Ghazwan Al-Mukhtar
Biography | comments from Baghdad
| One Year Later:
An Iraqi Speaks From
The
Lion,On His Den
“President Sukarno of Indonesia once said, ‘We silence the enemies of freedom.’”
Ghazwan Al-Mukhtar slumps back in his chair, silently gauging the effect of that absurdly ironic statement on his listeners.
And Ghazwan is an Iraqi who lives his ironies: a denouncer of Saddam regime inequities who continues to live in Iraq; a man who worked hard to provide for his family and his retirement, only to have his assets frozen in foreign banks as a result of U.N. Resolution 687; a heart attack-age guy who’s trying to quit smoking, but liberally helps himself to my cigarettes all thru 2 separate conversations; a well spoken professional who peppers his gravel-voiced diatribes with pungent American profanities.
He’s been asked to join the Voices in the Wilderness Writers Project, a unique attempt to give Iraqis an Internet forum. VitW is the Chicago-based group that has been working since ’96 to end the economic sanctions against Iraq. I give him a call, and he agrees to meet me in the dining room of the Al-Fanar Hotel, Voices’ headquarters in Baghdad.
Ghazwan studied geophysics at Cal Berkley, and graduated with an engineering degree from Marquette in ‘67. For most of his career, he sold medical supplies to hospitals. He says he has too scientific a mind to be a writer, yet he has written dozens of articles over the years, critical not only of the U.N. sanctions against his country, but also the current regime in Baghdad.
“I never wrote until I had to vent my frustration. Iraq is being singled out for punishment. I don’t complain about my own condition, I’m comfortable, but I’m thinking about how the people are hurting, their lack of a future.”
Iraq, once boasted the highest standard of medical care in the Middle East outside of Israel. He bemoans the 12-year information gap that the sanctions created when they cut Iraq off from world developments in the medical field. Compounding the problem, thousands of health care professionals have been lost to death or emigration. Altogether, 2 million people have left Iraq since the sanctions were imposed.
“Are they political refugees? Are they economic refugees? If they leave, they must claim political asylum because no country will recognize economic refugees. And these are highly qualified people we’re talking about, scientists, professors. My own brother-in-law is in a camp in Sweden.
“The U.S. accepted refugees from the north (Kurdish Iraq) in ’92. They took anyone, doctors, peasants. They (the U.S.) said that Mr. Sadddam was threatening the Kurds. Then the Kurdish leaders Barzani and Talibani invite Mr. Saddam to mediate some problems between them. They ask him to do this!” This request made the American position look ridiculous. The U.S. retaliated for this affront to their credibility by bombing Baghdad itself that January. The prestigious Al Rasheed Hotel took a hit, injuring many foreign guests and killing 2 employees.
We discuss Halabja, the Kurdish town where Saddam supposedly “gassed his own people”. It is a card that the Bush administration plays often because it plays well with the American press and public. In fact, the gassing of the town occurred during a battle between Iraqis and Iranians at the end of their 8-year war. A U.S. Military College report at the time found that most of the Kurds there had died of cyanide, a gas used exclusively by the Iranian army. A Roger Trilling article in New York City’s Village Voice, 5/1/02, confirmed this.
“Why was the Halabja story buried? Why, when Al Gore speaks against war with Iraq, does CNN cut his speech in half? He leans forward in his chair again…..“Who gave the order to cut Gore?”…..and let’s the question dangle. “When Jimmy Carter comes out against the war, it’s buried. In the U.S., who do you point at? Here, when we want to point the finger at our censor, we point at the Ministry of Information.”
(I stop the interview, concerned about printing what he’s saying. He assures me that he’s been criticizing his government for years. “If they wanted to shoot me, they would have done it by now.”)
“In 1988, your Congress passed a resolution calling for (limited) sanctions against Iraq (oil imports, weaponry) because of Halabja. President Reagan vetoed it.” That House resolution was virtually copied in 1990 to become U.N. Resolution 687 (the sanctions measure that has been in place ever since).
Yet despite the bitter fruit of those sanctions, 500,000 Iraqi children dead of malnutrition and treatable diseases since 1991, Americans seem blithely unaware of it all. On a recent call to N.Y. Representative McNulty’s office, his staff person had no idea the sanctions were still in effect, nor that the weekly bombing of Iraq has never ceased.
“The average American, when it comes to international politics, is illiterate. The smallest school child anywhere knows more about the world than an American. Illiteracy and democracy—that’s a contradiction.”
Taking up the oxymoron of America “imposing democracy” on other nations: “I have a headache (‘headache’ is his metaphor for the Saddam regime). I don’t complain to you about it. But you say you want to fix my headache. You will cut off my head to fix my headache!”
On the Bush administration’s current favorite to replace Saddam: “Impose an Al-Chalabi dynasty? A crook and embezzler who had to run out of the country in the trunk of a car?
“That’s our middle class now, criminals. The sanctions squeezed out the middle class, and crooks and embezzlers took their place.” His wife’s career is an object illustration in what happened—she was a gynecologist who in 1979 was being paid $300 a month by the government. In 1991 her salary shrank to $60. In 2000 she retired because she was only getting $15 a month.
Ghazwan sold and serviced medical equipment from ‘74 to ’90, the year of the Gulf War. He had done very well for himself up to that point, but “I gave myself an early retirement,” meaning that suddenly he could find no work. “I’m a double victim of sanctions. I put my money in foreign banks, and then the sanctions froze the Iraqi assets. Now I have to borrow money to live.” He squints and smiles. “I fight the sanctions now so my kids don’t have to leave the country some day, just when I’m too fucking old to do anything anymore!
“I think Mr. Saddam is laughing now. He’s laughing because the Americans are proving him right with their double standards. Mr. Rumsfeld was in Baghdad to re-establish relations with Iraq in ’84. He was fully aware of the Amnesty International report on this (the Saddam) regime. But today suddenly he says that he can’t deal with this regime?
“Between 1948 and 1998, there are 50 U.N. resolutions Israel has not abided by. This double standard of the Americans (ignoring the Israeli government’s brutalization of the Palestinians while demanding Iraqi compliance with tough U.N. resolutions) is making the U.N. irrelevant.”
Dennis Halliday, former U.N. Director of Iraqi Relief Programs, has said much the same thing. Blaming U.S. coercion and deal making in the Security Council, Halliday says frankly, “The U.N. is dying.” He labels the sanctions “a genocide”.
The U.S., in its dependence on military solutions to solve its problems, is sowing the seeds of further violence against Americans. “And it’s not only the poor and disenfranchised who will be responsible” for acts such as the recent attacks on Americans in Kuwait and Jordan. America has radicalized what he calls the “Pepsi Generation” Saudis, Kuwaitis, and Egyptians.
He tells the story of the Baghdad professional man who came home on 9/11/01, stupefied by what had happened in New York and Washington. There, clustered around the TV were his son and a bunch of his friends—celebrating. What unnerved the man was not only that they should welcome such a tragedy, but that these kids, up to then, had never before evinced any interest in political matters.
