"Bagdadfamily alKhatib" length: 11.20
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In Karrada Omar alKhatib lives with his brother Ahmed and their mother and families. 12 persons live in this house. Studying is important for Omars daughter Farah, the exam period in the Iraqi schools has just started.
Susan alKhatib
-Change over to government electricity!
Electricity comes and goes so Susan alKhatib, Omars wife, has to switch between the municipality net and the families own generators. There is electricity not more than a few hours per day and one of the biggest practical problems for the family. This walk across the front lawn, Susan has to do several times every day.
Omar is unemployed. He worked for a food processing company which closed down last year. But Omars son Ezat apprechiates one of the few things that really work well in Iraq: cellphones and internet. The family has got their own internet link.
Ezat alKhatib
-A monthly subscription, wireless.
Karada is a relatively wealthy area in Baghdad wich has 6 million citizens. The majority in Karada used to be the Christians but most of them have left Baghdad now.
The extended alKhatib family is pretty well off. They are sunni muslims and have lived here for about one hundred years. They own plots and houses in different places in the neighbourhood, even though several were confiscated during Saddam's regime. Recently they have got many shiamuslims as new neighbours, a result of the sectarian violence.
Omar alKhatib
-Yes, because of the bad security and because of the displacement.
Even here in Karada there are militia groups working together with criminal gangs. They are the real problem for the alKhatib family, with the neighbours they have no problems.
Omar alKhatib
-The threats (towards us) doesn't come from our shia neighbours but from the militias. Only the militias.
Still, close to four years after the war, the ration system works for all iraqis. The alKhatib family owns the store close to the family house which Omar's cousins run. Here basic foodstuffs like rice, lentils, oil and sugar can be bought against coupons. The prices are almost nothing and the coupons are given out by the government.
Beshaar alKhatib
-The families owe us some food-stamps for the last few months for until now they haven't got the ration cards for 2007.
Other foodstuffs are to be bought in the matket, for instance the local fish delight "Masgouf", from the muddy water of the Tigris river. But that is considered too expensive by many, also meat, vegetables and fruit. The alKhatib family used to run a hair saloon which generated some money but they had to close that down. Some hens in the backyard produce eggs and meat, otherwise they live on a low budget.
Susan alKhatib
-No, we cant afford living without ration-cards, especially in this situation without jobs and income. That is right, we had some money but from the collapse of the regime until now we spent everything.
But the overwhelming problem right now is the kidnapping of Omar's brother.
Zahrah alKhatib
-He left the house at 3.30pm and took a taxi. At 7.45 pm they called us and said "your son is with us and we want 200 000 USD". We asked them "who are you, what are you doing?" and then they switched off the phone. Then they called again and that man said "I want to talk with his wife", he insulted her and then asked "Are you sunnimuslim or shia?"
The man called a few times later and asked which sect they belonged to, then no more calls. The ransom was well beyond the range of the family and theyn have no idea where Omar's brother is now.
Zahrah alKhatib
-We even searched in the morges. We also put his picture in leaflets near the morge. Maybe someone will bring his body together with the victims of any bombings, but until now no information.
Umm Ahmed alKhatib
-I wish the americans took him, because then after four or five months they will release him.
Det är förstås ingen tröst för familjen att kidnappningar är alltför vanliga, även på deras gata.
Zahrah alKhatib
-In our street there was another guy who was kidnapped, his house is in the corner. Also two palestinians were kidnapped.
Omar alKhatib
-There is also another guy who was kidnapped six or seven months ago.
Zahrah alKhatib
-Some of them were released after having paid ransom. For us and the other, we are still waiting.
Umm Ahmed alKhatib
-We dont want electricity, we can live without that. We just want a quiet situation.
Zahrah alKhatib
-I am worried for my kids when I send them to school. For instance the accident in Karrada a few days ago. There were many explosions and also a suicide bomber was in a minibus and exploded himself with the passengers.
A few blocks away Omar's and Ahmed's cousins Abdulkhaleq and Walid alKhatib live. Abdulkhaleq cannot work any more because it takes two men to take care of his brother Walid who was badly wounded by shots half a year after the invasion in 2003. Some men in a car shot him one evening on his way back home, since then he is paralyzed.
Waleed alKhatib
-Until now I don't know why they shot me. I don't belong to any party or organization, it is a mystery.
Abdulkhaleq, their wives and the cousin Beshaar have to turn Waleed in his bed once every hour and take care of him, a hard work. The operation which should have been done some years ago never took place.
