Muhammad Describes Torture in Iraq : Alive in Baghdad

Added 03/03/08
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Sewage Problems Persist in East Baghdad

[LESS INFO] 293 VIEWS | ADDED 15:21:01 03/03/08
Baghdad, Iraq - Shama’iya - The Shama’iya district is in far east Baghdad, although considered a part of the capital, the sprawling metropolis is perhaps more accurately seen as a series of boroughs than one contiguous city. Shama’iya is a relatively new district, and, strangely in the crisis-ridden capital, has been relatively calm since the beginning of the invasion. Shama’iya is the home of a large mental hospital, and perhaps the only noteworthy element of the district for many Baghdadis. To Shama’iya residents, the most noteworthy element is the ever-present sewage water polluting the streets, filling some roads nearly completely. Although you might not know it on first glance, Shama’iya is not simply a neighborhood of the poor and indigent, forgotten by the capital and municipal government. Shama’iya is the home of doctors, engineers, and journalists, as well as more “mundane” peoples. Iraq is undergoing a cholera epidemic , exacerbated by the failing sewer system in the capital and excess of stagnant sewage polluting Baghdad and much of the rest of the country . While security may be improving, there seems to be little movement to improve access to basic necessities such as clean water and electricity. Despite being a calm district, which its residents claim has seen no major disasters, terrorist attacks, or other traumatic events, the Baghdad and 9th April Municipalities claim they cannot assist the residents in repairing the broken sewer system due to security concerns. The residents themselves told Alive in Baghdad the issues are due more to corruption and waste than any actual security issues at hand. While the government fails to rebuild even the calm districts, its left to question how more restive areas can ever hope to get back on their feet. *** Alive in Baghdad is running low on funds. Although we are receiving increasing support from monthly subscribers, we need many more of you to help! We depend on you the viewer for our support. Please, if you value this type of in-depth visual coverage that you can find nowhere else, become a paying subscriber today . Make a donation , or purchase a DVD !

Residents: Sadr City Raids Target Civilians

Added 02/25/08
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Residents: Sadr City Raids Target Civilians

[LESS INFO] 1 VIEWS | ADDED 21:06:42 02/25/08
Baghdad, Iraq - Sadr City - In October 2007 the US Military claims it raided 3 locations in pursuit of a Shi'a masterminding a kidnapping gang. Iraqi civilians in the area claimed differently. The Coalition forces claim 49 criminals were killed and no civilians were injured in the raid . Iraqi Police and hospital officials reported only 15 deaths including three children . Another report from the Iraqi Ministry of Interior claimed there were 13 killed and 69 injured . In other reports, the shadowy "Task Force 88" or "Task Force Black" was cited as being involved in this raid . The report from Long War Journal suggested that they were involved due to the United States' claim that the raid targeted the so-called "Special Groups," off-shoots of the Mahdi Army who have defied Muqtada Sadr's ceasefire order and are being supplied by Iran. In Esquire , Thomas P.M. Barnett writes that Task Force 88 was sent into Somalia seeking Al-Qa'eda operatives, with orders to " Kill anyone still alive and leave no unidentified bodies behind. " Iraqi civilians in Sadr City expressed anger, frustration, and confusion regarding the raid. Ali Al-Dabbagh, spokesman for the Iraqi Government, says that Prime Minister Maliki called General Petraeus to lodge a complaint , and attacked the United States for killing civilians and using excessive force. None of the civilians who spoke with Alive in Baghdad could explain the reason for the attacks, they claimed there were no fighters for the Mahdi Army in their area, and implored the international media to come and examine the neighborhood themselves. Alive in Baghdad correspondent Nabeel Kamal witnessed no evidence of militia activity in the area while producing this story. The US and Iraqi governments have agreed to investigate the incident further, but as this goes to publish, Alive in Baghdad could not determine any new details or information uncovered by the investigation. *** Alive in Baghdad is running low on funds. Although we are receiving increasing support from monthly subscribers, we need many more of you to help! We depend on you the viewer for our support. Please, if you value this type of in-depth visual coverage that you can find nowhere else, become a paying subscriber today . Make a donation , or purchase a DVD !