When the brother of the man who perpetrated the Kuwait attacks was questioned, he said that his brother had seen something about the Palestinians on TV, and had acted out of a sense of helplessness and rage. No matter how corrupt their governments are, “average Arabs are in solidarity with their fellow Arabs. An Egyptian feels the same voicelessness as a Palestinian.”
We discuss the depleted uranium (DU) problem in Iraq. During the Gulf War, the U.S. and Britain fired 300 tons of DU shells and bullets, exposing Iraqis and American servicemen alike to its radiological and chemical toxicity. 150,000 Gulf War veterans have applied for disability benefits; the military refuses to recognize most of these claims, which include cancers, genetic mutations among their children, immune disorders, and memory loss. Meanwhile, cancer in parts of southern Iraq has risen by 1800%.
“Suppose a cruise missile hits a building, a hospital. Reconstruction of the building spreads the radioactive dust all over. The isotope—it’s like you’ve inhaled a nuclear generator, and now it’s trapped in you. Oxidation takes place, and the rainwater washes DU oxide into the soil, the plants. Animals eat the plants.”
On what he would do if America invades Iraq: “I can’t leave here, I’m too old. I built things, I worked on public projects here. I’m a part of this country. Last night my wife wakes up in the middle of the night, she can’t sleep. She says, ‘Ghazwan, what will we do, where will we go?” I told her, ‘we’ll stay in our house and wait for the bombs. What else can we do?’ I ask you, is that any way to live?”
He’s successfully ducked a writing assignment by instead giving me a full-length interview. I congratulate him on the ruse, and that’s his cue. “Now I must go. We are ruled by women. If I don’t go now, I won’t be allowed to go out tomorrow night.”
By the time the interview ends, various Voices members who’ve stopped in for a quick meal sit clustered around us. And as he strides out of the room, someone mutters admiringly, “What an old lion.” Afterwards, Farah Mokhtareizedeh remembers that the first time she met him he’d said, “Voices in the Wilderness? Are you sure you don’t mean ‘Voices Lost in the Wilderness of America?’”
Ghazwan
Al-Mukhtar - Comments from Baghdad, Iraq.
Dear Barbara,
Thank
you for your "yesterday " e-mails. I do understand your sorrow to what happened Sep. 11
and your fears of reprisals for being an "Arab". I too felt very sorry for losing lives of innocent
people whether in NY, Baghdad , Hilla , Basrra , Bet lehim, Gaza,....Bosnia.. the list is long.
The aftermath of death of the innocent people will be long lasting. I personally have lost several innocent
friends, relatives or just ordinary people I happen to deal with. They were murdered, in 1991, for absolutely
no reason. Um Abbass used to make bread, Iraqi bread, so she can earn money to support her 3 children. She
built a small "tin" house on a vacant plot of land not far away from where I lived. She used to
make excellent bread and send to my house with Abbass for few coins.
Every day I get my fresh bread. Suddenly some one in the American government decided that her "tin
house" was a legitimate military target and was a threat to the world security so they bombed it. Um
Abbass and her three children, God bless there soles, were murdered, in Baghdad, 800 Km away from Kuwait to
drive the Iraqi army out of Kuwait !! I don't know if or where they were buried. If I find out I want to go
to her grave and read a verse or two from the Quran to comfort her sole. I will tell her that even bread does
not taste the same again even after eleven years. May God bless her sole every day.
Our neighborhood had a very young and nice looking traffic policeman. We used to exchange greetings every
time I pass the intersection. Some times we used to exchange few words while stopping at the traffic light.
Some times he turned a blind eye if I run the stop sign. Some how we were friends even when we did not know
each other's names. He was murdered while he was directing ambulances and fire fighting trucks to save lives
of innocent people who were subjected to the harshest and the most cruel inhuman air bombardment in the
twentieth century. My friend, like the NY police officers who were killed on Sep. 11, was doing his job
protecting civilians. The only difference is that the world greatest
government USA killed my friend while the NY policemen were killed by few radicals yet to be identified.
To recount the horrors of the 43 days of hell (in 1991) would only open wounds that I have tried to
desperately to block in my mind. I know that talking about it might help. I will need a lot more than 43 days
of crying for my cousin Ahmad, his wife Layla, his sons Kamel 14 years, Shehab 12 years, and their 10 years
old beautiful girl Shema. Probably I am fooling my self in believing that they were a sleep when the bomb hit
their house. I want to believe that the died instantly without knowing what hit them else I go crazy. I will
need a lot more than 43 days of crying for the more than 400 civilians, women, children, and old people, who
were incinerated at Alameria civil defense shelter. To cry for the thousands and thousands of innocent
civilians who died in 1991 because of the American terrorism acts against the civilian population of Iraq,
and to cry for hundreds of thousands ( if not a million and a half) who
died because of the sanctions is by far beyond any body's emotional capability. This is why I am blocking it
IN , and not out of, my mind.
The "civilized" west watched the massacre of Iraqi civilians on television with jubilation. The
"victorious" army marched through downtown NY, probably pass the World Trade Center, with such
fanfare. The best producers in Hollywood could not put any better show. Naturally America wanted every one
around the world to watch this spectacular "victory" parade". They beamed it to every TV
station in world. America thought that satellite television broadcast was the best way they have for
"Cultural dominance" and to spread the American values. Every country in the world started at least
one satellite channel most of them relying mainly on US and western produced footage. This marvelous
innovation soon turned against the US
For 11 years most of the world watched, through their TV, the destruction of Iraq and the hardship inflected
on the civilian population of Iraq. Naturally Arab satellite channels devoted more time than the
American media to the plight of Iraqi people. A lot of the satellite channels invited US officials to explain
to the Arab masses the US policy toward Iraq. I am sorry to say that those, ideates, did more harm than good
to the American image. The phone-in response, from the Arabs in the west and even Iraqi's abroad, was so anti
US that made the presence of such ideates on the program so pathetic.
11 years ago the arab government were led, like sheep to the slaughterhouse, into believing that joining the
American coalition against Iraq will lead to the settlement of the arab-Israeli conflict. The Americans
talked about UN SCR 242, 338 and the return of the Palestinian refugees, land for peace and ...
and. Only stupid people believed in American sincerity. Then came Oslo, Madrid, Camp David ..etc.
After 11 years of piss talk, or is it peace talk, the Israelis were using F16 fighter planes, Helicopter gun
ships, tanks, to attack stone throwing Palestinians. They destroyed hundreds of houses, orchid,
schools, telephone systems.. just like America did in Iraq. Naturally "civilized America and the
west" asked the Palestinians for restrain. Now after 11 years we no longer hear about UN SCR 242 or 338
but about Michael report and Tenet understanding. The free American and western media freely elected to
ignore the plight of the Palestinians, they freely distorted facts, they freely and willfully demonized the
Palestinians and Arabs. Yes you have a free press! We in the Arab world watched every day, on our TV, the
shelling, the killing, the beating and the humiliation of women, children, and the elderly Palestinians. I
need not to remind you that we also watched the massacres and the ethnic cleansing of Moslems in Bosnia who
were under the protection by the NATO KFOR forces.
