Here’s the latest news from Wes—it puts Thanksgiving into a different perspective:

 

 

-----Original Message-----
From: Wes Hare [mailto:whare01@lgp-iraq.org]
Sent: Wednesday, November 26, 2003 10:19 PM
To: 'news'
Subject: Column

 

Ramadan is ending in Iraq and Eid is in progress.  The conclusion of Ramadan is determined by religious leaders who interpret the phase of the moon.  Actual dates are uncertain until the appropriate cleric makes the announcement.  Eid is celebrated by giving to the less fortunate and by family gatherings not unlike our Thanksgiving feasts.  The Karbala RTI office chose to observe Eid by delivering boxes of pastries to Al Shereea, a village of displaced “Marsh Arabs” who live in a swampy area about 10km from the city.

 The Marsh Arabs used to live in the southern part of Iraq where vast wetlands were formed by the terminus of the Euphrates.  Saddam Hussein was accused of draining the marshes to deprive the residents of their independent lifestyle, but the diversion and damming of the river in Turkey may have played a bigger role in creating the problem.  The result for the people of the region is that they were forced to move in an attempt to find work.  The village we visited has several hundred residents who have tried to recreate a semblance of their old homes.  Many of the structures are made of woven reeds that are so well constructed that they repel even heavy rains.  We met with the village leaders in a reed hall that comfortably accommodated about 25 people.  Carpets covered the floor and, as honored guests, we were given pillows to lean against as we sat.  A cinnamon tea was delivered in small cups that are about one-quarter filled with sugar.  We then listened as the leaders explained how there is no work for their men; no potable water; no passable road; virtually no electricity; and no basic sanitation.  Our office is funding a water main from a nearby water filtration plant to the village.  An investment of about $1,500 will bring potable water to about 300 people.  We also hope to fund placing gravel on the road that leads to the village.  Following today’s rains, we had to wade through ankle deep mud just to walk to the meeting hall.  The villagers don’t need the road improved to accommodate vehicles because they don’t own any.  The gravel will simply allow them to reach the main road without caking their feet in mud.

Iraq is a chaotic and dangerous place for most people at the moment, but it is particularly hostile to the people of Al Shereea.  The village is bordered by a busy highway to the north and a large swamp on the remaining three sides.  There are no nearby stores or amenities of any kind.  The weather has become cool in Karbala and none of the village children I saw wore coats or shoes.  People in Karbala want the government to evict the villagers from the land they have occupied over the last decade.  Karbala residents make arguments that sound painfully similar to those of many Americans who wish to curb immigration from developing nations.  Meanwhile, the villagers have nowhere else to go and they have lost their traditional means of making a living.  There are no marketable fish in the area where they now live.

Most of my time in Iraq is not spent working with people in need.  I was hired to help build local, democratic governments that will be able to address the needs of people like the displaced Marsh Arabs.  I believe this work is important and perhaps it is even more important than trying to meet immediate needs.  It’s difficult to accept that notion though when you see the conditions in a place like Al Shereea and know that the means are available to make life better for the people who live there. We will provide some help for this village and I hope the work we are doing with agencies like Karbala’s water department, education ministry and wastewater department will result in better long-term solutions.

The people of Iraq are not terrorists, religious fanatics or criminals.  The vast majority are people trying to make a decent life for themselves and their children.  They would like to earn enough money to support their families with a little left over to share with others in accordance with their faith.  I hope they will have the opportunity to achieve these modest goals and to celebrate Eid with pastries and feasts rather than gunfire and bombs.

 

      

RTI staff from l to r Firoz  Siddiqui , Wes Hare, Lloyd Mendez, Tom Potocki with the children of Al Shereea.