Challenges Face Youth Football in Sadr City

Added 02/18/08
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Challenges Face Youth Football in Sadr City

[LESS INFO] 6 VIEWS | ADDED 05:38:38 02/18/08
Baghdad, Iraq - Around Baghdad Iraqi civilians and United States and Iraqi security forces alike are trumpeting the apparent gains of the “Surge” or “Law Imposition Plan” respectively. Although Muqtada Sadr’s Mahdi Army has put down its arms for the time being, and Sunni insurgents have re-directed their weapons against Islamist hard-liners and Al-Qa’eda. While the air on the street is calm, Baghdad’s youth will determine the future of the city and the country at large. This week Nabeel Kamal visited a football game for Baghdad’s youth in Sadr City’s sector 74. Sector 74, like much of Sadr City, is a poor area of Baghdad, with great needs from the city government in all issues. Not only are they hoping for improvement of sewage pipes and electricity, they also dream of football fields with grass and goal nets. Although many may see this as a somewhat frivolous goal, given the adversity facing Iraqis in their everyday lives, the coaches of Sector 74 and other areas would tell you differently. Indeed Iraqis even have a term for this kind of person, a “Battran” is “someone who is dying and asking for ice cream instead of help” as one Iraqi colleague has commented. Yet in the case of Sector 74, questions remain as to what happens after the basic city infrastructure has been rebuilt. If the only outlets provided for Iraq’s youth are idleness, unemployment, or joining a militia, for many the choice will be clear, and not to the nation’s benefit. Although even Iraq’s football teams have been the target of violence , by and large it has been a uniting factor . Football is incredibly important to Iraqis across sectarian, ethnic, and regional lines . Today even the deaf in Iraq are getting a chance to enjoy the sport . As we reported previously, Iraq’s victory in the Asian Cup in 2007 was met with raucous celebrations all over the country . The young men of Sector 74 will continue rooting for their national team’s strive for greatness , and they’ll dream not just of goal nets and green fields, but their own chance to make their mark and have their name cheered by Iraqis at home and in the diaspora alike . *** Alive in Baghdad is running low on funds. Although we are receiving increasing support from monthly subscribers, we need many more of you to help! We depend on you the viewer for our support. Please, if you value this type of in-depth visual coverage that you can find nowhere else, become a paying subscriber today. Make a donation , or purchase a DVD !

In Baghdad, Iraqis Search for Employment

Added 02/11/08
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In Baghdad, Iraqis Search for Employment

[LESS INFO] 7 VIEWS | ADDED 17:15:10 02/11/08
Baghdad, Iraq - A few months back, Iraq's Ministry of Planning reported that Iraq's unemployment rate had dropped to the uninspiring rate of 20%. However, previous to this the rate was quoted at 60-70%, where it's been since 2004 . Critics have suggested the rate was still approximately 60-70% as 2007 came to an end , yet still others suggest it is that high now . The website IraqUpdates.com reported in January that Iraq's Minister of Labor and Social Affairs hopes 2008 will be the year of reducing unemployment all around Iraq . Such hopes may ring empty to men like Mohammed and Ahmed, who are concerned not just with the difficulty of finding employment, but also the corruption rampant in the process. We reported in December about the difficulties for Iraqi refugees in Syria looking for work , yet it is perhaps nearly as difficult for Iraqis still at home to find work. Even those who can find work are still beset by the difficulties of security and stability. Those who must travel from their homes to look for work often feel they are taking their lives into their hands each day. Others such as Ahmed find it difficult to complete their work because of the lack of steady electricity or gasoline to fuel generators to make up for the lack of available power. Some Iraqis such as Ahmed, or these Iraqi teens we interviewed previously , have taken to working from home as much as possible, to limit their insecurity, particularly given the chance of traveling a long distance for work only to find their workplace lacks electricity or other resources necessary to operate. *** Alive in Baghdad is running low on funds. We depend on you the viewer for our support. Please, if you value this type of in-depth visual coverage that you can find nowhere else, become a paying subscriber today . Make a donation , or purchase a DVD !

