I
can only guess Safiya being used in his campaign posters is meant as a gesture
to Iraqi women who have felt more oppressed this year than ever. The problem
is that if theres one woman Iraqi females cant relate to- its
Safiya Suhail. Shes the daughter of some tribal leader who was assassinated
abroad in the eighties or seventies- Im not sure. She was raised in Lebanon
and when shes on TV she comes across as arrogant, huffy and awkward with
her Iraqi accent tainted with the Lebanese dialect.
Its a poster war. One day, you see the posters of Allawi, featuring Safiya
Suhail, the next day, Allawis big face is covered with pictures of Hakim
and Sistani. Allawis supporters have been complaining that Hakims
supporters were sabotaging campaign posters.
Even SMS messages are all about voting lately. (Several rather vulgar jokes
about list 555- I can't go into it on the blog, but Iraqis know what I'm talking
about).
Secular nationalists are leaning towards Salih Al-Mutlag (of list 667) who is
seen as less of a puppet than the rest. After all, he is the only heading one
of the more popular electoral lists who wasnt blessed by the American
army and Bremer when Iraq was invaded in 2003. He supports armed resistance
(but not terrorism) and he has a group of prominent anti-occupation nationalists
backing him. There's talk that after elections, his list will support Allawi
to strengthen the secular movement.
The incident of the day yesterday was news of a tanker or truck that had been
caught in the town of Wassit full of fake voting ballots from Iran. There is
also news that voting centers havent been properly equipped in several
Sunni provinces. There was a skirmish between Iraqi National Guard and the electoral
committee to preside over elections in Salah Al-Din.
More people are going to elect this time around- not because Iraqis suddenly
believe in American-imposed democracy under occupation, but because the situation
this last year has been intolerable. Hakim and Jaaffari and their minions
have managed to botch things up so badly, Allawi is actually looking acceptable
in the eyes of many. I still can't stand him.
Allawi is still an American puppet. His campaign posters, and the horrors of
the last year, havent changed that. People havent forgotten his
culpability in the whole Fallujah debacle. For some Iraqis, however, hes
preferable to Hakim and Jaaffari after a year of detentions, abductions,
assassinations and secret torture prisons.
Theres a saying in Iraq which people are using right and left lately,
and that I've used before in the blog, Ili ishuf il mout, yirdha bil iskhuna.
He who sees death, is content with a fever. Allawi et al. seem to be the fever
these days
- posted by river @ 4:41 AM
Monday, December 05, 2005
Mother of All Trials...
I didn't get to see the beginning of the trial today. We were gathered in the
kitchen after a brief rodent scare, trying to determine where the mouse had
come from when I was attracted by the sound of yelling coming from the living
room.
The cousin was standing in front of the television adjusting the volume and
there was a lot of bellowing coming from the court. That was nearly the beginning-
the defense lawyers were pulling out of the trial because apparently, Ramsey
Clark wasn't allowed to speak in English- something to do with the sovereignty
of the court or trial and the impropriety of speaking in a foreign language
(slightly ironic considering the whole country is under foreign occupation).
The lawyers were back later- although I didn't see that either.
I really began watching when they brought on the first witness, who was also
the first plaintiff. He talked about the whole Dujail situation and his account
was emotional and detailed. The details were intriguing considering he was only
15 years old at the time. The problem with his whole account is that so much
of it is hearsay. He heard from someone that something happened to someone else,
etc. Now, I'm not a lawyer but I'm a fan of The Practice and if watching Dylan
McDermott has taught me anything, it's that hearsay is not acceptable evidence.
The second witness was more to the point but he was 10 when everything happened
and that didn't help his case. In the end, when the judge asked him who he was
making a complaint against, he said he wasn't making a complaint against anyone.
Then he changed his mind and said he was complaining against one of the accused
Then he added his complaint was against anyone convicted of the crime... And
finally it was a complaint against "All Ba'athists at the time".
Couldn't they find more credible witnesses? They were fifteen and ten at the
time... it just doesn't make sense.
At one point, the defense lawyers wanted to leave the trial yet again because
apparently some security guard or police officer was threatening them from afar-
making threatening gestures, etc. The judge requested that he be pulled out
of the court (the security person), but not before hell broke loose in the court.
Saddam began yelling something, the defense lawyers were making accusations
and Barazan got up and began shouting at the person we couldn't see.
