The Hindu Business Line : The lost city of Baghdad

STAMPEDE at the designated sites for distribution of pension amounts, restive and unending queues for free rations, and above all the fear of becoming an unfortunate victim in the exchange of gunfire between coalition forces and gun-toting Iraqis.

Welcome to Baghdad, where some of the once glorious buildings have been either reduced to rubble or charred beyond recognition, and where roads have potholes and traffic laws are non-existent.

The locals who managed to escape the fury of war have returned to work but for those whose offices have either been destroyed or whose shops were looted, there are no jobs. Overnight, they've been rendered jobless, or worse homeless. Despite the `liberation' of Iraq, some of the hospitals are still struggling with inadequate equipment, water, electricity and essential medical supplies.

The situation in Basra, one is told, is even worse. Both in Baghdad and Basra hospitals, the rate of miscarriages and stillborn babies has shot up, with months of stress and fear taking a toll on expectant mothers.

Today, Baghdad is struggling to return to a city of splendour, nightclubs, cinema and other cultural events, which had already been eroded over long years of conflict. The coalition forces' assault was the last nail in the city's coffin.

So all pervasive is the violence and the fear of a stray bullet or bomb hitting you that the streets of Baghdad are virtually deserted after sundown. "Naturally people want to return to the safety of their homes once it becomes dark," says Anwaar, who teaches management in a Baghdad university.

Some professionals like her are happy about the manifold increase in their salaries under the Coalition Provincial Authority rule. Others turn up their noses and say: "So what? The Americans are only giving us what is due to us and what belongs to us. Have they not taken control of our precious oil in return for this pittance?"

Noor, a housewife explains that as far as food and other essential supplies are concerned, things in Baghdad were much better during the Saddam era. "At the beginning of the month we would get the basic ingredients in our ration like rice, wheat flour, sugar and other provisions totally free. Even though salaries were low, all you had to buy was meat and vegetables to keep the kitchen going."

She and otherslike her who saw the fall of Baghdad are sore that the coalition forces deliberately stood by and allowed looting, homes to be destroyed and anarchy to prevail. "Had they wished, they could have stopped a lot of this destruction and maintained law and order right from the beginning. After all, they had the means and the power to do so. But they watched the fun as looted goods turned up in special bazaars in Baghdad to be sold for a pittance."

Women like Noor, who used to shun the hijab (covering of the head and the body with a loose garment) and dress in fashionable western attire, are now opting to cover themselves and look inconspicuous. "Of the thousands who had been thrown into jails by Saddam and released by the Americans, the majority were thieves, murderers and scoundrels. They are now roaming around free on Baghdad's streets and nobody is safe. It will take a long, long time before Baghdad becomes a safe and secure place for anybody," she adds.

Visitors to Baghdad are constantly warned to be extremely careful. `Don't carry too much money. Divide whatever you have and carry it in different places on your body and in the luggage.' But life is not all drab in Baghdad, at least not for everybody.

According to an article in the Baghdad Bulletin, which claims to be an independent newsmagazine aligned neither to any political party nor the ruling coalition, cinema houses in the capital have started screening soft porn movies. It says in occupied Baghdad, in many cinema houses "there is only one choice of film — blue. Although these movies are pretty tame compared to what the West is used to, they are breaking new ground in Baghdad."

The article quotes the manager of one cinema house saying, "Saddam used to control all the films but the absence of a media ministry has created a loose situation. Every type of film can be shown now. Earlier we showed only breasts, now you can see the whole deal. Full sex."

Response can be sent to rasheeda@thehindu.co.in

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