Baghdad Walls Divide Neighbors, Friends

Added 02/04/08
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Baghdad Walls Divide Neighbors, Friends

[LESS INFO] 6 VIEWS | ADDED 08:03:11 02/04/08
In order to reduce the rate of violence between the Ghazaliya neighborhood and the Shu’la neighborhood, the Iraqi Government and Coalition Forces built a wall to separate these two neighborhoods. The Iraqi Government initially opposed construction of the walls , but later relented when the US and Iraq’s own Defense Minister made it clear that construction would continue. This was to prevent infiltration by insurgents and traveling between the two neighborhoods and planting IEDs and assassinating people from the opposing sect. The wall is one and a quarter miles long , measuring from the northern to the southern side of the two neighborhoods and the height of the wall is approximately three meters. Some rejection demonstrations was taking place around the Wall describing it as another method to separate the Iraqi society, and the crowed was contains both Sunni and Shia Iraqis Ghazaliya is considered as an expensive neighborhood for Sunni Iraqis, and Shu’la is considered an expensive neighborhood, primarily for Shi’a Iraqis. In Ghazaliya you can see a large building called the Muslim Scholar’s Association which is the head of the Sunni Organizations all across Iraq. On the other side of the wall, in Shu’la there are several offices for the Sadr Movement . In 2006 Ghazaliya was considered one of the most dangerous neighborhoods in Baghdad, due to a high number of assassination and kidnapping operations that were taking places on both sides of Ghazaliya, the first side is near the Baghdad highway and the other side marks the border with the Shu’la neighborhood. Then mortar attacks became something very normal between the two neighborhoods, many Iraqis were killed by these attacks. Some people living in the two neighborhoods claimed that either Al-Qaeda or Shi’a extremists in Ghazaliya or Shu’la respectively, were responsible for those attacks. These witness claim they were not caused by regular people who lived in the neighborhoods. On September 11, 2007 hundreds of people participated in demonstrations calling for an end to building the wall in between the two communities. Similar demonstrations occurred in Adhamiya previous to the construction of the wall in Ghazaliya, as we have shown previously . Today the walls still stand , and it is unclear when or if they will be removed. Although Baghdad appears safer, it is only as a city divided. *** Alive in Baghdad is running low on funds. We depend on you the viewer for our support. Please, if you value this type of in-depth visual coverage that you can find nowhere else, become a paying subscriber today . Make a donation, or purchase a DVD !

Basra Celebrates Ramadan With Security

Added 01/28/08
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Basra Celebrates Ramadan With Security

[LESS INFO] 7 VIEWS | ADDED 05:48:36 01/28/08
Basra is one of the oldest cities in the Middle East , and it was well known as the city of knowledge and the city of poems, and that city was invaded several times and each time after a short while its residents returned to normal life. It was invaded by the British Military in the 1920s, and after that the people in Basra worked on returning life to the city, and now life has returned again to Basra after the many problems since the year 2003, the militias started to take over the place and some of the biggest problems occurred at the Basra University when one of the Iraqi militias attacked the students and prevented them from taking any trips outside the university considering these trips as something forbidden due to the rules of Islam, and since then problems in Basra began to be found everywhere. The markets were closed for a long time and citizens were afraid to go out to the markets after the problems that were happening in the streets. Many people were killed because of the attacks against the British forces, and most shops were closed because of the unstable security situation in Basra. The southern Iraqi tribes interfered to fix the situation in Basra, and there was a small improvement in the situation, but security and stability collapsed again in 2006 after the bombing of the Imam Al-Askariya Shrine . There were a great many demonstrations all over Basra and the markets were closed again Since 2003 the Basra was will known better in life then Baghdad the life at the night is lot better then Baghdad, in Baghdad the life ends at six or seven at night. In Basra the residents would only go home around 11:00PM and for the people in Baghdad it was a dream to stay out in the street till 11:00. It should be mentioned that in the last three weeks violence has returned to Basra, and more than 300 Iraqis were killed during these last three weeks because of the battles between Iraqi security forces and the militias. As the chaos and uncertainty in Iraq continues, we will continue to bring stories of daily life in Baghdad, we are in need of your support to continue our operations. You may have noticed our donations have stagnated since the beginning of the year, and we need your support to continue! Please consider becoming a paying subscriber or making a donation above, via ChipIn , to Alive in Baghdad, and support our Iraqi staff who continue to work under difficult circumstances.