During
the sixties we were flooded by American films about the "liberation" of Europe from the German
occupation. We saw Nuns, Priests, joining the "freedom fighters". We saw churches used to hide
ammunition for the invading armies, or being a refuge to American or British saboteurs. We saw nuns and
priests throwing hand grenades to kill German solders and in many cases killing innocent civilians. Even
Hitler's propaganda did not call them "Christian" terrorist. During the sixties Archbishop
Makarious fought the British in Cypress, he too directed attacks against the British which resulted in the
killing of innocent people. No one in the west called him a "Christian" terrorist. I am sure that
you could find other examples of the west "double standards".
I
think you agree with me that Hitler, Mosileny, Stalin, Melosovich, Karadich, ... and Sharoon have no
connection with Islam. Between them, those western leaders have murdered millions of innocent people all
around the world. Your history books may call them violins, dictators but never called them terrorist! The
ethnic cleansing which the "civilized west" practiced in former Yugoslavia is never called
terrorist acts. The "civilized west" has an infinite capacity to invent terminology to disguise its
terrorist activities.
To get rid of the Russians from Afghanistan the American government played the religious game. Since
communism was equated with atheism then it was the duty of the Moslems to fight in Afghanistan. The American
government created, trained, supplied, supported various organizations for the holy war "Jehad"
against the atheist Afghan government. The Afghan-Arabs were the main fighting force in Afghanistan. They
included such "freedom fighters", as the American called them at that time, like Omar
Abdulrahman, Usama Ben Laden, Abuhamza Al-Musri. Once the Russians were driven out of Afghanistan those
fighters turned their attention to what was happening in the Arab and Moslem countries. Ben Laden resisted
the presence of the American forces in the Moslem's holiest place.
Naturally the American and Saudi governments were not happy with him. I think it is foolish to expect him to
accept the American presence in the Moslems holiest places when he spent years fighting to drive the Russians
out of Afghanistan. To add insult to injury Ben Laden watched, like the rest of the Arab world, what happened
to Iraq, Sudan, Libya, Lebanon, and Palestine, which further alienated him. He soon was transferred from
" freedom fighter " to the most wanted "terrorist".
One striking point in the Sep. 11 event is that the FBI within less than 24 hours announced the name of 19
people who were "responsible" for these suicide attacks, and presumed to have been killed. Few days
latter some them appeared alive in Tunis or in Saudi Arabia. According to FBI reports the people who
hijacked the planes are from Saudi Arabia, the UAE, the strongest allies of USA, and possibly one from
Lebanon and not from "rouge" regimes. The big question is why such wealthy individuals who are of
the " Macdonald and the Pepsi generation" decided to attack the US the way they did? In my
simple and probably naïve understand of thing is that American policy around the world and specially in the
meddle east have alienated the people, not necessarily the governments, of this area.
The world richest and strongest nation in the world, USA, may attack the world poorest, weakest, and most
primitive nation in the world. You may drive them to the Stone Age, remember Jams Baker threat to drive Iraq
to the pre-industrial age, but at what price? You may be able to kill Ben Ladden but how many Ben Laddens are
going to be created. Don't forget we all are going to watch the massacres on our TVs and in colors!. Bush
"put his foot in his mouth" when he declared the "Crusade" of the "civilized
world" against terrorism. I know he latter withdraw this because it might be linked to the historic
"Christian Crusade" against the Moslem Arabs specially sensitive when Jerusalem is occupied by the
Israelis with the help and the blessings of America.
The
late Reverend Martin Luther King was murdered by a White Anglo Saxon Protestant, (WASP) , fanatic not a
terrorist!!. If you believe in day of judgement you know that he, Martin Luther King, will meet Um
Abbass, Abbass, my cousin Ahmad, Layla, Kamel, Shehab, Shema, and the other millions who are victims of
terrorism. He will remind them that he once warned that America has Guided missiles but misguided people. The
misguided people didn't like what he said so they killed him.
(14/11/2001)
In
response to last week bombing in
This
coalition should bomb the
Members
of the group who agree with me will be given "proof" of the involvement of IRA. Those who do not
agree will be enticed to do so. We will absolve all their previous "sins", we will take care of
their financial debts, we will keep them busy every day talking to important world leaders promising more
help, we might even call them "PRESIDENT" rather than general.
Members
are free to choice sides, BUT those who do not support my call are siding with the terrorist! I hope members
understand that I am terrorizing the group I am offering them the "democratic free choice"
!.
I
promise that the campaign will be short, sharp, and will be targeted against those responsible for the
terrorist acts. Any civilian killed will be considered a legitimate target because he did nothing to
overthrow the Pope ! Let us finish this before Christmas! There is no letup in our vigorous campaign even for
holly months!
For
the catholic members of the group I say we will attack the "protestant" terrorist next.
Nothing will stop us in our efforts to achieve "enduring freedom" !
Let
us pray to god that elected leaders, and dictators, see the stupidity of this thinking and do something about
it before it's too late. Amen.
Ghazwan
Al-Mukhtar (9/11/2001)
Hi,
My understanding of the cash component runs like this: Iraq will be paid cash "from its money" for
services rendered under "Oil for food program". Lets take few examples of this:
1- The government of Iraq distribute 200000 tones on wheat a month under the MOU. This is ALL imported wheat.
CAN the natively produced wheat be paid for from the MOU. If yes how, Under what conditions? Who actually
receives the wheat and pays the farmers (thousands of them each one contributing few hundred tons) is it the
government or is it another UN bureaucracy. I can envision endless obstacles if the UN take up the
assignment. But the UN on the other hand does not want the government to handle the money.
2- Medical drugs is another example. We can manufacture the drug (normal drugs with no hint of dual use
materials) a lot cheaper than importing them BUT we have to import raw materials. We expect that the
manufacturing cost to be paid for from our money which is in the hands of the UN. The UN defiantly would not
accept because this will enhance the Iraqi drug industry (not on their agenda). It will create a problem for
the UN because they will have to have an army of monitors to verify that all materials have been manufactured
and delivered to health stores...etc. Then there is the financial side.
In the UN philosophy importing finished good can be easily monitored. Raw materials to be manufactured over a
period of time is really a night mare to the UN.
3- Soap and detergents are another. We had factories for the last fifty years. They need raw material to
start functioning again. The UN will not
agree to supply these factories with the raw materials because it will enhance Iraqi industry so we import
soap and detergents.
I can continue listing item like powdered milk, vegetable gee.. Can they be imported in BULK and be packed by
the governmentor or the private sector for distribution?. Knowing the 661 committee and the UK USA stand I
think they defiantly will not agree.
Putting the blame on the Iraqi government is the easiest way to cover-up their "not so smart"
sanctions
Regards
Ghazwan Al-Mukhtar
Baghdad, Iraq
Hi,
In
reply to Mr. Wilson statement that "There is no evidence that sanctions are hurting the Iraqi people
" I would like to invite Mr. Wilson for a week visit to Baghdad in July or August. Mr. Wilson will be my
guest in our home, not in a 5 star hotel. I am sure Mr. Wilson will not mind staying in a house that does not
have electricity for 18 hours each day when the temperature inside the house is above 45 degrees. If he
elects to go to the garden to cool of the temperature is close to 55. I will make sure to boil the water he
drinks not because he likes his water hot but to kill the bacteria. He should not wary about his health
because my wife is a doctor and will take him to the hospital " it feels like an oven, no
air-conditioning" were he is going to have the same medical facilities we have. If that does not
convince him then I will take him the poor section in Baghdad were he will walk through sewage ponds. If that
does not convince him then I will give him a megaphone to tell the people of Baghdad that " There is no
evidence that sanctions are hurting the Iraqi people". I think hot-tempered people in such hot climate
might just kill him.God where did you find such a leader? Was he a sleep for ten years or is he as smart as
the " smart bombs" that hit Baghdad last week? No wonder the UK is losing credibility fast.
