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THE HANDSTAND |
JULY 2003 |
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DREAMS OF PEACE ?? … IRAQIS ENDURE By Yasmin Hannouna, Al
Mustansiriyya University, Baghdad. 10th July 2003 Calamities, wars, natural disasters and cataclysms - - words to describe the causes subsequently of extreme social, economic and psychological damage to a community. (This alone could be caused by the numbers of victims, if large.) In Iraq this military conflict can be so described and Iraq has suffered similarly. For three decades now Iraq has endured injustice and a brutal genocide that has now culminated in a new horror, the invasion of the USA and its ally Britain. The suffering, intense as it is, will continue and may increase unless the United Nations’ organisations and the sincere efforts of the Non-Government Organisations from all over the world can interfere and deliver some serious aid and provide trusted security for the terrible conditions which the miserable people of Iraq are enduring. The post-war situation is undeniably critical and creates the threat that a massive revolution could break out as a result. Saddam’s regime, the Gulf War, Sanctions demanded by the USA and the UK, and now their Occupation Forces have devastated life here. It would seem that it is the destiny of several generations to suffer endlessly. Three months have passed since the Coalition forces ousted Sadam’s regime but they have made no improvement in the Iraqis lives. On the contrary, they have broken their promises to re-construct Iraq and its infrastructure. It has become evident that the USA had made no plans for the event of occupation and the electricity, water supply and communication systems have not been restored. Cannot America, with all its power and technology solve these problems? Of course it can – but in fact they intentionally use the cut in electricity services, for instance, as a vital weapon to paralyse the lives of millions of Iraqis. Have they have come to stay, to occupy our beloved country, to steal our oil and other natural resources? They have certainly come to commit more brutal crimes against the innocent Iraqis than even the atrocities committed by Saddam’s regime. It seems no matter to the victors what price we will have to pay or how many victims they will kill; how people will live or what are our daily needs. The Americans have, without shame, announced to the world that their arrival is temporary occupation – not conquest and victory. They lie, everyday they kill and arrest many people – this is conquest, and Iraq’s populations may have no alternative but to resist and fight, to force the occupiers to leave this country. So… resistance operations have started and become stronger every day. Everyday US and British troops are wounded or killed in Baghdad and other areas of Iraq – they try to hide the real numbers of casualties, fog-over the information or make it remote by several degrees from immediacy and truth. However, they cannot break down the Iraqi resistance. Since the ousting of Saddam on April 9th, authority, law and order have collapsed. A fashionable term – “wilding” – has been used to cover the army’s brutal crimes committed everyday. The following points illustrate the actual problems of the Iraqis in this post war period. (1) A major problem that has really paralysed Iraqi life is the electricity service. In my own district, last week , we only had six continuous hours on five days of the week.. Can you imagine what happens to old people, infants, children of all ages, and the sick? I myself have a heart problem and become very weak and prone to collapse in the hot season – the temperature is 50C. When we stay at home we must sit idle, waiting to do our domestic jobs that have all been previously accommodated by our electric machines. In this hot season the temperatures at night become worse, unable to use a fan or air conditioner we can hardly sleep. We have no cold drinking water ; refrigerators cannot preserve our food ; meat, dairy products and fruits rot. People with major problems of ill health are becoming seriously ill. A friend’s father of 85 has Parkinson’s Disease and has hitherto slept on an electric bed – because he is unable to do so now, he is getting weaker and weaker. Even though there are electricity generators in some areas – and we have one – that feed about 50 houses with electric power – this is the output problem we have. No work undertaken by computers can be realised as the voltage is also unstable. As a research worker I, with others, cannot work on our projects or complete them in time for publication or other time-lines. We cannot contact specialists and rarely exchange e-mails or have access to the Internet search machines. We are only assured of 4 hours of electricity each day, two in the morning and two at night. Meantime I can assure you that there was actually no damage to our power stations – and these shortages are used by the occupation forces as a weapon to paralyse our daily lives and activities. We actually saw on satellite television how the Americans mined a power station at Jamila, which feeds one third of Baghdad city with electric power, and they have since prevented its personnel to enter and rehabilitate it. (2) The second major problem in Iraq post war is the lack of security and stability which occurred since the initial looting and burning of most of our Ministries, Public Administration Offices and private buildings. Most of these buildings – the universities, hospitals and schools etc – lie now severely damaged and plundered of all equipment, libraries and tools. Moreover, as there is no authority, order or police, looting and arson continue. Murder and burglary and rape are occurring. Innocent people die on the street, as did my colleague “Rafee”, who was shot and left bleeding , to die without help or medical aid. All these brutal crimes are committed in the broad light of day, without any fear of punishment, in the absence of any state control.