Family Tells of Harrowing Kidnap

Added 01/21/08
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Family Tells of Harrowing Kidnap

[LESS INFO] 5 VIEWS | ADDED 07:07:31 01/21/08
Damascus, Syria - Kidnapping in Baghdad became very common over the last 5 years. By 2004 more then 1000 Iraqis were kidnapped in Baghdad by criminal gangs demanding ransom. In 2005 kidnappings became so bad that white papers were written on strategies to combat kidnapping . Some of those who were kidnapped were released alive and some were killed even after a ransom was paid. Individuals on all sides of the conflict have been the target of kidnappings. Journalists have accounted for 51 of the thousands of kidnappings in Iraq , a far greater number than during the United States' last major conflict in Vietnam . Although kidnappings of journalists have dropped off since 2006, according to Reporters Without Borders, at least fourteen kidnapped since early 2006 are still unaccounted for . Kidnappings of foreign aid workers and journalists have largely dropped off due to these organizations instituting stringent security practices, all but preventing them from accomplishing their work , and nearly every foreign aid agency has now left Iraq, including the Christian Peacemaker Teams who left after four of their teammates were kidnapped in 2006, one of whom was killed. Iraqi civilians however continue to be targeted. In 2006 Baghdad became a nightmare, more then 200 being kidnapped every day in Baghdad by gangs and militias. The bad security conditions exacerbated the criminal activities of militias and gangs over the last few years. No one goes out late at night or drives expensive cars on the streets of Baghdad. It became normal not to see any modern cars in Baghdad, due to the dangerous situation and the control of gangs in many Baghdad neighborhoods. The Iraqi morgue has filled with unknown corpses over the years. Some families travel every morning to the morgue, looking for their fathers, brothers, or other relatives, because in many cases though the family pays a ransom to the kidnapper they never received their loved one, so they go desperately searching for a corpse, and there are many kidnapped people who, to this moment, have never been found. The Iraqi government is trying to stop those gangs and militias from kidnapping people, but there are some police patrols and military troops infiltrated by members of certain militias . In several cases they've been successful , but there are also many kidnappings still going on in areas outside Baghdad's control . *** As the chaos and uncertainty in Iraq continues, we will continue to bring stories of daily life in Baghdad, we are in need of your support to continue our operations. You may have noticed our donations have stagnated since the beginning of the year, and we need your support to continue! Please consider becoming a paying subscriber or making a donation above, via ChipIn , to Alive in Baghdad, and support our Iraqi staff who continue to work under difficult circumstances.

Goldsmiths Still at Work in Baghdad

Added 01/14/08
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Goldsmiths Still at Work in Baghdad

[LESS INFO] 13 VIEWS | ADDED 08:23:23 01/14/08
Baghdad, Iraq - Khadimiya is one of the oldest cities i the world to be involved with the gold trade. The craft of goldsmithing started to become famous in Iraq in the 1930s when Iraqi goldsmiths began to use the electric cell for painting the gold after finishing the preparation. Other Arab countries started to import gold from Iraq for several reasons, such as the purity of the gold and the nice shapes they could mold it to. Since then Iraqis began to name their gold in different according to the shape and the weight-for example the pound, and it indicated that it has a weight of a pound and the tear because it was in the shape of a tear, and so on. The primary markets in Baghdad for gold are Share’a Al-Nahr and Al-Khadimyia and those two markets consider by some to be the oldest in the world because since the Abbasid Dynasty these markets existed for the sale of gold and jewelry. Shara’a Al-Nahr witnessed some of the worst gang wars in all of Iraq and the gold robberies there were the worst in all of Iraq history. It even it contested with the worst and largest burglaries and lootings until 2004 when the Iraqi Government implemented strict rules to protect the goldsmiths and their gold. Now people in Iraq journey to Khadimyia to buy gold for several reasons, the safety of the place, the cheap prices they can get in therem and the quantity of the shops there. At the same time the market is close to the shrine of Imam Kadhim, which makes it an important place, not only for Iraqis but also Iranians, who come all the way fro Tehran just to visit the Khadimiya shrine, but tend to by a great deal of gold at the same time. The current security condition made people less active in buying gold from the Iraqi markets, because it’s considered one of the most dangerous items a person can buy in Baghdad. The chance of getting robbed is very high, and gangs are hanging around those areas as a routine. Many accidents have happened during the day time which is something that never happened here before the invasion of Iraq. So far Iraqi people have decided not to stop their life and they have continued to buy gold because gold is a very important element for any person wanting to get married, the Iraqi tradition states that a person should buy a certain amount of gold for any woman he wants to marry. *** As the chaos and uncertainty in Iraq continues, we will continue to bring stories of daily life in Baghdad, we are in need of your support to continue our operations. Please consider becoming a paying subscriber or making a donation above, via ChipIn , to Alive in Baghdad, and support our Iraqi staff who continue to work under difficult circumstances.