Regards
Ghazwan
Al-Mukhtar
Baghdad,
Iraq
Hi
When
the UK government froze the accounts of Iraqi's in 1990 the UK banks went through their computers and froze
every account that had" Iraqi" entered into the nationality field of the record. This rule applied
irrespective whether the account holder was a resident of the UK or Iraq or any place else in the world. A
friend was in London at that time. The British council sponsored his trip to the UK and he was getting a
monthly payment from the British government. His account was frozen like the rest of the "Iraqi"
accounts but he kept getting checks from the British government!! I am told that even the Iraqi embassy
accounts where frozen which created a very big problem since the embassy used to pay for the thousands of
Iraqi scholarship students studying at British universities. You can imagine the plight of those thousands of
students whose accounts were frozen and their embassy cannot send them money or pay their bills. That
was 11 years ago.
Below
are some examples of the current application of the regulations:
1-
An Iraqi insurance company has a property (and a bank account) in London bought years ago. The company cannot
have an office in London so the appointed a lawyer to look after their affairs. The lawyer appointed a state
agent to rent the property. The agent deducts his charges from the rent and deposit the rest in the bank
account (the account is NOT frozen in this instance) but when the British lawyer wants his fee he cannot
withdraw from account because it is Frozen!!
2-
An Iraqi friend used to work FAO (the UN) for twenty years outside Iraq. He has an account with a bank in
London. His last deposit was after
August 1990 from his UN post in Yemen. Several years ago he decided to come back to Iraq. He thought that he
could spend the money to buy a nice house and enjoy his retirement. After singing contract for the purchase
of the house and nice furniture he dashed to Amman to withdraw "some" of his money in London. His
bankers informed him that his accounts are frozen and cannot get a single penny. He pleaded with them that
his money originated from the UN and from outside Iraq but they refused. My friend gave up smoking because he
could not afford too many vices at one time with no income!
3-
Last year I was approached by retired University professor some 65 years old. He has an account at a British
bank and a house in the UK. He was not permitted to withdraw from his account to meet his expenses and to add
insult to injury he was not given a visa to go to the UK to sell his house. He told me all that he wanted was
to settle his financial affairs before he dies!
4-
Some one has an account with Midland bank, Park lane branch in London he tried desperately to get some money
from his (frozen) account but he could not. He approached the Arab bank in Jordan for help. They advised him
that if he open's another frozen account with their branch in London (less than 100 meters away from the
midland branch) they, the Arab bank in Jordan, might conceder giving him a lone and use his frozen account as
a collateral. He did all that BUT the UK central bank refused to transfer the money from ONE frozen account
to ANOTHER frozen account both in London. The man was left broke despite the fact that he has money (frozen
in the UK) that he is prevented from accessing it for NO reason except his nationality.
5-
Many people, who have money abroad, seek medical help abroad. Naturally their medical condition is so bad
that they tolerate the tortures trip and the expenses to Jordan. Doctors face big problems they need the
money upfront before treating the patient fearing that the patient might not live!. The banks will not pay
the money in advance of the operation. The argument, which comes first the chicken or the egg, goes on for
some time. Many Patients have died before that argument was settled. I am sure that their death is attributed
to the sanctions
6-
I am told by my British lawyer that there is no way for me to get my hand on, even a small part, of my money
frozen in the UK. Eleven years ago my "kids" were kid. I used to please them buying them a toy or a
chocolate bar. The "kids" are now attending medical school and soon they will graduate as doctors
and they will get $3 a month!!. Now what please them is a car, a P3 computer, a fancy dress, lots of makeup,
and all the expensive things. Dad you have the money why not spend it they say. I keep reminding them that
for the last 11 years I have been borrowing money because I cannot get to my money. I keep reminding them
that our financial difficulty is due mainly to the unjustifiable freezing of our accounts.
7-
Two years ago my father (79 years old) visited the UK. He
applied to the bank to withdraw about 1000 pound out of his account to cover his expenses. He left the UK a
month later without getting the permission. Luckily my brother in London paid for his expenses.
8-
Some tried to have legal residency in another country or even a second nationality in an attempt to unfreeze
their accounts. I am told they very few had success with this. As a matter of facts most Iraqi's living in
the UK now have to various degree a limitation on the amount of that
they can take out of their account.
9-Thousands
and thousands of Iraqi's used to travel regularly to the UK to study or vacations or business. They would
open a bank account when they first arrive and will not bother to close the account when they leave because
they will come back again and put more money in the account. These accounts belong to Doctors, Engineers,
Teachers, … highly educated people as well as businessmen, even housewives. The freezing of these civilian
accounts constituted a violation of our human rights. Considering
the harsh realty of the economic situation of Iraq after ten years of sanctions, the continuation of the
"freezing for 11 years and counting" is defiantly a crime that cannot be morally or legally
justified.
I
am sure the each and every one of us affected by the freezing of our personal accounts will include this
action in his list of "Why we hate the
west".
BBC and VOA may tell us that the rest of the world hate the west because of "our democracy and human
values" and that such actions are not intended to hurt the innocent civilian population of Iraq. Bull
shit THEY simply don't know what they are talking about. No wonder the west is under attack and is losing
credibility they believe their own lies. I can see one day one
of those thousands will be so frustrated that he will revert to violence and the west will have to fight
bin-Dollars terrorist organization!
Ghazwan
Al-Mukhtar Baghdad, Iraq gaz@uruklink.net
Hi,
The
question of defectors, political asylum seekers has to be looked at in the light of the following personal
observation:
1-
Sanctions have created a tremendous economic hard ship to all the people of Iraq. North, Central, and
South.
2-
Medical and educational services were greatly effected.
3-
Sanctions have lasted much longer than any one could imagine.
4-
The above three have resulted in many many people to seek a better life overseas.
5-
Europe and the rest of the western world do not accept economic immigration.
6- The
easiest and probably the only way open to those people was to seek political asylum in the west. The
climate is right.
7- To
qualify for such status they invented endless stories, produced forged documents, bribed immigration
translators..
8-
Even the immigration "detention" camps are more comfortable than their "homes" plus the
fact that they get paid more money in the detention camps than they make at home. In fact some came back from
detention centers "rich"
9-
Once their asylum is accepted they will have to continue their "anti Saddam" rhetoric fearing that
they may be asked to leave. Remember what is happening to the Afghan refugees in Australia, After 5 years in
the detention center they are being kicked out because Taliban is no longer rule Afghanistan !