The court was a mess. There was a lot of yelling, screaming, sermonising, ranting,
accusing, etc. I felt bad for the judge. He really seemed to be trying hard
to control the situation, but everyone kept interrupting him, and giving him
orders. He's polite and patient, he'd make a good divorce judge- but I don't
think he's strong enough for the court. He just doesn't have the power to keep
the court in its place.
It wasn't really like a trial. It reminded me of what we call a 'fassil' which
is what tribal sheikhs arrange when two tribes are out of sorts with one another.
The heads of the tribes are brought together along with the principal family
members involved in the rift and after some yelling, accusations, and angry
words they try to sort things out. That's what it felt like today. They kept
interrupting each other and there was even some spitting at one point
It was both frustrating and embarrassing- and very unprofessional.
One thing that struck me about what the witnesses were saying- after the assassination
attempt in Dujail, so much of what later unfolded is exactly what is happening
now in parts of Iraq. They talked about how a complete orchard was demolished
because the Mukhabarat thought people were hiding there and because they thought
someone had tried to shoot Saddam from that area. That was like last year when
the Americans razed orchards in Diyala because they believed insurgents were
hiding there. Then they talked about the mass detentions- men, women and children-
and its almost as if they are describing present-day Ramadi or Falloojah. The
descriptions of cramped detention spaces, and torture are almost exactly the
testimonies of prisoners in Abu Ghraib, etc.
It makes one wonder when Bush, Rumsfeld, Cheney and the rest will have their
day, as the accused, in court.
- posted by river @ 8:25 PM
Thursday, December 01, 2005
Baghdad Burning Links...
Earlier this year, Baghdad Burning the blog was turned into "Baghdad Burning"
- the book. Feminist Press published the whole first year of blogs in book form
and it was a huge honor. The book is available at both Amazon and Barnes &
Noble. The British version was published by Marion Boyars Publishers .
As if having the blog published as a book wasn't enough- the book itself won
the third prize of the Lettre Ulysses Award for the Art of Reportage in October...
An amazing honor.
Also- Baghdad Burning in Japanese... and Baghdad Burning in Spanish. Many, many
thanks to the people taking so much time to translate the blog!
- posted by river @ 1:09 AM
No Voice...
Ive lost my voice. Thats not a metaphor for anything, by the way.
Ive managed to literally lose my voice. Its a bug that has been
going around with the change of weather. It began three days ago- my voice was
hoarse and I kept having to clear my throat. The next day it had completely
disappeared! I didnt know it was gone until I had wandered downstairs
and attempted a Good morning, which came out sounding like something
from a psychological thriller.
Four things you should know about illnesses in Iraq. When you describe your
malady to any Iraqi, there are some general guidelines you can take for granted:-
1.
Short of cancer and terminal illness, any Iraqi has had your malady before you,
2.
Even in cases of cancer or other serious conditions- SOMEONE the abovementioned
Iraqi knows *almost* personally has had the condition before you (the neighbors
sisters cousins nephew)
3.
Every Iraqi you talk to knows the cure for whatever youre suffering from,
and
4.
Refusing to attempt abovementioned cure is both a personal insult to the well-intentioned
curer and further affirmation of your foolhardiness which got you sick in the
first place.
Ive been no exception- everyone has had a cure for me to try.
My mother attempted various soup recipes. My father suggested gargling with
a mixture of salt and water (which had me gagging). The cousin swore he cured
his own voiceless state last week with a tablespoonful of olive oil three times
daily and supervised my dosage (which made the salt and water mixture actually
seem quite good). Umm Alaa, from three houses down, claimed that my voice
wouldnt return unless my whole neck was wrapped snugly in a wool scarf.
Finally, the aunt concocted an interesting mixture of baybun (chamomile, which
all Iraqis swear by), crushed dry mint leaves and lemon. This was all boiled
together, strained and I was ordered to INHALE the steam rising
from the greenish-yellow liquid and then drink the horrid stuff.
The only person who didnt have a cure for me was E. Why would I
want you to get your voice back?! He asked incredulously.
So Ive spent the last two days communicating with nods, elaborate hand
gestures and hoarse whispers. Its interesting how friends and family react
when they realise Im voiceless- they either lower their own voices to
just above a whisper, or they begin to speak unnaturally loud like I might have
lost my hearing also.