In Iraq , there are different religions, communities, nationalities, political parties and groups . In addition, strangers have come across the borders since the war to take revenge on the Iraqis for what Saddam did against their people in the 1980s and 1991. Also, there are the professional criminals who use all kinds of violence and crimes, who were released from prison by Saddam just before the war . They indifferently and coldly kill innocent people just for the sake of killing . So, it is difficult to say who is who after all this . It is difficult today to know who is your real enemy or who to trust as friend. The occupation forces do not interfere to put an end to this disorder In addition , they are themselves, these days, being targeted. We are so scared to go out to our work , to walk or drive in the streets, because of this insecurity, the political chaos and the absence of law, neglected by the interim government . Criminals are everywhere, they kill to steal cars and commit any other crimes. Furthermore, there are mines planted in the streets now-a-days intended to cause casualties in the occupation forces. Some Iraqis. like my father’s relative for instance, who was killed with his daughter when his car had passed over a mine in Gazalia district in Baghdad two weeks ago. Other similar accidents have also occurred. We should avoid being near the occupation forces or happen to be in the streets when their caravans or vehicles pass as they are being continuously attacked which is additionally causing civilian Iraqi casualties too. Even being at home, shells coming through the windows cause many deaths or victims are wounded, sometimes while they are sleeping on the roof of their houses (as Iraqis do in summer ). The sounds of different explosions are heard day and night . In fact , lack of security, this vital aspect of life, has created a real nightmare and frustration for the Iraqis who thought of the U.S power as the only leaders which could grant them freedom and liberation . We now want the presence of the International organizations and the U.N peacekeeping troops to solve this problem . ( 3 ) Most teachers and University lecturers were Baath party members They were forced by Saddam’s regime to be so or they would have been punished or disallowed employment, or forbidden to receive their rights and privileges . Most of them joined the party by name only, against their will, to avoid conflicts or problems with the regime. A large number of these people have been dismissed from their jobs in this post war period. Some have been killed by unknown assailants ( e.g. the Dean of the College of Education & the Dean–Assistant of the College of Science / Univ . of Mustansiriyya ; the Dean of the College of Education / Univ. of Baghdad, my colleague ‘Rafee’ Sikasian , who was not a party member / Dept. of English / College of Education for Women /Baghdad Univ. ). Others have received letters of threat ( the Dean–Assistant at the College of Education for women and three other lecturers at the Dept. of English ) . All these lecturers are qualified, responsible, and good people . They did harm to no one during their accademic service . They are purely accademic persons even though they had to be party members . They need sincere response and support . They have post-graduate courses to teach and their students are left without supervision and guidance . The situation without them is very critical . It is unfair to target such people . ( 4 ) Government personnel and University lecturers also suffer from financial problems including currency and low salaries. Can you imagine that a Full-Professor, and Assistant. Professors, are given only 160$ per month? How can one secure a living and provide for a family and children’s needs – especially now that the prices have become higher than the pre-war period ? These people have already waited for three months and have now been paid a salary that cannot fulfill their necessary demands. Other people are still unpaid. Further, Saddam’s regime issued an Iraqi note of ( 10.000 dinars ) before the war. Most of the people have changed their money into this note. In the post war period, and as a consequence of the acts of violence and looting, including Banks robberies, people have faced a new problem that nobody deals with : the 10.000 dinars note, the value of it has now become 7.000 dinars, i.e.when exchanging it into smaller notes of 250 dinars, or when trying to buy something, one loses 3.000 dinars each time,. Having awaited their salaries for 3 months, most University lecturers and government personnel get paid in ( 10.000 dinars ) notes . This means losing 1/3 the real value of their salaries . ( 5 ) War effects are also particularly visible in the very high rates of jobless and unemployed . This is due to the unwise decision of the Americans to dismiss the Iraqi Army, and all the mass-media personnel. They have dismissed large number of experts and party members in the medical sector and other public administrations . This situation has important political, social and economic implications and constitutes a threat to the general stability in the country . This context ties down urban economies too, and the majority of people have virtually no income and rely entirely on humanitarian support . Also, many families that have been living on the U.N humanitarian oil-for-food program have run out of essential food supplies and they have not enough money or salary to secure their living . They live on this charity, which is often insufficient. ( 6 ) The problem of fuel in the country of oil and petroleum is really astonishing. People have to wait long hours outside the gas stations to fill their cars or they are obliged to buy their needs from the black market which charges four times the real prices. A large number of Iraqis work as taxi drivers to secure their living and this problem has badly affected their income and financial balance . ( 7 ) The occupation forces intend to place all the government personnel who have served for 20 years on a pension. This is to be given at a pension of 85 $ per month only . This is a completely unfair decision as these people have spent most of their life in studying , building , working and obtaining good experiences that we now need. In addition , they have not reached the age of retirement yet . Most of them can work for another 15 or 20 years. So, in fact they really need job support as this is going to cause severe psychological, social and economic problems for them. ( 8 The occupying forces have blocked most of the highways and main streets across the capital causing great traffic jams. Because of this, and the daily check-up of our cars and identities at the University gate, I may take, unpredictably, more than an hour to arrive at