10-
Some political asylum seekers I know took a leave from their government jobs left to Jordan leaving
their families in a government subsidized housing!. His family continued to occupy the house till
he obtained his political asylum. My friend claimed he did not know a single English word (he is an
engineer and studied 14 years of engilish) so they had to get him a translator who was paid handsomely to
direct and/or miss translate my friend's claims. Some of them are accused of criminal charges,
like robbery, issuing checks with no fund....
11-
My wife is a Kurdish doctor and we travel each year to the north to see my in-laws. Each year I see less
and less of her extended family because they have taken political asylum in Europe. The Question is: The
Kurds have the safe heavens, the no fly zone, and are outside the control of Saddam Hussein yet they are the
most eager to immigrate( and since that is impossible they apply for political asylum). I know that some EU
members do not grant political asylums to Kurds for that reason. A new trick take a fake ID that they
are from the south (Shia) and that will make you a persecuted person!
12-
Those high ranking intelligence officers as well as the director of military intelligence service (the
defectors) were the instrument of the regime. It goes without say that they have participated one way or the
other in the persecution of innocent people they claim that Saddam has killed. Instead of being questioned by
the western authorities about the crimes they committed, when they were serving the regime, they are
presented to us by the west as the champions of democracy, or is it dumb-cracy!
13-
I am in no way defending the government and I am in no way criticizing the asylum seekers they want the best
for their families. All I am saying is that take their stories with a "grain of salt".
14-
The west is free to believe in any thing they want, distorting fact as they please in the end I have to
decide, for example, whether Ghallabi is a thief and embezzler of Al-Perta bank or he is the LEADER of
the western backed INC. If he is the BEST the west could offer us then god help the west!
Ghazwan Al-Mukhtar (05/02/2002)
The
subject of Amnesty International deserves a separate message. On the outset let me state that :
1.
I Have never read any of their reports ( I heard of them on the radio and were quoted in papers). I
hope you didn’t
expect me to have read them.
I
am in no way defending the other side or agreeing with his methods.
Over
the many many years living in Baghdad and talking to people from inside and outside the country I think
some cases were deliberately distorted to suite the objective.
The
news media may have contributed to the bad image of AI by selectively reporting abuse of human rights in
one country while neglecting the reports of other countries. AI may (?) have reports on the human rights
abuses of the Palestinians by the Israeli authorities but such reports are very seldom broadcasted. We see
every day on our televisions the killings and the destruction of house in Gaza and other Palestinian cities
and do not read or hear AI reports condemning such actions. The next day we are bombarded by AI reports
criticizing KSA because the punishment for some crimes did not meet the standards of the west . AI might
not be at fault but it might be the media.
AI
reports are always available to be used selectively. In my previous posting I pointed out that the UK
ignored AI reports for 20+ years, to further their interest, then decided to open the files, added the
figures and came up with 30000+. In fact AI reports are becoming ready made inditement document to be used
as and when needed.
When
ever there is a westerner involved in a crime in a third wold country, e.g. drinking alcohol in KSA, every
one quotes AI reports as if the westerners should to be judged by a different standards.
AI
concentrates on the political rights and tend to ignore other rights. Sanctions that effect civilian
population is really a collective punishment ( saying it mildly ) of innocent people. The effects of this
punishment are more devastating and more important ( to the people being punished) than the ability to say
that the leader is good or bad. One has to feed his family, work at a decent work ( no more than 40-50
hours a week) , send his children to schools, see to it that kids are treated adequately at hospital, …the
list is long.. In a posting to CASI last year some one said that AI is considering taking a stand against
sanctions. The question DID THEY? IF so why did it take them so long?
I
think the “acid test” for AI is now. Can AI stand firm and demand that US should respect the human
rights of the prisoners from Afghanistan ( the Arabs, the Moslems and the westerners ). Are we going to see
a deference in their treatment. Are they going to appear in front of the same courts Are they going to
enjoy equal legal protection. I hope so . If AI can not defend , protect and stop the human right abuses of
the leader of the free world (America) then why do you expect that dictators to respect it. With the
current climate I think we are going to see the “double standard judicial system” to compliment the “double
standard political system”.
Best
regards
Ghazwan
Al-Mukhtar
Baghdad, Iraq
In
1990 Saddam Hussein pointed out that the west was using double standards.
The west in 1990 denied that fact and kept insisting that SH is wrong.
They started the peace process to show that they could solve the Palestinian question and to prove that SH
was wrong. 12 years later they are not talking , let alone implementing UNSCR 242 or 338 (not implemented
after 35 years and more than 1000 resolutions ago !).
Iraq rejected UNMOVIC more than a year ago but the UN kept employing staff for that committee and kept paying
for the idle staff from the Iraqi money and insisting that Iraq should comply with UNMOVIC.
In a vulgar demonstration of the double standards Kofi Annan dissolved the fact finding UN committee to
investigate the Israeli atrocities in Jenen,
days after he formed it, because Israel rejected it.
The west should keep this vulgarity so SH could win more credibility.
I can visualize him getting up every morning watch the news and laugh saying I didn't do any thing THEY are
proving that I am RIGHT.
YES HE IS RIGHT
Best regards
Ghazwan Al-Mukhtar
Baghdad Iraq
According
to the civil defence department the number of people killed in the No-Fly zones are 1141. The number injured
are 1256. This is the official figures.
Best regards
Ghazwan Al-Mukhtar (27/05/2002)
Baghdad Iraq
One
Year Later: An Iraqi Speaks From
As the bombs were falling
on Baghdad a year ago, retired engineer Ghazwan al-Mukhtar told us: "UK/USA
means to me United to Kill Us All." On the first anniversary of "Shock and Awe", Ghazwan
joins us from
AMY
GOODMAN: Can you describe the
situation in
GHAZWAN AL-MUKHTAR:
Well, for twelve months I have been liberated
from my water supply, liberated from electricity, liberated from my telephone; maybe soon I will be liberated
from my life.
The invasion is nothing more than an extension of this sanctions - exempt it's worse. The medical system
has collapsed; so has the water supply and the sewage system even deteriorated more. The security situation
is atrocious. You cannot drive outside your house safely at night. The bombing is happening. Almost every day
we hear a bomb. In fact, we hear more bombs than it is reported on the news media. Now that the telephone
system -- we are without a telephone system for now a year. I still don't have a telephone line. The land
lines have been damaged totally. The health system just collapsed. So, it is even worse than what it was a
year ago. And there is no prospect of improvement within the foreseeable month or next few months or a year,
even, because the attempt -- no attempt has been visible on the reconstruction of all those facilities. So, I
would say a year after the invasion, life is miserable in
AMY
GOODMAN: How’s the attitude to
GHAZWAN
AL-MUKHTAR: Well, the attitude
to
So,
things are not improving. They are deteriorating and deteriorating rapidly. I was just traveling on the
One
can not talk about the situation in occupied
In order to establish law and order, a strong "force" must take care to implement the order. The
Americans having dissolved the Iraqi Army and the Iraqi police have created a power vacuum. Armies are an
essential element in every society. Their duty is to help restore order. They have the capability to respond
quickly in case of emergency. Look what happened in
They will stay in
My understanding is that they have no intenstion to leave soon. They say that they will stay as long as
needed. They are the ones who decide that they are needed.