Iraqi Troops on the Iran - Iraq Border

Added 01/07/08
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Iraqi Troops on the Iran - Iraq Border

[LESS INFO] 13 VIEWS | ADDED 08:26:16 01/07/08
Kut Al-Zein / Um Al-Rasass Border Posts, Iraq - The Shatt Al-Arab is the place where the Tigris and Euphrates rivers meet, it also marks the border between Iraq and Iran. The banks of the Shatt Al-Arab have been witness to many things throughout the history of Iraq . It was a big battlefield during the Iraq-Iran War the first and second Gulf Wars, now the wars are over and the waterway has become a center of criminal gangs and smuggling. Several gangs work in smuggling cars, weapons, and drugs. The Iranian Government itself has also been accused of smuggling weapons into Iraq . Alarmingly, smugglers have even begun engaging in child-trafficking , although the border with Iran has not been cited as a specifically high area for this. Since being reconstituted after the occupation of Iraq, the Iraqi Police and National Guard have been in a constant battle to stop smugglers from bringing illicit goods into Iraq. These goods are being smuggled from Iran, Pakistan, India, and other remote countries. Smugglers are also known to be involved in financing insurgents cells in Iraq . The Border Guards are equipped with boats, helicopters, and other vehicles to stop smugglers, but one of the biggest problems those tasked with securing the border face are the much more advanced boats, weaponry and other vehicles possessed by the smugglers they’re trying to detain and eliminate. The most valuable product being smuggled or stolen is oil . The smugglers use large boats to smuggle oil smuggle out of Iraq and the Iraqi Border Guard are trying their best to stop those particular boats from leaving Iraqi waters, but usually these boats are not only highly advanced it is also believed that many of the gangs and militias involved in smuggling operations have contacts with corrupt officials in the Iraqi government or security forces. Although these issues are all enough to create concern about the capabilities of Iraq’s border security, there are still others recently surfacing. It has recently come to light that some of the United States’ “Concerned Local Citizens” or “Al-Sahwa (Awakening)” may have been involved in smuggling operations in the past. Also recently, Iraqi President Jalal Talabani was quoted as saying that the Algiers Accord which includes agreement on the demarcation of the Iran-Iraq border along the Shatt Al-Arab needs to be renegotiated . An aid later claimed that the President had been misquoted and he did not “repudiate” the treaty . *** The new year is upon us, and while we will continue to bring stories of daily life in Baghdad, we are in need of your support to continue our operations. Please consider becoming a paying subscriber or making a donation above, via ChipIn , to Alive in Baghdad, and support our Iraqi staff who continue to work under difficult circumstances.

Saddam: One Year Later

Added 12/31/07
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Saddam: One Year Later