And thats why blogging is a wonderful thing right now- it gives a voice
to the temporarily voiceless.
I didnt get to see the Saddam trial- our electricity was out and the neighborhood
generator was down. All Ive been seeing these last two days are bits and
pieces of it on various channels (they keep repeating the part where he scolds
the judge).
The electricity schedule in what appears to be most areas in Baghdad is currently
FIVE hours of no electricity for every one hour of electricity. Its very
frustrating considering the fact that its not really cool enough yet for
excess electrical heater use- where is it all going? If the electrical situation
is this bad now, what happens later when the populace starts needing more electricity?
I intend to spend the rest of the night reading about Bushs strategy
for Iraq. I havent seen it yet, but I expect itll be a repetition
of the nonsense hes been spewing for two and a half years now. Dont
Americans get tired of hearing the same thing?
Its unbelievable that hes refused to set a timetable for withdrawal
(is he having another "Bring it on..." moment?). Its almost
as if someone is paying him to intentionally sabotage American foreign policy.
With every speech he seems to sink himself deeper into the mire. A timetable
for complete withdrawal of American forces would be a positive step- it would
give Iraqis hope that, eventually, sovereignty will return to Iraq.
As it is, people fear the Americans will be here for the next twenty years-
unless they are bombed and attacked out of the country. Although many Iraqis
support armed resistance in theory, I think that the average Iraqi simply wants
to see them go back home in one piece- we feel sorry for them and especially
sorry for their families at times. There are moments when you forget the personal
affronts- the raids, the checkpoints, the fear of bombing, the detentions, etc.
and you can see through it all to the actual person behind the weapons and body
armor... On the other hand, you never forget that it's a foreign occupation
and will meet with resistance like all foreign occupations.
Bush, Cheney, Rumsfeld and Rice can all swear that American troops will not
pull out of the country no matter how many casualties they sustain, but history
has proven otherwise
- posted by river @ 12:30 AM
Friday, November 25, 2005
Assassinations...
We woke up yesterday morning to this news: Sunni tribal leader and his sons
shot dead.
Gunmen in Iraqi army uniforms shot dead an aging Sunni tribal leader and
three of his sons in their beds on Wednesday, relatives said
Except when you read it on the internet, its nothing like seeing scenes
of it on television. They showed the corpses and the family members- an elderly
woman wailing and clawing at her face and hair and screaming that soldiers from
the Ministry of Interior had killed her sons. They shot them in front of their
mother, wives and children
Even when they slaughter sheep, they take them
away from the fold so that the other sheep arent terrorized by the scene.
In war, you think the unthinkable. You imagine the unimaginable. When you cant
get to sleep at night, your mind wanders to cover various possibilities. Trying
to guess and determine the future of a war-torn nation is nearly impossible,
so your mind focuses on the more tangible- friends
Near and distant relations.
I think that during these last two and a half years, every single Iraqi inside
of Iraq has considered the possibility of losing one or more people in the family.
I try to imagine losing the people I love most in the world- whether its
the possibility of having them buried under the rubble
or the possibility
of having them brutally murdered by extremists
or blown to bits by a car
bomb
or abducted for ransom
or brutally shot at a checkpoint. All
disturbing possibilities.
I try to imagine what would happen to me, personally, should this occur. How
long would it take for the need for revenge to settle in? How long would it
take to be recruited by someone who looks for people who have nothing to lose?
People who lost it all to one blow. What I think the world doesnt understand
is that people dont become suicide bombers because- like the world is
told- they get seventy or however many virgins in paradise. People become suicide
bombers because it is a vengeful end to a life no longer worth living- a life
probably violently stripped of its humanity by a local terrorist- or a foreign
soldier.
I hate suicide bombers. I hate the way my heart beats chaotically every time
I pass by a suspicious-looking car- and every car looks suspicious these days.
I hate the way Sunni mosques and Shia mosques are being targeted right and left.
I hate seeing the bodies pile up in hospitals, teeth clenched in pain, wailing
men and women
But I completely understand how people get there.
One victim was holding his daughter. "The gunmen told the girl to move
then shot the father," said a relative.
Would anyone be surprised if the abovementioned daughter grew up with a hate
so vicious and a need for revenge so large, it dominated everything else in
her life?