We
were probably afraid to talk about one person, Saddam. Now we are afraid to talk about all the 25 people
running the IGC as well as Bremer and the Americans.
Some weeks a go I gave a radio interview to a radio station in
AMY
GOODMAN: You are an engineer. In
terms of reconstruction, what has happened?
GHAZWAN
AL-MUKHTAR: Visibly, nothing.
They painted few schools and they cleaned some of the rubble off of the buildings that have been bombed. Let
me give you an example, which uses a telephone exchange which serves my area. In 1991, that building was
totally demolished with all the equipment destroyed. With the engineers of
GHAZWAN
AL-MUKHTAR: I’m a sixty year old man, but I
am not going to let anybody, any foreigner tell me what to do or running my own country. This is a country I
have spent all my life, trying to build something, to do something about improving the lot of the Iraqi
people.
AMY
GOODMAN: The
GHAZWAN
AL-MUKHTAR: Well, they’re entitled to their
view, but my view is that Saddam Hussein, was in 1984 was the President when Donald Rumsfeld came and shook
his hand and said “he’s a nice fellow, we can work with him.” Saddam Hussein is the same Saddam Hussein
that you people gave commodity credits to. So what changes is the perceptions of Donald Rumsfeld of what
Saddam Hussein is. Saddam Hussein is the same Saddam Hussein that I have known in ’79 when he took power.
So anything that changes, it’s the perception of Donald Rumsfeld. Saddam Hussein is the same Saddam Hussein
that dealt with Ronald Reagan and the presidents before him. It’s now Bush, he doesn’t like Saddam
Hussein and they are ruining the country. Bush is entitled to say whatever he wants. But that doesn’t make
him right.
GHAZWAN
AL-MUKHTAR: If I was Paul
Bremer, I would reinstate everybody that they have kicked out of his job, barring only those people who are
criminals, who have committed a crime. In fact, those who are suspected of committing a crime should be even
kept in the government and investigated. If they have committed a crime, they should be kicked out of the
government. You don't punish a person by denying him a job because you think he is-- he might have done
something wrong.
If
I was Paul Bremer, I would return all those people to their previous jobs because those are experienced
people. Those are people that you cannot replace. You get somebody from Bechtel, the best engineer from
Bechtel, and it takes him ages to understand what the problem is with the Iraqi oil, the Iraqi factory or the
Iraqi telecommunication system. Until now, after one year, we still don't have a telephone system. I'm
calling you from a mobile system which has a
AMY
GOODMAN: Would he then be
reconstituting a pro-Saddam force?
GHAZWAN
AL-MUKHTAR: It doesn't have to
be a pro-Saddam force. An engineer who does his job is an engineer irrespective whether he is a pro or
against Saddam. Do you think right now that they are hiring only the pro-American engineers working for the
ministry of oil? Are you going to be-- kick everybody who does not like the
Now
you have deposed the dictator, which, by the way you supported, the
The
same people who forced Saddam Hussein in 2003, that is to say Donald Rumsfeld and his group, and it is the
same people who shook hands with Saddam Hussein in '83, and we established diplomatic relations with the
dictator. And they are the same people who supported Saddam Hussein throughout the war with
You
are penalizing us, the poor, powerless subjects of dictator for crimes they have committed. We haven't
committed a crime. We, as individuals, haven't committed a crime against anybody. We are victims of ten years
of-- 13 years of sanctions, and six months right now, ten months of occupation, and we are going to be
punished and punished, again and again, again so that Halliburton and Bechtel and MCI and whoever can make
profits. The
AMY GOODMAN: Can
you describe the reaction in the streets to what took place in Fallujah?
GHAZWAN AL-MUKHTAR: This
incident happened in Fallujah where two days before that, the American army shot many many people, women and
children, on the streets, and --- in a bizarre shooting incident that was unjustified, killing many people.
Fallujah has been a place where the US Army has actually used brutal force to suppress the people there,
including using the F-15s, and F-16s to attack villages and place where they think the resistances are, which
is unjustified to use high explosives against individuals. This resulted in many, many casualties in the
province. Added to it, they have detained, for 50 or 60 days, hundreds of people on and off, which alienated
the people against the American forces and the American contractors or the American security contractors,
which are really a private army, uncontrollable by the
AMY GOODMAN: Well,
some of the commercial media here in the United States are claiming that Fallujah is a hotbed of resistance,
that up to 70% of the people are supporting attacks or have voiced in opinion polls support for attacks on
the US forces. Is there a continuing large presence of US military within -- within the city itself, or have
they largely pulled out to the outskirts of Fallujah?
GHAZWAN AL-MUKHTAR: They
pulled out to the outskirts, but they keep intruding into the city. Ten days ago, I was passing through
Fallujah, and in the middle of the city, they brought the main highway, and we saw inside the city a convoy
of US military vehicles. So, they keep coming in and out. If they keep out, I don't think they would have
that many attacks on them, but don't forget, those are an occupying force, and the people believe they have
the right to resist an occupying force - a foreign occupying force. We -- the closest we come to you is eight
hours difference. That's 8,000, 9,000 miles. That's between us. You people have – you came to the east
8,000 miles to run a country you have no business in occupying. After we discovered that there was no
justification for the
The final thing, the final thing, I
think, it’s the blind leading the blind. You are blind, I mean the
Ghazwan Al-Mukhtar: "Zijn VS wel klaar voor verkiezingen in Irak?
by christophe callewaert en han soete Tuesday, Apr. 20, 2004 at 5:38 PM
Ghazwan Al-Mukhtar was één van de Iraakse getuigen op het
Brussels Tribunal. Hij getuigde er over de concrete gevolgen van de Amerikaanse bezetting van de Iraakse
hoofdstad.
Ghazwan
Al-Mukhtar noemt zich zelf een politieke activist. Het waren de sancties die de ingenieur op rust tot het
activisme bekeerden. “Ik studeerde in de VS, werkte daarna een paar jaar voor de Iraakse regering en de
rest van mijn carrière was ik zakenman. Pas toen wij hier de sancties meer en meer begonnen te voelen ben ik
een politieke activist geworden. Ik ben geen groot schrijver, maar schrijven was wel de enige manier om de
buitenwereld te laten weten wat er in Irak gebeurde.” Zo werd Ghazwan Al-Mukhtar één van de weinige
onafhankelijke Iraakse stemmen die vanuit Bagdad communiceerden met de wereld. Door de jaren werd hij een
gewaardeerde getuige voor alternatieve media als het Amerikaanse Democracy Now!. Vandaag klinkt zijn stem nog
even verontwaardigd als veertien jaar geleden na de eerste oorlog in Irak.
“Er
is ook een continuïteit,” legt hij traag en geduldig uit. “Deze bezetting is niets anders dan een
uitbreiding van de sancties. Al de gruwelen van de sancties gaan nu gewoon door. De ondervoeding neemt toe.