[LESS INFO] 5 VIEWS | ADDED 07:34:41 12/31/07
[Editor's note: This is one of the first entries written almost entirely by Bureau Chief Omar Abdullah, please let us know what you think about the slightly different format!] Baghdad, Iraq - It was heard from many people in Iraq that they were tortured by the ex-Iraqi intelligence, or Mukhabarat , and what is really interesting is that some of the survivors are talking about their torture in those days. What the Iraqi Intelligence used to do is to take people under that name of interrogation so they would keep them in prison cells in unknown areas, and some of the those cells are still being found until today. They are distributed all over Iraq, along with the mass graves that are still being found until this day. Many people are still wondering what happened to the nameless corpses that were found in those mass graves. Some people were kept for over 20 years in prison cells underground. One of the most famous prisons was found after the Occupation. It was built beneath Tahrir Square(the site where Saddam's statue was pulled down on April 9th). The prisoners in there were kept for more then a decade and a half, when the Iraqi people freed these prisoners they thought at first that the Iraq-Iran war was finally over and the Iranians won the war and occupied Iraq! So many torture stories and so many illegal detention stories will be heard from Iraqis being captured by the ex-Iraqi government. This week we spoke with two of them, one of whom the father of correspondent Nabeel Kamal. The main Intelligence Department during the Saddam Hussein regime was near Al-Nasour Square, they used to keep many of the prisoner in that facility, and this number was very large. There were more than fifteen thousand prisoners, some of them were released before the Occupation and some of them were released afterward. Most of the detainees under the ex-Iraqi government were detained due to their different opinions or opposition to the government. For example, if someone said I hate Saddam in a public place, that person will get detained, tortured, or executed. There were also some other reasons like being in a different political party than the Ba'ath party, disagreeing with one of the people close to Saddam, or opposing the draft for military service, and many other reasons. In Baghdad there were lot of Iraqi detainees and most of them were Shi'as, due to the refusal of the ex-Iraqi government to allow them to practice their religious acts. This is the reason that many Shi'as in Baghdad support demonstrations in Baghdad and the Imams of many mosques were detained due to there speeches about Saddam preventing their religious practices. Despite all of these things, there are still many Iraqis who question the execution of Saddam Hussein. These Iraqis cite the problems of the trial, the sudden nature of the execution, and even the concurrence of the execution with the holiday of Eid Al-Adha. Isam Rasheed interviewed two men who spoke about their feelings and impressions regarding Saddam Hussein's execution, and this week we look back at his eventual end, and some of the acts that brought him to such an end. *** Alive in Baghdad correspondents such as Isam Rasheed and Nabeel Kamal will continue to bring stories of daily life in Baghdad, as well as the difficulties of Iraqis living in surrounding countries. Please consider becoming a paying subscriber or making a donation above to Alive in Baghdad, and support our Iraqi staff who continue to work under these difficult circumstances.

Disabled Iraqi Athletes Still Struggle

Added 12/24/07
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Disabled Iraqi Athletes Still Struggle

[LESS INFO] 25 VIEWS | ADDED 08:14:18 12/24/07
Damascus, Syria - Today Iraq’s many survivors of car bombings and terrorist attacks have a great number of role models to look to. The Iraqi Paralympics Committee and Weightlifting Federation have come together to ensure that disabled Iraqi weightlifters/powerlifters have as great a chance to compete in the Paralympics as other sports, such as the swimming events . Hayder Fahad met up with members of the Paralympic branch of the Weightlifting Federation before they journeyed to Greece for the European Open Championship. Because of the violence in Baghdad, it has become more and more difficult for athletes of all types to train regularly in Baghdad. Those with disabilities find it even more difficult to navigate the dangerous and unpredictable streets. Because of these risks, the teams have been seeking training locations outside of Iraq. Under President Basher Assad, the Syrian Government has offered visas and facilities to many of Iraq’s athletes, including the powerlifting division of Iraq’s Paralympics hopefuls. Iraqi weightlifters and powerlifters have been making news not only after the invasion of Iraq but since at least 1960 . In the European Open, powerlifters from Iraq went home with three medals and seven qualifications for the Beijin Paralympics in 2008 . Thekra Zakri, one of the fourth place finalists who will go on to the Paralympics was interviewed here by Hayder Fahad. She told them their one goal on the team was to win a “great achievement for our country.” With the vast number of injured and disabled Iraqis across the entire country due to the war, the sport of weightlifting, and particularly wheelchair weightlifting and powerlifting will not be going away soon. Gyms such as Sabah Talib’s will be a great asset to Iraqis hoping to train and excel in their own country as well as abroad . Although it is with great excitement that members of Iraq’s team will be going on to the Paralympics, they will unfortunately be without one of their beloved coaches. Hassan Ridha Ali, himself wheelchair-bound, recently died from a brain thrombosis. *** Alive in Baghdad correspondents such as Hayder Fahad will continue to bring stories of daily life in Baghdad, as well as the difficulties of Iraqis living in surrounding countries. Please consider becoming a paying subscriber or making a donation above to Alive in Baghdad, and support our Iraqi staff who continue to work under these difficult circumstances.

