By Peggy Gish
August 22, 2004

Since returning to Iraq, I am frequently asked about what it is like for the Iraqi people now. While it’s easier to focus on the difficulties and crises they are experiencing, I also look for movements of hope.

On a day-to-day level, there are meager improvements in their standard of living and the increased availability of modern appliances and technology. Overshadowing any satisfaction about this, however, looms the lack of security and control Iraqis continue to feel over the circumstances of their lives and the future of their society.

Once more, US forces are embattled with Muqtada Al-Sadr’s Mehdi Army. The U.S. and Multinational Forces in Iraq (MNF-I) appear to be winning this round, but in doing so, may lose the trust and loyalty of the Iraqi people and Muslims around the world.

Though many Iraqis already see the Interim Government as little more than a US front and extension of the occupation, they feel the need to give it a chance. Do they betray their people and support the siege of the Shia holy shrine in Najaf and the killing of their fellow Iraqis? Or do they refuse to cooperate and risk being left out of shaping the new Iraq? Some government officials have resigned in protest. Many Iraqi police and soldiers in the MNF-I have left their posts and refused to fight.

By Peggy Gish
Christian Peacemaker Teams

When revisiting the Sisters of Charity orphanage in Baghdad, where I’ve spent time during the last year and a half playing with severely handicapped children, I think about the changes that have happened there as well as in Iraqi society in the past four months.

Four children have been moved to other institutions. Allah and Ansam were simply getting older and needed a different kind of care. Nancy and E’lias, were sent to a place where they could learn reading or writing, so it is a step of progress. Four new children have come. Ghasara has been there three days, and was still upset and disoriented. She cries about half of the time. Change for her has been very painful.

Change for the Iraqi people has also been very painful, and they, too, have had little control. After the recent “transfer of government” many Iraqis tell us, “nothing has changed, but what can we do?” Others hold on to hope that even if it is not now changed it will eventually lead to more autonomy or improvements. There are more Iraqi policeman and military forces on the streets, but still some presence of U.S. convoys, patrols and guards. With matters of security, the U.S. military are still in overall control. Iraqis now staff the Iraqi Assistance Center, but they have little control over the availability of information, or the decisions to provide compensation for an innocent person killed or for a car confiscated in an arrest. If the complaint was even vaguely related to a situation of resistance or a violent situation, even though the parties are known to be innocent, it is labeled, “combat related,” and the U.S. military claims no responsibility to compensate. Rebuilding has seemed unbearably slow to most Iraqis. Since last March there has been little increase in electricity in Baghdad. Water quality and phone service has improved only in some areas. There has been some decrease in street crime, but an increase of attacks on civilians and other “soft targets” by some resistance groups. It is hard to find Iraqis who will say that that their life has improved very much since the invasion. In fact an Iraqi told me today, “Even with a few more freedoms our life is more miserable now than before the war.”

While the lack of progress in the society is discouraging, it lifts my spirits to see progress with the children in the orphanage. Yasser is walking more with a wheeled walker. Nurah, with stubs for arms and legs, now two years old, is learning to talk. She can sit up, turn over, and scoot around on the floor. When put into her bed for her afternoon rest time, she showed me her new trick. With her tiny half-foot with three toes she picked up a ringed toy with beads hanging down and shook it to play. As I showed her my delight, she looked not only pleased, but triumphant!

Would that there be true progress and excitement in the changes for all the people of Iraq!

Christian Peacemaker Teams is an ecumenical violence-reduction program with roots in the historic peace churches. Teams of trained peace workers live in areas of lethal conflict around the world. CPT has been present in Iraq since October, 2002. To learn more about CPT, please visit www.cpt.org.
Photos of our projects may be viewed at www.cpt.org/gallery