De ziekenhuizen zijn er slechter aan toe dan een jaar geleden. Waarom moet ik betalen voor de daden van
Saddam Hoessein? Hij heeft mij nooit om mijn mening gevraagd. Ik heb nooit op hem gestemd. Na veertien jaar
sancties is het genoeg geweest. Dit moet stoppen.” Terwijl hij spreekt slaat hij af en toe de handen voor
de ogen. Zelfs hier is rustig praten moeilijk. Thuis is hij de ontploffingen en het altijd aanwezige gevaar
gewoon. Hier maakt hij zich zorgen over zijn familie. Tijdens het interview staat hij af en toe op om snel
zijn mails te checken. Zijn hele familie heeft de taak om meerdere keren per dag te bevestigen dat alles in
orde is thuis in Bagdad.
U
beweert dat de oorlog van 2003 en de daaropvolgende bezetting gewoon een verderzetting is van de sancties.
Kunt u dat wat uitleggen?
Ghazwan
Al-Mukhtar: “In de jaren '80 bouwde Irak een degelijk communicatiesysteem uit. Tijdens de eerste golfoorlog
van 1991 werden alle telefooncentrales platgebombardeerd. Vraag me niet hoe we het gedaan hebben, maar we
zijn er in geslaagd om de meeste centrales te herstellen. Om het systeem te upgraden hadden we wel
vervangstukken nodig, maar die mochten we vanwege de sancties niet invoeren. In 1996 stuurde de VN een team
om de toestand van het Iraakse telefoonnetwerk te bestuderen. Zij stelden vast dat het systeem niet goed
functioneerde en dat herstelling moeilijk was gezien het gebrek aan vervangstukken. Pas dan kreeg Irak van de
VN de toelating om nieuwe telefooncentrales te importeren. Zo beschikte Irak vanaf begin 2000 eindelijk weer
over een goed werkend telefoonnetwerk. Ik heb er zelf maar een half jaar kunnen van genieten omdat het
opnieuw werd weggebombardeerd tijdens de oorlog van vorig jaar. De Amerikanen beloofden het land snel weer op
te bouwen. Eén jaar later heb ik nog altijd geen telefoon in mijn huis.
Electriciteit
is het zelfde verhaal. In 1990 produceerden we genoeg electriciteit voor een onafgebroken levering aan de
huishoudens en de industrie. De oorlog van 1991 veegde 95 % van de electriciteitsproductiecapaciteit weg. In
een maand tijd hadden we al een deel hersteld. Na drie maanden zaten we al terug op 67 % van het vroegere
niveau. We hadden ook hier vervangstukken nodig om op het vroegere niveau te geraken. Het VN-sanctiecomité
verzette zich tegen de invoer van vervangstukken. Het was pas nadat de UNDP aan de alarmbel had getrokken
over de rampzalige gezondheidstoestand van kinderen dat de vervangstukken Irak toch binnen mochten. Na de
oorlog is de situatie nog verslechterd. De Amerikanen durven de electriciteitscentrale van Bagdad niet te
betreden uit angst voor een asbest-besmetting. Ze wachten nu al maanden op beschermkledij. Zonder
electriciteit draaien de fabrieken niet, werken de ziekenhuizen niet, evenmin als de pompstations, de
waterzuivering,.... Zij weerhouden ons ervan te leven. Kan je je voorstellen wat het is om te leven zonder
electriciteit als het buiten 60 ° graden is?”
Is
er dan momenteel helemaal geen electriciteit?
“Er
zijn onderbrekingen. Dan is er eens twee uur electriciteit en dan weer twee uur niet. Onze huizen hebben
airco nodig want ze zijn gebouwd in een tijd dat er volop electriciteit was en dat men er niet aan dacht om
ze aan te passen aan zo'n hitte. Nu slapen wij buiten in de tuin en staan we af en toe op om ons te
overgieten met koud water. Het gebrek aan energie leidt ook tot fabriekssluitingen die nog maar eens het
inkomen van werkende Irakezen aantasten.”
Is
het vanuit Amerikaans standpunt niet bijzonder dom om de electriciteitsvoorziening niet te herstellen? Zij
hebben toch alle belang bij een tevreden bevolking en een stabiel land?
“Dat
is dom, ja. Maar wie zegt dat ze slim zijn? En zijn ze wel in staat om het te herstellen? De Amerikanen
kennen de Amerikaanse installaties. Ik verwacht toch ook niet van een Chinese ingenieur dat hij de
Amerikaanse machines meteen aan de praat krijgt. Bovendien zijn de Iraakse ingenieurs meer gekwalificeerd dan
de Amerikaanse technici die ze op ons afsturen. Ik kan niet aanvaarden dat een Amerikaanse zesde
graad-ingenieur mij hier komt vertellen hoe ik Iraakse elektriciteitscentrales moet herstellen.”
Waarom
zou een Amerikaanse ingenieur dat niet kunnen?
“Hij
heeft noch de kennis, noch de ervaring, noch de juiste mentaliteit om dingen te herstellen. Weet je hoe een
Amerikaanse te werk gaat als een machine stuk is? Hij schrijft het type-nummer op en bestelt een vervangstuk.
's Anderendaags komt dat toe en de machine is hersteld. Maar verstellen is nog iets anders dan vervangstukken
aanbrengen. Soms moet je een speciale verbinding maken, een kortsluiting omzeilen, een kabel herleggen,... Zo
hebben wij veertien jaar gewerkt. Daardoor zitten wij nu met organisch gegroeide machines. Een idioot uit
weet ik veel begrijpt niet hoe hij daar moet aan beginnen.”
Waarom
laten ze dat dan niet gewoon door Irakezen doen?
“Ze
hebben de contracten aan Halliburton (het Amerikaanse bedrijf waar de huidige vice-president Dick Cheney voor
werkte en waarvan hij nog altijd aandeelhouder is, cc). Als ze het door Irakezne laten doen verdienen ze er
niets aan. Ze azen op de hoge onkostenvergoedingen. Ze zijn ons land aan het leegplunderen, weet je wel.
Kijk, laat ik u nog een voorbeeld geven. Na de oorlog in 1991 waren de raffinaderijen na drie à vier maanden
terug actief. We konden opnieuw geraffineerde producten als diesel en benzine uitvoeren. Hoewel de
raffinaderijen deze keer niet werden gebombardeerd zijn ze toch nog altijd niet heropgestart.”
Werden
ze vorig jaar niet beschadigd?
“Nee
en toch voert Halliburton nu geraffineerde producten in uit Koeweit en Turkije. Dat gebeurt via de
Amerikaanse firma Halliburton. Die daarvoor 2,64 dollar per gallon aanrekent (een gallon is 3,8 liter). Dat
is verschrikkelijk duur. De Iraakse firma Somo voert eveneens uit Koeweit en Turkije geraffineerde olie in.
Somo krijgt daarvoor 97 cent per gallon. Dat is een prijs die overeenkomt met de kost van aankoop, transport
en verkoop. Maar Halliburton krijgt dus 2,6 keer die prijs. Tussen maart en december kreeg Halliburton voor
die invoer 200 miljoen dollar uitbetaald terwijl ze, gerekend aan de normale prijs, maar 77 miljoen had mogen
krijgen. Winst voor Halliburton: 123 miljoen dollar. De Amerikaanse overheid verkoopt de olie die het van
Halliburton kocht aan... 15 cent per gallon! Dat is dus een heel dure grap. Het kan mij niet veel schelen als
Halliburton de Amerikaanse regering oplicht maar Halliburton steelt dat geld van Irak. Want de Amerikaanse
regering betaalt Halliburton met het geld dat ze verdient aan de uitvoer van Iraakse ruwe (niet geraffineerde
olie). De opbrengst daarvan is nu al 7 miljard dollar. Een deel ervan krijgt Halliburton cadeau. Het kost 2
miljoen dollar om de raffinaderijen te herstellen, maar dan zou het wel gedaan zijn met de miljoenenwinsten
voor Halliburton. En dus doen ze liever niets om de raffinaderijen her op te starten.”
