CPTNET
August 24, 2004

IRAQ: Changes

by Peggy Gish

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

Four children have been moved to other institutions. Ala and Ansam were
simply getting older and needed a different kind of care. Nancy and E'lias
were sent to a place where they could learn reading and writing.
Four new children have come. Ghasara has been there three days, and was
still upset and disoriented. She cries about half of the time.

      Change for the Iraqi people has also been very painful, and they, too,
have had little control. After the recent "transfer of government" many
Iraqis tell us, "nothing has changed, but what can we do?" Others hold on to
hope that even if it is not now changed it will eventually lead to more
autonomy or improvements.

There are more Iraqi policeman and military forces on the streets, but still
some presence of U.S. convoys, patrols and guards. In matters of security,
the U.S. military are still in overall control. Iraqis now staff the Iraqi
Assistance Center, but they have little
control over the availability of information, or the decisions to provide
compensation for an innocent person killed or for a car confiscated in an
arrest. If the complaint is even vaguely related to a situation of
resistance--even though the parties are known to be innocent--it is labeled,
"combat related," and the U.S. military claims it has no responsibility to
compensate.

Rebuilding has seemed unbearably slow to most Iraqis. Since last March there
has been little increase in electricity in Baghdad. Water quality and phone
service have improved only in some areas. There has been some decrease in
street crime, but an increase of attacks on civilians and other "soft
targets" by some resistance groups. It is hard to find Iraqis who will say
that that their life has improved very much since the invasion. In fact an
Iraqi told me today, "Even with a few more freedoms our life is more
miserable now than before the war."

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

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

Christian Peacemaker Teams is a program of Brethren, Quaker and Mennonite
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