By Cathy Breen
Voices in the Wilderness
Baghdad
September, 7, 2003

Dear Friends,

As we sat around the kitchen table early this morning, we were joined by Amal (a woman who works on the newspaper) and her grown son Oday. The discussion among us was “How is it different now than before the war?”

Some of the BEFORES were: There were telephones, electricity, security (Baghdad was the 3rd safest city in terms of violent crime). Gas was cheaper, there was no real possibility for civil war, the army and government employees had jobs, borders were regulated and people were worried about surveillance. There were not many foreigners. Things were terrible but predictable. People wanted to get out of Iraq.

Some of the NOWS: Electricity 1/3 to 1/2 a day, telephone service has not been restored to many sectors, there is now satellite TV to show Iraqis how others live and there are internet centers. Gas is more expensive. No one is safe. There is shooting and looting, robbery, killings, arbitrary arrests and detentions without trial. Most people feel free to speak, though not everyone, civil war is a real possibility, no jobs, and gas is more expensive. There is a free for all at the border, no Foreign ministry established to issue visas or passports, and there are still not many foreigners. English is the key to streets paved in gold. There is also immense humiliation among the people associated with looting. People still want to get out of Iraq.

Amal and her son shared: “We can’t find medications, or if we can they are very expensive. We have no phones to call if there is any kind of emergency. There is no ambulance service or firetrucks. We have to go to American’s Central Command personally to request help in case of emergency. We must be in the house at night because we are afraid. We are afraid to take a taxi for fear of a bomb or shooting. Schools are not safe and families are afraid to send their children, especially girls, to school because of kidnappings. With thieves, there is no one to call and the Iraqi police are afraid now too. American troops shoot everyone randomly, even children. Near our house a mother and her 2 children were killed in a car about a week ago by American soldiers. This happens alot. The soldiers are scared too.”

Amal continues, “There is no government, no rules. Everyone does what they want. I couldn’t even sell my house if I wanted to, as there is no mechanism to do so. Iraqi people want an Iraqi government. Until now, nothing is better. Iraqi people don’t want civil war. I think it’s people outside of Iraq who want this.”

Later today Kathy Kelly and I went to the Children’s Pediatric Hospital where we used to visit the children and their mothers on the Oncology ward in pre-invasion times. We were there with a woman doctor, Salma, known to Kathy. She greeted us warmly and we visited together. She shared “Now it is better….We are meeting freely with many NGOs and we give them a list of drugs that the hospital needs, and then receive them directly. Formerly medications went through the Ministry of Health or were kept in Quality Control. Or they were held by the hospital until they expired. NGOs are paying attention to the needs of the hospital: air conditioning, sewage and drugs. The regime didn’t pay attention to the suffering of people. Things are getting easier; we are getting support.”

Salma says, “Formerly one could only see one side of the truth. Sanctions were also internal, not only outside. [Under the regime] with a VIP patient we had the order directly to supply the drug without delay. They could take directly what they needed. The poor people didn’t have this chance. Drugs were in the pharmacy, but not in the hospital. We were the victims; we had no control.”

“Many Iraqi people wanted to get rid of this corrupted regime. Even with the chaos after the war, the instability and lack of security, we still think its better than before.” She continued, her pain obvious, “We are suffering from corruption. Salaries were so low ($l.50-2.00 a month for some employees), that they would take the supplies and sell them.” The attitude is one of “We work according to what we’re paid!” With great emotional restraint she went on “Buildings can be repaired, but morals, how can they be repaired? My medical practice started at the beginning of the Iraq/Iran war. I gave the best years of my live, never thought about myself. I stayed for our children.” Our conversation concluded with her comment, “We were more optimistic in the beginning. We expected America to secure the country.”

As we left I showed her the picture of 5 year old Atarid together with his mother Adra. Many of you might remember it as Atarid has a tear on his face under his soulful eyes. I was hoping beyond hope that I could locate them. She recognized them immediately. She said sadly “Atarid died toward the end of the bombing, of septicemia. I know because his father came to the hospital after the bombing. His own 14 year old brother was dying of cancer.”

I will close on a more upbeat note. I think I may have found an Arabic teacher. I just went to one of the little corner stores and was chatting with the shop keeper, Mohammed. He is about 30 years old and the father of a 1 /2 year old daughter, Fatima. He was asking me about Voices in the Wilderness. “What is your purpose?” As I told him something about our earlier work trying to get sanctions lifted and stop the war, he said smiling with some embarrassment “I’m glad you weren’t able to stop the war! Everyone hates Sadaam Hussein!” He went on to tell me how he was in college for 8 years (has his masters degree in physics) in order to stay out of the army. But they caught up with him he said laughingly, despite all his pranks like binding up his arm and saying it was broken! He hopes the troops will only have to stay for “a year or so.” It was nice to watch his kind and gentle manner with the many children who came into the shop while we were visiting. He will tell me tomorrow if he can give me lessons a few times a week.

Hoping you are all well. I send much love, cathy