CPTnet
May 28, 2003
IRAQ UPDATE: May 27, 2003
The team visited Al-Mustansiriya University in downtown Baghdad and spoke
with Dr. Ramzi, a professor on campus. He said that Iraqis need to learn
how to better communicate with the West. Currently if a single faction
makes a statement, it is spread through the Western media even though it
may not be the sentiment of the larger community. He also felt that "there
is no hope for good government now, because there are so many voices not
being heard." His hopes were for one strong leader to come forward and
unite the people, and for a month-long conference representing all of the
factions to determine the needs for the common good.
The team also spoke to a female professor of clinical biochemistry who
tried to visit ORHA [the US military's Office for Rehabilitation and
Humanitarian Assistance] with her husband. Her husband, who is an engineer
and looking for work, was not allowed past the checkpoint. A number of
people they conversed with at the checkpoint agreed that the country's most
important needs were for electricity, safe drinking water, new school
equipment, employment, and a good government.
The team observed lots of students were walking about the campus. Dr. Ramzi
said that while sporadic lectures are taking place, most of the classrooms
were looted, and classes are not back to their regular schedules. Several
students were eager to share their thoughts on Iraq's future government
with team members. One student on campus told CPTer Rick Polhamus that "a
good government gives all factions a voice." Another student said "There
are good religious leaders here, imams and priests. You can trust good
religious leaders. Good ones speak up for the needs of the people." The
student said that when one of the imams asked them to march for a cause,
the people would march if it was a good cause.
A female student who works at a pharmaceutical laboratory told team members
that their lab machinery was not destroyed, but they lost all their raw
materials and important documents for producing medications to looters.
They also lack transportation to the laboratory. The student began crying
when she explained that she was nearing graduation from the university when
the war broke out, and now with the school system in chaos she is unsure
whether she'll be able to finish her degree. She also told the team, "God
has created us with a humanity which is beyond one religion or another. It
is humanity created by God in us and we need to respect it."
Some students reported that US soldiers have been telling them that
"everything in the US is great, there's no poverty and no crime." Team
members shared their own perspectives with the students on life in the US.
Later the team spoke with Lt. Stewart Gordon, who is the liaison between
the US military and the Iraqi people. The team asked when the electric
supply would be restored, and Gordon replied, "I don't know. The system was
already bad twenty years ago." Gordon also noted that sanctions had hurt
the situation of the Iraqi people, but laid blame for the sanctions on
Saddam's regime. Team members passed on a letter given to them from Iraqi
men in Babylon, who were upset that male US soldiers were searching Iraqi
women and that there have been cases of inappropriate conduct by the
soldiers towards the women. Gordon replied that he had heard some
complaints. He said there were several reasons why male soldiers were
searching women: that women might be asking to go through a checkpoint at
which no female soldiers were present; if so, the male soldiers would use
the backs of their hands to frisk them. Gordon also said that some women
have brought children with them who have concealed hand grenades to throw
at the soldiers, so the search is necessary to the soldiers' safety.
Gordon also stated that OHRA will shut down its mission on June 1, and did
not give details as to who would continue to work on the electrical grid
when they leave. He did say that a new pay scale had been approved for
Iraqi civil servants and pay would commence shortly. Most teachers and
police will be paid $100US [100,000 Iraqi dinar] per month. Higher level
teachers will be paid $200US per month, and the higher level managers will
receive $500US. Team member Lisa Martens noted that most groceries and
other living costs are comparable to US prices.
Gunfire in the evening was somewhat less prevalent than before, though it
was within one kilometer of the hotel where the team is staying.
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