Iraqi Refugees at Work in Syria

Added 12/17/07
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Iraq's Royal Cemetery, The Graveyard of Kings

Added 12/10/07
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Iraq's Royal Cemetery, The Graveyard of Kings

[LESS INFO] 87 VIEWS | ADDED 14:10:18 12/10/07
In Adhamiya there is a famous place known as the Royal Cemetery. Each of the kings of Iraq’s short-lived monarchy, Faisal, Ghazi, and Faisal the 2nd are buried here. Under the Ottoman Empire, this place was selected to be the location for an Islamic College in Baghdad. With the upheaval of World War I and the eventual collapse of the Ottoman Empire, construction was never completed. King Faisal I, the first king of Iraq, completed its construction years later, but after his death, it was chosen to be his burial place. From this point on, it was chosen as the burial place for the Iraqi Hashemites. Faisal I’s wife, Huzaima Bint Nasir, as well as his son Ghazi, and his grandson Faisal II are each buried here. With the overthrow of the monarchy in 1958, the cemetery languished in disrepair and was all but forgotten. In 1987, Saddam Hussein, in an effort to renew interest in Iraq’s monarchy, remodeled the Cemetery, improving its stark appearance. His efforts brought the Royal Cemetery to the beautiful monument that stands today. After the fall of Saddam’s government, in 2003, Shari Ali, the heir-apparent to Iraq’s monarchy, made his first appearance in Iraq at the cemetery, beginning an effort to re-assert the importance of the monarchy. This effort was short-lived. United States Military, and Coalition troops entered the Royal Cemetery shortly after the fall of Baghdad, and the marble stone covering Faisal I’s tomb was damaged while they were searching for weapons stockpiled by insurgents in the area. Although the monarchy seems to have finally been cast aside in favor of Modernity, it remains to be seen whether this symbol of Iraq’s past will hold any lasting influence upon its future. *** If you appreciate our work, please consider making a donation , or becoming a paying subscriber , to support the work of Iraqi journalists. Although we are dedicated to continuing to offer this work for free, it is primarily with the support of our viewers that we can continue our work. Please feel free to contact us if you have any comments, suggestions for stories, or other feedback!

A Tour With Basra's Border Police & Marines

Added 12/03/07
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A Tour With Basra's Border Police & Marines

[LESS INFO] 4 VIEWS | ADDED 08:29:36 12/03/07
Basra, Iraq - As the British military prepares the handover of security of the entire Basra Province to the Iraqi Security Forces, a new focus is being placed on Iraq’s southernmost region. Nabeel Kamal traveled there to interview Basra’s Marines, Navy, and other security forces in charge of protecting Iraq’s borders from smugglers, pirates, and terrorists. Basra’s Shalamja Port is a major entry point to Iraq for many travels from the Gulf and other Arab countries, as well as Iran. It is also a major hub of activity from smugglers and pirates. Being Iraq’s only access to the sea, it’s stability is a strategic necessity for Iraq’s longterm security. Iraq’s Navy has in the past , and is now beginning again , to serve that purpose. Originally founded in 1937, primarily as a river force, it was not until after the Revolution of 1968 that Iraq began to constitute a strong naval force, with the ability to exert influence in the Gulf. Initially after the war, the Coalition Forces created the Iraqi Coastal Defense Force, which in 2005 was renamed the Iraqi Navy. Some of Iraq’s reconstituted Naval force has come from far afield to finally begin duty patrolling Iraq’s waters. While General Al-Hassani and his marines are chasing smugglers and pirates , on the seas, men such as Major Amjad Hassan Jama’i are manning the offices of Iraq’s Border Police . The police at the Shalamja border crossing deal with 3500 or more visitors arriving daily during the summer holidays, and several hundred on average days. While smuggling and militia activity run rampant, these men have their work cut out for them. In Basra some reports say that the local security forces have taken over with minimal violence and instability. Others report that neighboring countries are still causing difficulties in Iraq’s southern metropolis. The men at the Shalamja crossing tell us that their border posts are far afield from the urban center of the city proper, and that some of their greatest difficulties lie in their lack of infrastructure. Away from the ports, on the open seas off Iraq’s coast, the US Navy itself said last month that they will maintain a presence to gurad Iraq’s oil exports for the foreseeable future . Men such as General Hassani and Major Jama’i will be left to protect the rest of Iraq’s valuable imports and exports, of material and citizens. *** It is with great sadness that we report the most recent death of an Alive in Baghdad family member. Hayder Fahad’s sister was killed last week, in a shooting by US forces, involving bank employees traveling to work in Baghdad. If you’d like to send economic or emotional support to Hayder’s family, you can make a contribution via paypal or email to our contact . Please be sure to note the money is directed for Hayder’s family, or send a follow-up email. This is just one of the many difficulties facing our Iraqi staff, and why we continue to ask you to make a voluntary payment to support the Iraqi journalists behind this work.