College. This has a bad effect on everyone for regulating working hours, and courses, as most University lecturers and students arrive late or they may often miss the lectures. Travel times are completely dislocated for all. ( 9 ) The occupation troops have launched hundreds of night raids on private homes, terrifying women and children, after arresting men . They do not respect people when they search their houses . They behave violently , beat and insult people and after they leave , people find their houses in terrible mess with their money, gold and precious things stolen . These operations are repeated everyday in Baghdad and other areas of Iraq . Some of them have even been displayed on the satellite television to let the world see the reality of the occupation forces and their dirty deeds . Moreover , the occupation forces do not respect the religious principles of Muslims . They have used dogs in their searching operations . To Muslims , dogs cause impurity where they happen to be . Also , they put their hands on our women when checking-up . They should understand and respect all these things for their security at least . Such acts, for instance , caused the death of 6 British soldiers and 8 others were wounded in Majar area near U’mara in the south of Iraq two weeks ago . ]] ( 10 ) After the U.S/U.K occupation to Iraq , the number of children who had one or both parents killed has considerably increased . A large number of children have become handicapped as war victims too. Many of these children have become homeless and as they have nobody to look after them they sleep in streets and get used and raped by criminals , and some are turned into beggars and criminals themselves . In addition , children who are mentally and physically disabled have been particularly damaged because of the acts of violence and looting of the special medical institutes and centers where they used to stay before the war. Consequently , by the negative results of the war , all kinds of support , ( social , medical , and economic ) previously provided by the state and by other charity institutions have been interrupted . So , humanitarian aids are urgently needed to provide healthy care to these innocent victims. ( 11 ) Before the war , most people with chronic disease used to get their monthly portion of medicine with very reasonable prices from special public pharmacies . These have been looted . As a consequence, those people, most of whom are very old and belong to poor families, cannot afford the high prices of the medicine they need. In fact , the Iraqi post war health system has been functioning at only one-fifth of its capacity while irregular electricity supplies are increasing the risk of water contamination and disease . It is a catastrophe and causing the non-functioning of the State . ( 12 ) Other serious post war problems include urban water supply and sanitation , road , and storm-water drainage, solid waste management and social facilities which are tremendously insufficient . Moreover, existing infrastructure and services are in urgent need to repair . What has escaped destruction and vandalism operates at depleted capacity due to neglect and the absence of regular maintenance . Further , heaps of garbage and demolition have been accumulating for months in open spaces, on street sidewalks within the residential areas, and in the main streets of the capital, due to the dereliction and poor management of the Municipal services . This has a drastic effect on people’s health and on the environment as a whole. Critically, the main feeder water pipes have suffered from large number of breaks. This has led to a reduction in the performance and capacity of the water supply system due to the war damage. Water is so essential for us, especially in the hot season . Can you imagine, we did not have water supply at our area for 33 continuous hours last week? Sewage pumping stations have ceased to operate during this military operation too. This has resulted in sewage floods which may further, in combination with the break downs in water feeder pipes, promote the incidence of water born disease . ************ After presenting and discussing most of the major problems Iraqis are suffering from these days , I would like to say that the occupation forces are not taking any serious action to help the people get rid of their sufferings . Although the good Iraqi people have endured tremendous hardship .They have also demonstrated their capacity for organizing themselves to survive successive crises . The sentiment of peace will be durably anchored in people’s hearts when they have rebuilt their home and livelihood. Providing employment opportunities to the people and starting reconstruction in Iraq will have an impact on peace and stability and lay the foundation for sustained growth and social justice. After long years of suffering, Iraqis have the right to live a peaceful and normal life in their country, to have work opportunities, good salaries and freedom. They have the right to govern themselves and to have a democratic political regime. They have the right to benefit from their natural resources. Isn’t it enough that Saddam ruined the life of million Iraqis ?All these things should have taken place soon after the end of the war, but it seems that the coalition forces have ignored the demands and rights of the people . They are not better than Saddam. They are his masters who are now imposing the same policy he used to impose on the miserable Iraqis. They are occupiers and aggressors who come to usurp our peaceful life, treasures and land . It is the USA and Britain, who have used different kinds of weapons of mass destruction against thousands of women and children of Iraq, as well as against the Iraqi Army in their dirty war on Iraq. They used all kinds of bombs that we have heard about for the first time : cluster bombs , heavy bombs( of 10 Tons that cause tremors in the ground equaling 4-5 on Rikhter’s scale ) , sound bombs just to terrify people, Depleted Uranium bombs of limited effects and the new Microwave bombs that immediately change a human into a burnt skeleton. What do you expect of such dirty beasts ? Do they care for the Iraqis’ freedom, liberation,rights and demands ? No , they have returned things in our country to the worst possible conditions .Consequently , we demand a quick pull out of the coalition forces from all parts of Iraq, because they are giving the troops a fine deadline to wage a revolution of Jihad ( Holy Battle ) . In fact , the people of Iraq now become hopeless, as if it is their destiny to suffer for eternity or die like my murdered colleague ‘ Rafee Sikasian ‘, with all their innocent dreams and hopes for a peaceful life to be buried with them . |
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