Palestine

The last time I read a comic book was when I was in middle school in Iraq. The books I read were all about Superman and Batman (translated into Arabic) and some like Juha or Sindbad of the Arabian Nights which were series in children magazines like Majalati and al-Mizmar. Previously, comic books for me were more like an entertainment tool for kids and teenagers only. Yet, today I discovered that it’s more serious than how I expected it to be.

One of my classes is called “Rhetorical Theory of Place.” In this course, we read different kinds of books that deal with the philosophy of the term “place” and how this theory could be applied into writing. One of the books suggested by the professor was called “Palestine.”

“Palestine” is a graphic non-fiction novel written and drawn by Joe Sacco about his experiences in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip in December 1991 and January 1992. Sacco gives a portrayal which emphasizes the history and plight of the Palestinian people, as a group and as individuals.

The novel is no easy to read. Though it’s a comic book, it has a lot of details that could not be easily digested by people who’ve never experienced displacement and suffering. Sacco’s main goal in the book is to confront a reality unfamiliar to his American audience. Throughout the book, he declares that his main visit to the Palestinian territories is to focus on how people live there in such harsh conditions under the occupation. He was even asked by an Israeli woman that he should “be seeing [their] side of the story too.” He comments, “And what can I say? I say I’ve heard nothing but the Israeli side most all my life, that it’d take a whole other trip to see Israel, that I’d like to meet Israelis, but that wasn’t why I was here…”

Sacco’s drawings were amazingly alive. They make you picture the whole thing as if you were there. The smallest details were carefully and accurately written and drawn. He included a detailed, quoted historical background, supported by flashbacks narrated by him and his real characters through the conversations which he was part of.

I myself enjoyed the book very much. Although most of the incidents took place in the Palestinian territories, Sacco gives us a good picture of the Israeli part as well. The question of peace is of course presented. The story is full of amazing details and events. If you haven’t read it yet, go read it. It’s worth reading. If you already did, I would love to share my opinion with you on the comments section.

baghdadtreasure@gmail.com

Newlywed Terrorists

At an Iraqi army checkpoint, a newlywed couple was ordered out of their car at a Baghdad. The police and army members were shocked when they discovered that the blushing bride was really a man, CNN reported.

The couple were not newlyweds, they were wanted militants trying to sneak past security in disguise, the Iraqi defense ministry said in a statement. The video and the CNN news article say it all.

Official: Bride, groom stopped in Iraq actually terror suspects

BAGHDAD (CNN) -- Soldiers manning a checkpoint near Baghdad stopped a wedding convoy to find that the purported bride and groom were wanted terror suspects, an Iraqi Defense Ministry official said Monday.

The Army set up the checkpoint last week in the Taji area, about 12 miles (20 kilometers) north of Baghdad.

The soldiers became suspicious of the convoy because its members -- save the "bride" -- were all male and because one of the cars in the convoy did not heed orders to stop, the official said.
Also, soldiers said, the people in the car seemed nervous and the groom refused to lift his bride's veil when soldiers asked him to, according to the official.

Soldiers ordered everyone out of the car, the official said.

Upon inspecting the convoy, soldiers found a stubbly-faced man, Haider al-Bahadli, decked out in a white bride's dress and veil.

Bahadli was wanted on terror-related charges, as was his groom, Abbas al-Dobbi, the official said.

Two other terror-related suspects were detained as well.

First Iraqi Cardinal Named by Pope

Cardinal Emmanuel III Delly is the first prelate in Iraq in modern times to be named a cardinal by the Roman Catholic Church.

Read the New York Times Article.

What's the Difference?

It was in 2000 when the Baathist professor of the “National Education” came to our classes and threatened us the students to be dismissed from the university if we don’t join al-Quds Army, an army of civilians Saddam formed to “liberate Palestine from the Zinists.” A sophomore in college at the time, I couldn’t but think of how to get away from this. It was the second time that happened to me.

I stared at the professor and recalled what happened a fewyears earlier when I was in high school. My school was controlled by Uday Saddam Hussein who was in charge of the “Fidayee Saddam,” a paramilitary force established by the Baathist regime. The force consisted of adults and teenagers’ branches. We were supposed to join “Ashbal Saddam,” the teenagers’ branch, by force.

The “National Education” Baathist teachers came to take us by force to the buses that were lined up on campus. I ran away from classes, but no, all gates were closed. I didn’t know what else to do. I thought if I join the force, it means I will not be able to see my family and study for several months. I recalled my parents’ advice the night before this happened. They told me to do my best to run away, even if it takes climbing the school fence to run away. They sensed something wrong was going to happen.