Or three days ago when American and Iraqi troops fired at a family traveling
from one city to another, killing five members of the family.
"They are all children. They are not terrorists," shouted one relative.
"Look at the children," he said as a morgue official carried a small
dead child into a refrigeration room.
Who needs Al-Qaeda to recruit 'terrorists' when you have Daawa, SCIRI
and an American occupation?
The Iraqi Ministry of Interior is denying it all, of course. Just like theyve
been denying the whole Jadriya torture house incident and all of their other
assassinations and killing sprees. They've gone so far as to claim that the
Americans are lying about the Jadriya torture house.
In the last three weeks, at least six different prominent doctors/professors
have been assassinated. Some of them were Shia and some of them were Sunni-
some were former Baathists and others werent. The only thing they
have in common is the fact that each of them played a prominent role in Iraqi
universities prior to the war: Dr. Haykal Al-Musawi, Dr. Ra'ad Al-Mawla (biologist),
Dr. Sa'ad Al-Ansari, Dr. Mustafa Al-Heeti (pediatrician), Dr. Amir Al-Khazraji,
and Dr.Mohammed Al-Jaza'eri (surgeon).
I dont know the details of all the slayings. I knew Dr. Raad Al-Mawla-
he was a former professor and department head in the science college of Baghdad
University- Shia. He was a quiet man- a gentleman one could always approach
with a problem. He was gunned down in his office, off campus. What a terrible
loss.
Another professor killed earlier this month was the head of the pharmacy college.
He had problems with Daawa students earlier in the year. After Jaafari
et al. won in the elections, their followers in the college wanted to have a
celebration in the college. Sensing it would lead to trouble, he wouldnt
allow any festivities besides the usual banners. He told them it was a college
for studying and learning and to leave politics out of it. Some students threatened
him- there were minor clashes in the college. He was killed around a week ago-
maybe more.
Whoever is behind the assassinations, Iraq is quickly losing its educated people.
More and more doctors and professors are moving to leave the country.
The problem with this situation is not just major brain drain- it's the fact
that this diminishing educated class is also Iraq's secular class
- posted by river @ 1:03 AM
Friday, November 18, 2005
House of Horrors...
The talk of the town is the torture house they recently found in Jadriya.
The whole world heard about the one in Jadriya, recently raided by the Americans.
Jadriya was once one of the best areas in Baghdad. It's an area on the river
and is special in that it's greener, and cleaner, than most areas. Baghdads
largest university, Baghdad University, is located in Jadriya (with a campus
in another area). Jadriya had some of the best shops and restaurants- not to
mention some of Baghdad's most elegant homes...? and apparently, now, a torture
house.
We hear constantly about these torture dungeons. Right after the war, certain
areas became infamous for them. The world knows them as 'torture houses' for
the obvious reasons- they were once ordinary homes, and now they've become torture
centers for suspects and innocents alike. The Iraqi government conveniently
calls them 'detention centers' and the Iraqi Ministry of Interior oversees and
funds them.
One area which was well-known for its torture houses immediately after the war
was Sadir City in Baghdad. Except they weren't called torture houses back then.
The people who ran them called them 'ma7akim' or 'courts'. They would bring
'suspects' in for interrogation- often ordinary citizens- and beat and whip
them for various confessions involving accusations and alleged crimes. A 'Sayid'
would then come in and sentence the culprit- the sentence would sometimes involve
cutting off a hand or a foot and at other times it might be death. We heard
this from an aunts neighbor who was mistakenly taken in and beaten as a suspected
former security agent. His family connections with influential Shia clerics
in the area were the only things that got him out alive- bruised and broken-
but alive.
These torture houses have existed since the beginning of the occupation. While
it is generally known that SCIRI is behind them, other religious parties are
not innocent. The Americans know they exist- why the sudden shock and outrage?
This is hardly news for Americans in the Green Zone. The timing is quite interesting-
it shouldn't matter that this raid came immediately after the whole white phosphorous
story came out, but the Pentagon and American military have proven to be the
ultimate masters of diversion.