Protesteert
de voorlopige Iraakse regering hier dan niet tegen?
“Welke
Iraakse regering? Denkt u dat er een Iraakse regering is? De Iraakse regeringsraad is aangeduid door de VS om
de Amerikaanse belangen in Irak te verdedigen. Iedereen maakt winst, ook de leden van de regeringsraad. De
tijd dringt en dit is een unieke kans om in één jaar tijd zoveel geld bij één te stelen.
De zoon van een lid van de regeringsraad heeft een firma opgericht om in het zuiden het mobiele telefoonnet
te beheren. Een andere heeft nu een veiligheidscontract en werkt met huurlingen. Ze verdienen allemaal heel
veel geld. De meeste leden van de regeringsraad waren de voorbije 20 jaar niet Irak, maar leefden in de VS en
willen nu als compensatie op korte tijd heel veel geld verdienen. Kan je dat een regering noemen die haar
verantwoordelijkheid neemt?”
Weten
de gewone Irakezen wat er gebeurt?
“Neen,
dat is het probleem. De meeste zogezegd 'vrije' kranten worden volledig gefinancierd door de Amerikaanse
bezettingsmacht. Zij kunnen dus niet vrij spreken over de rampen die ons overkomen. Zij die het wel hebben
geprobeerd, werden gesloten. Ik heb weet van 5 kranten die op die manier gesloten werden. Als ze gesloten
worden, starten ze elders onder een andere naam opnieuw op. Maar ze kunnen niet echt schrijven over Irak
zonder problemen te krijgen. Uiteindelijk moeten ze ook kiezen tussen kranten verkopen en honger lijden.”
De
VS houden blijkbaar niet van kritische journalisten. In hun voorstel voor een bestand in Fallujah stond dat
de Arabische zender Al Jazeera de stad moest verlaten.
“Eén
van hun ankermannen – Mansour, een gerespecteerd journalist – bevond zich in Fallujah en bracht van
daaruit verslag uit. Ik heb zelf ook ondervonden hoe Al Jazeera onder druk werd gezet. Samen met Al Jazeera
onderzoeken we de zaak van een man die in Kirkoek werd aangehouden. De Amerikanen brachten hem over naar
Tikrit voor ondervraging. Hij werd zo hard aangepakt dat hij in coma geraakte. De Amerikanen wisten niet wat
ze met hem moesten aanvangen en dumpten hem in een ziekenhuis. Ze gaven alleen zijn naam door, geen adres en
geen andere gegevens. Het personeel van het ziekenhuis nam foto's van de man en contacteerde het Rode Kruis
dat die foto's ophing in alle bushokjes van Tikrit. Uiteindelijk konden we zijn familie contacteren. Met een
cameraploeg van Al Jazeera en een Amerikaanse advocaat zijn we naar de plaats geweest waar hij waarschijnlijk
werd gemarteld. Heel zorgvuldig stelden we een goed gedocumenteerd dossier samen. Een arts stelde vast dat de
man verschillende slagen op het achterhoofd kreeg waardoor hij een hersenbeschadiging opliep. Op zijn voeten
had hij zwarte vlekken die volgens de arts het resultaat waren van elektrocutie. Toen de reportage klaar was
weigerde Al Jazeera ze uit te zenden. “Als we dat doen, sluiten ze ons.” Wij werden zelf onder druk gezet
door de Amerikanen die ons aanmaanden om de zaak te laten vallen.”
De
opstand van de sji'ietische leider Al Sadr begon ook al met de sluiting van een krant.
“Die
krant had geschreven dat al die bomaanslagen dienden om verdeeldheid en chaos te zaaien wat dan weer als een
excuus kan dienen voor de Amerikaanse troepen om langer te blijven. De krant werd prompt gesloten.
Pro-Amerikaanse kranten begonnen toen ook te schrijven dat Al Sadr, de sji-ietische leider van de opstand,
een misdadiger en moordenaar was die moest worden opgesloten. Dat wilden ze de Irakezen doen geloven.”
Maar
dat is blijkbaar niet meteen gelukt?
“Als
je al die moorden ziet, het schieten, het bombarderen... Hoe kan je de Amerikanen dan nog geloven? Dat blijft
maar duren. Veel Irakezen zijn er nu van overtuigd dat de Amerikanen ons voortdurend beliegen, dat ze nooit
de bedoeling hebben gehad om het land her op te bouwen en dat ze de Irakezen mishandelen. Irakezen beginnen
nu ook luidop te zeggen dat de Amerikanen hun land aan het leegroven zijn.”
Is
dat wel zo? Uit een bevraging bleek onlangs nog dat de Irakezen relatief tevreden zijn?
“Hangt
er maar vanaf wie je bevraagt. Als u met ons spreekt, zullen wij een eerlijk beeld geven van de situatie. Als
u enkel met de oppositie in Londen spreekt over wat er gebeurt in Irak dan zal u natuurlijk te horen krijgen
dat het toch zo fijn is om bevrijd te zijn.
Maar als al die mensen het zo heerlijk vinden om bevrijd te zijn, waarom komen ze hier dan niet wonen? Waarom
smeken ze de mensenrechtenorganisaties in Groot-Brittannië om te helpen verhinderen dat ze worden
uitgewezen? Blijkbaar zijn ze niet bereid om te komen leven in een stad waar straten worden afgesloten met
grote muren van drie meter hoog. In het hart van de stad reduceerden ze de drie rijvakken van de hoofdlaan
tot één rijvak door langs beide kanten twee meter hoge betonblokken te leggen. Bepaalde gebieden worden
zelfs gewoon afgesloten. Dat is vragen om verkeersproblemen. Grote legertanks wringen zich nu door smalle
straatjes om de blokkades te omzeilen. 2En van dezer dagen zal de riolering het daardoor begeven doordat de
grond verzakt. Dat noem ik chaos scheppen.
De
politie van wie je toch verwacht dat ze je beschermen stoppen zich weg in een afgesloten blok. Als ze zoveel
moeite doen om zichzelf te beschermen, hoe kunnen ze dan ooit ons beschermen? Ik heb een internetcafé vlak
naast een politiekantoor. Je zou verwachten dat dat een veilige plaats is tegen overvallers en diefstallen,
maar sinds de oorlog heb ik het nog niet kunnen openen. Ik wil de kinderen die daar komen surfen niet
blootstellen aan een aanslag. De politie is helaas een doelwit geworden doordat ze collaboreren met de
Amerikanen.”
Hoe
is de toestand nu eigenlijk in Bagdad? Verloopt het leven er normaal? Zijn er marktjes? Zitten de theehuizen
terug vol?