It was easy to be out of sight. My high school was the biggest school in size in all over Baghdad. I went to the second soccer field. No games were on since students were being led to the buses that were going to the barracks. I reached the fence behind the soccer field, but it was very high that I couldn’t climb easily. I wanted to jump and extend my hands to reach the top, but I couldn’t. The school’s dean who was appointed personally by Uday Saddam Hussein made sure to put barbed wires all over the fence. Yet, I never gave up. I searched for bricks and I found some. I put one above the other until I was able to reach half the fence. Then I grabbed some of my books and put them on the barbed wires. Unfortunately, one of them fell just when I reached the top. I hurt my right hand, but it wasn’t a deep cut. It was a scratch. Then I jumped off the fence to the sidewalk. I ran with all my power before the inspectors reach me. They were at the corner of the streets catching students running away. Finally, I made it home! At night, my friends were all given military haircuts and shown on TV, wearing military uniforms.

When the college professor spat his poison and left, I decided to do the same as I did in high school. This time, I was taller, faster, and stronger to run away.

I will never join an army… Over my dead body!

So, right when the break started, I went to the main gate. I peered right-then left. There were buses ready to take us to go to the barracks. Same old thought came to my mind. I immediately jumped over the metal, thin-barred gate. Luckily, no inspector was there. I later found out that their threats were not serious. They just wanted students to be afraid and get onto the bus to join the army. They never dismissed any student who did not enlist.

In today’s “New Iraq,” and almost five years after the U.S.-led invasion, similar incidents are still taking place on university campuses. Students are forced and threatened to join certain activities and do certain things beyond their desire. Yet the threats are serious now. Death…

Newsweek's Baghdad correspondent Babak Dehghanpisheh wrote a detailed article about how Shiite militias control campuses and how they gun-force students celebrate Shiite religious ceremonies. In his article he narrates a story of a Mahdi Army fighter assigned to “guard” the Mustansiriyah University campus, and how he and his men harassed a Sunni college student because he didn’t want to stay and celebrate the religious ceremony. Two of the student’s classmates were kidnapped and one was found dead.

Dehghanpisheh describes the reasons why al-Mustansiriya University, once was one of the most secular and liberal amongst its peers in the country, has become in this condition. He writes:

Students and professors say the government-appointed security force for the campus, the Facilities Protection Service, is largely made up of Mahdi Army fighters, loyal to Moqtada al-Sadr. Posters of him and his father, Mohammed Sadeq al-Sadr, are dotted around campus; pro-Sadr (and anti-American) graffiti is spray-painted on walls. The faculty includes many Sadr supporters; most teachers who don't like the new regime have either left or learned to keep their mouths shut. "Mustansiriya is a university totally controlled by the Sadr faction," says a Shiite instructor there. "Before, nobody could speak ill about Saddam. Now nobody can speak ill about Moqtada."

Then Dehghanpisheh goes on in detailing how this militia control has affected school and professors.

On religious holidays, local clerics descend on the campus with bullhorns to preach, and female students, whether Shiite or Sunni, are warned they'll go to hell if they don't wear a hijab. Secular professors say the creeping religious influence is affecting student behavior. Recently a group of Shiite students beat their chests to protest poor dorm conditions—"the same way they do during [the Shiite festival of] Ashura," says one professor. "I was shocked."

So what has happened to the “New Iraq”? Is this is the freedom Bush has promised Iraqis with? Isn’t this the same government Bush supports that is supporting these militias in university campuses? In the video that I posted in my previous entry, he said “If you lived in Iraq and had lived under a tyranny, you’d be saying, God, I love freedom — because that’s what’s happened. And there are killers and radicals and murderers who kill the innocent to stop the advance of freedom. But freedom is happening in Iraq.” I lived under tyranny and lived under his freedom. I don’t see any difference. I think Bush’s freedom and Saddam’s are alike. We were harassed under Saddam as students, and today’s students are harassed under the new “free” rule.

Read the Newsweek article HERE.

baghdadtreasure@gmail.com

Depraving the word "Freedom"

This morning, I came across something that left my head want to explode. In a press conference with the French President, Bush gave one of his biggest lies in the 21st century. I know we are still in the beginning of this century, but I really believe that he is one of the most eloquent liars the world would ever witness. He was asked about Iraq by a reporter and his answer was like this:

Q: Thank you, Mr. President. My question is on Iraq. Mr. President, this morning you talked at length about Afghanistan, Iran, but not Iraq. And I wanted to ask both of you, is France reconciled with the United States, the United States is reconciled with France? So what about Iraq? Can France, for instance, help to get out of the Iraqi quagmire? And President Bush, where do you stand on Iraq and your domestic debate on Iraq? Do you have a timetable for withdrawing troops?