Only last year in an area called Ghazaliya, one such house was discovered. It
was on a smaller scale though. My cousin lives in Ghazaliya and he said that
when the Americans got inside, they found several corpses and a man hanging
from the ceiling on a makeshift noose. The neighbors had tried to get the Americans
to check the house for months- no one bothered. They finally raided it because
they got information from someone in the area that it was an insurgents hiding
place. I read once that in New York, if a woman is being raped, she should scream
'fire' instead of 'rape' because no one would come to save her if she was screaming
'rape'. That's the way it is with Iraqi torture houses- the only way they'll
check it is if you tell them it's a terrorist cell.
And another thing- you know when they say 'men dressed in Ministry of Interior
uniforms' or 'men in official cars claiming to be from the Ministry of Interior',
etc. when describing some horror committed by the new Iraqi security forces
in the news? Here's a thought: they aren't 'claiming' and they aren't in costume-
they actually ARE from the Ministry of Interior! One would think they'd do this
covertly so as not to enrage Iraqis or humanitarian organisations, except that
it doesn't matter to them because SCIRI and Da'awa aren't out to win hearts
and minds. They have American favor- what more does one need in the New Iraq?
For over a year corpses have been turning up all over Baghdad. Corpses of people
who are taken from their homes in the middle of the night (lately they've been
more brazen- they just do everything in the light of day), and turn up dead
somewhere. That isn't as disturbing as the reports about the bodies- the one
I can't get out of my head is that many of the corpses are found with holes
in the skull left by an electric drill.
I guess the lucky ones go to Abu Ghraib...?
And it's not only 'suspected insurgents' who disappear- Iraqi security forces
have been known to raid complete areas and detain any males from the ages of
12 to 60- especially in Sunni areas. Those 'suspected terrorists' that are rounded
up and taken away- you know where they disappear to now.
Interior Minister Bayan Jabr (SCIRI Thug-Made-Government-Official-In-Italian-Suits)
is mollifying Iraqis with this little gem,
...the group included Shiites as well as Sunnis...?
I'm sure we can all sleep better at night with the knowledge that SCIRI/Da'awa
torturers don't discriminate according to religious sect- under the new constitution,
American military guidance, and the blessings of the Pentagon- all Iraqis will
be tortured equally.
- posted by river @ 12:02 AM
http://www.riverbendblog.blogspot.com/
Monday, March 06, 2006
And the Oscar Goes to...
Its Oscar time once again. Weve been bombarded with Oscar propaganda
for nearly a month now. MBC and One TV (a channel from the Emirates) have been
promising us live Oscar coverage since January. It seems like all the interviews
and programs for the last week at least have been about the Oscars- Barbara
Walters, Oprah, Inside Edition, Entertainment Tonight- its an endless
stream of Oscar nominees and analysts.
Now Ive seen the nominees- we see them every year- and Ive come
to a conclusion- Iraqis need an award show. While the Hollywood glitterati make
good entertainers, our local super stars, Hakeem, Jaffari, Talabani, Allawi
et al. make GREAT entertainers. This last year weve seen several dramas
unfold and our political leaders have been riveting!
So
not to be outdone by Barbara Walters and Oprah Winfrey- we bring you
the Baghdad Burning Oscar Special!! Except, for our award show I suggest we
change the name of the little statuette from Oscar to something more local and
familiar. (Oscar is too close in pronunciation to the Arabic word Iskar
which means get drunk. Should we use Oscar I fear the
award show would be hijacked by Sadrs religious militia, hence I would
like to suggest the Sayid Awards!)
Ladies and gentlemen, without further ado, we bring you the nominees for the
2006 Sayid Awards!
Nominees for Best Actor:
Ibraheim Al-Jaffari in Free Iraqi Elections for his attempted portrayal
of a non-sectarian, independent PM of a legitimate Iraqi government.
George
W. Bush in OIF: The War on Terror The third sequel to the original
Operation Iraqi Freedom: Weapons of Mass Destruction and Operation
Iraqi Freedom: Liberating Iraqis. Bushs nomination comes for his
convincing portrayal as the worlds first mentally challenged president.
Bayan Baqir Solagh in Torture Houses, for his world-class acting
as the shocked and indignant Iraqi Minister of Interior during the whole torture
houses scandal.
Abdul Aziz Al Hakeem in Men in Black [Turbans] as the deeply devout
Mullah pretending to be independent of his masters in Iran.
Mihsan Abdul Hameed in Fickle for his compelling portrayal of a
victimized pro-war, then suddenly anti-war, anti-occupation Sunni politician.
aktuell