Iraqi Artisans Still Dedicated to Tradition

Added 11/26/07
114 Views

Iraqi Artisans Still Dedicated to Tradition

[LESS INFO] 114 VIEWS | ADDED 05:49:58 11/26/07
Baghdad, Iraq - Iraq is famous for many things, including woodcrafts. Woodcarving in particular is something well-known in Iraq. Iraqi families such as those of Abu Mustafa Al-Rubaie have been handing their skills down from generation to generation. Iraqi artists are one of many groups who have been the target of violence, such as bakers, academics, and those seen to be connected with the Multi-National Coalition forces. The development of the craft has become rare as well-known artists and professionals of all variety with the means have fled the country. Today there is just one institute still teaching the skills of these Iraqi artisans. The Fine Arts Academy in Baghdad, where many artists have displayed work and taught, continues to provide lessons in woodcarving. Many artists are learning and developing their craft alone, displaying their work primarily in some of the remaining galleries of the Karrada neighborhood. This artform is displayed by Iraqis and Muslims all over, some for purely decoration, but many others for religious purposes. There are woodcarvings and paintings that display images of Imam Ali, the Ka’aba in Mecca, and various sayings from the Qur’an, among others. Abu Mustafa is most proud of his work creating images and paintings with the ay’at or verses of the Qur’an. He also takes pride in keeping true to the traditional methods of the original creators of these works, and makes each by hand. Other artists have begun using machines that enable the reproduction of facsimiles with a minimum of effort on the part of the artist, after the original is finished. … If you appreciate our work, please consider making a donation , or becoming a paying subscriber and providing ongoing support for the work of Iraqi journalists. Although we are dedicated to continuing to offer this work for free, it is primarily with the support of our viewers that we can continue our work. Please feel free to contact us if you have any comments, suggestions for stories, or other feedback!

Sadr Loyalists Reflect on Iraq Sovereignty

Added 11/19/07
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Sadr Loyalists Reflect on Iraq Sovereignty

[LESS INFO] 5 VIEWS | ADDED 08:42:43 11/19/07
Baghdad, Iraq - The Al-A'mel neighborhood has been wracked with as much violence and unrest as Baghdad's roughest neighborhoods. The Sadr office in Al-A'mel has been an important source of stability and security for many residents of Al-A'mel. As we've reported previously, the Sadr Movement, which is connected to Muqtada Sadr's Mahdi Army, has made a name for itself by providing aid and support to Iraqis living all over the country. The arrest of Sheikh Jassem lead to large demonstrations in the Al-A'mel neighborhood . These demonstrations targetted their anger not only at the US forces in Iraq, but also Prime Minister Maliki and the Iraqi government. Because the Iraqi prime minister has claimed to have control over where, when, and how the US forces exert pressure on Iraqi dissidents, insurgents, and militias, the residents of Al-A'mel directed their frustration at his apparent apathy regarding Sheikh Jassem's arrest. Witnesses gave different accounts of the arrest. Although all claimed that the Sheikh was injured by being pushed from the roof of the mosque after being detained, some claimed this was done by a soldier from the United States, while others claimed it was a member of the Iraqi National Guard. At the time he was arrested, the US claimed that he was wanted in relation to a spate of kidnapping, murder, and torture in the area. Residents told Alive in Baghdad that they were surprised by the charges, as he is well-liked in the community and has been involved with assisting Sunni as well as Shi'a families around Al-A'mel. Sheikh Jassem Al-Hasnawi has also received letters of thanks from prominent Sunnis, such as Dr. Al-Kubaisi, for his assistance in the construction of school buildings in the primarily Sunni Karkh region of Baghdad. Until now Sheikh Jassem Al-Hasnawi has been held by the US forces, leading many Iraqis to question the truth of Prime Minister Maliki's claims of Iraqi sovereignty. At the time of writing, it was unclear when Sheikh Jassem might be released, whether there was any truth to the claims of his injury, or whether he has been officially charged with any wrongdoing. ... If you appreciate our work, please consider making a donation , or becoming a paying subscriber , to support the work of Iraqi journalists. Although we are dedicated to continuing to offer this work for free, it is primarily with the support of our viewers that we can continue our work. Please feel free to contact us if you have any comments, suggestions for stories, or other feedback!

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