BUSH: I don’t — you know, “quagmire” is an interesting word. If you lived in Iraq and had lived under a tyranny, you’d be saying, God, I love freedom — because that’s what’s happened. And there are killers and radicals and murderers who kill the innocent to stop the advance of freedom. But freedom is happening in Iraq. And we’re making progress.

What "freedom" he was talking about? Invading a country, abusing its people, bringing terrorists to its land and causing massive immigrations and murders is freedom? This man has even depraved the word and made every freedom-lover hates it because of his comments. We hated tyranny, yes. But what came after was worse and cannot be called “freedom.”

I wonder if the refugees I mentioned in my previous post are saying “God, I love freedom!!”

baghdadtreasure@gmail.com

“Take us Back Home”

Iraqi refugees inside Iraq, are facing terrible living situations due to the reluctance of the Iraqi government to provide them with the necessary living equipments. According to Radio Sawa, the Iraqi government allocated $125 M to displaced Iraqis inside and outside the country, yet “no one has received a [cent] yet” from the money that was supposed to be paid six months ago, according to Sallama al-Khafaji, the Prime Minister advisor. In a conference held for the displaced families, al-Khafaji told Radio Sawa that the ministry of finance justifies that by having no mechanism to distribute this money.

At the al-Manathira refugee camp, One of the refugee camps in the country, the living conditions for Iraqi refugees are harder than anyone could imagine, despite the humanitarian aid provided to them. Families are in a helpless situation because they will live the winter in the wilderness.

A reporter from the Azzaman newspaper visited the refugee camp and wrote about what these refugees go through. I have translated the article since there is no English version of it.

Al-Manathira Refugees Talk about their Sufferings

Living in tents is unbearable … Winter has no mercy

Najaf—The refugees at al-Manathira refugee camp demanded the Iraqi government to put an end to their suffering and find solutions for their problems before winter in which it would be hard for them to keep living in [tents] in the wilderness, under severe cold conditions.

A number of the refugees said, “we were left in this miserable camp all summer enduring the hot days without water or electricity.” They added that it is very hard to live in tents due to the hot and cold weather. The tent is a [bedroom], kitchen, and living room. Each family lives in a tent.

The refugees demanded the government to ensure their return to their homes and all the necessary living conditions.

Al-Manathira refugee camp, located 24 KM south east of Najaf, includes 240 families (1800 people).

Living in Tents:

Hussein Ibrahim Elaiwi, an official responsible on al-Manathira refugee camp at the Ministry of Displaced and Immigrants in Najaf, says that the refugee camp was established On February 21^st, 2007 by the ministry, supported by the local provincial government, Iraqi Red Crescent, the Red Cross and some humanitarian organizations.

These organizations provide the camp with humanitarian relief. It is also supported by the Sadr Office and the Sayyed Sadr al-Deen al-Qubanchi, the preacher of the Friday prayer in Najaf. Two generators were provided to the camp by the Sadr Office and the Najaf Provincial Council. Out of 120 caravans, 45 were distributed in the area. The Water Directorate in Najaf provided the camp with water.

“Take us Back Home”

“My leg was cut due to terrorist attacks in Abu Ghraib,” said Bakheet Kadhum, a disabled man from Abu Ghraib area. “We were threatened to leave our city. So we decided to immigrate to Najaf for my family’s safety. We live in this tent now with my family members.” He added that the government is not doing enough towards millions of families who are left without water and electricity. “We were left in this tent where we spent all the long hot days without water and electricity. It’s only these days that we received water from the water directorate and electricity from generators sent by the Sadr Office in Najaf. They turn on these generators after sunset only. Living in a tent is very hard. The new caravans will arrive in early next year which means we’ll endure the winter in the wilderness under these tents. We want to go back to our homes.”

Klaib Abdul Zahra, from Tramiyah, said he lived in Najaf city for several months until police came displaced us and destroyed the houses we lived in which made us live in these tents. We are going through sever conditions because it is hard for a human being to live the burning summer and the cold weather in a tent. We left our homes after we were threatened. Each family in this camp lost a relative because of the violence and the terrorism the country is going through. The government didn’t care about us. They left us without salaries or housing lands. We received 9,000 Dinars (about $4) from the provincial council and 100,000 Dinars (about $60) from the Prime Minister. Some of the refugees in this camp have not received any money yet. We hoped the government would help us but it was because of the government we were displaced. When will they care about us?”

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Radio Sawa reported last week that Iraqi Vice President Tariq al-Hashimi called on the Iraqi families who were forced to leave the country to go back home. “I say it directly and out of responsibility to the people who left due to the security situation to think about coming back home in the near future.” Hashimi did not give any details of how and why he called for the Iraqi refugees outside Iraq to go back home in the near future. He only mentioned that those who were displaced inside the country could go back to the Baghdad western neighborhoods due to “notable improvement in the security situation.”

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