Abd alKhaleq alKhatib
-Immediately after they shot him, he was not stable enough for an operation and the doctors were afraid that he would collapse. But at the time he got stable enough, the doctors had left the country.
Waleed receives 100 000 dinarer, close to 50 euro, every month in disabled pension. It just helps to cover some expenses because the medical equipment needed for him require electricity all day. So the family keeps three generators working shifts in the backyard.
Abd alKhaleq alKhatib
-My friends bring me a canister almost every day.
Now is time for Ashura, a shia tradition with good food, and the family also share that tradition.
Omar alKhatib
-We have this food almost every day, especially now during ashura.
Omar's other cousin, Estebrak, at least has an income. He runs a cellphone shop but was robbed recently and - as a sunni muslim - strongly suspects sectarian shia gangs to be behind the robbing.
Estebrak alKhatib
-They looked around and checked the faces (of those in my shop) and I tried to escape from them but they caught me and put a pistol agaginst my head . I told them immediately "I am of your sekt" because I suspected they were from a specific militia. I quarreled with them for some time and then they shot me in my leg and face. They shot me here.
He was brought in a car to Sadr city, a shia part of Baghdad. On the road they were stopped several times by police checkpoints but the police didn't do anything because the kidnappers showed id:s prowing they were members of a feared shia militia.
Estebrak alKhatib
-They carried pistols and badges. The police came up to us but they showed them the badges and the police just left.
Several reports from human rights organisations claim that parts of the Iraqi police work in close co-operation with militia groups, who are linked to certain sectarian parties represented in the government. This makes it hard to quickly stop the sectarian violence and criminality.
Estebrak knew that he, as a sunni muslim, ran a big risk to be kidnapped. So he had prepared himself by learning to pray according to shia tradition. This saved his life.
Estebrak alKhatib
(The kidnappers) asked me "are you sunni or shia?" I told them I am shia, so they ordered me to pray and I prayed .
The militia was finally convinced he was one of them and released him. So he got out of it alive but badly maltreated and with a few gunshot wounds.
Estebrak alKhatib
After what I saw I feel sorry for the Iraqi people because they lost every hope for the future.
But Susan alKhatib doesn't enjoy beeing unemployed. She started her own NGO, "Women of Mesopotamia". So far without income and just five members but at least for the good cause to further independence for women in an patriarchial Iraq, and also for trying to stop the sectarian violence by education.
Susan alKhatib
-I hope this will change things in the society for if women are not educated and children kept raised in sectarian thinking, it will keep on beeing bad.
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In Karrada Omar alKhatib lives with his brother Ahmed and their mother and families. 12 persons live in this house. Studying is important for Omars daughter Farah, the exam period in the Iraqi schools has just started.
Susan alKhatib
-Change over to government electricity!
Electricity comes and goes so Susan alKhatib, Omars wife, has to switch between the municipality net and the families own generators. There is electricity not more than a few hours per day and one of the biggest practical problems for the family. This walk across the front lawn, Susan has to do several times every day.
Omar is unemployed. He worked for a food processing company which closed down last year. But Omars son Ezat apprechiates one of the few things that really work well in Iraq: cellphones and internet. The family has got their own internet link.
Ezat alKhatib
-A monthly subscription, wireless.
Karada is a relatively wealthy area in Baghdad wich has 6 million citizens. The majority in Karada used to be the Christians but most of them have left Baghdad now.
The extended alKhatib family is pretty well off. They are sunni muslims and have lived here for about one hundred years. They own plots and houses in different places in the neighbourhood, even though several were confiscated during Saddam's regime. Recently they have got many shiamuslims as new neighbours, a result of the sectarian violence.
Omar alKhatib
-Yes, because of the bad security and because of the displacement.
Even here in Karada there are militia groups working together with criminal gangs. They are the real problem for the alKhatib family, with the neighbours they have no problems.
Omar alKhatib
-The threats (towards us) doesn't come from our shia neighbours but from the militias. Only the militias.
Still, close to four years after the war, the ration system works for all iraqis. The alKhatib family owns the store close to the family house which Omar's cousins run. Here basic foodstuffs like rice, lentils, oil and sugar can be bought against coupons. The prices are almost nothing and the coupons are given out by the government.
Beshaar alKhatib
-The families owe us some food-stamps for the last few months for until now they haven't got the ration cards for 2007.
Other foodstuffs are to be bought in the matket, for instance the local fish delight "Masgouf", from the muddy water of the Tigris river. But that is considered too expensive by many, also meat, vegetables and fruit. The alKhatib family used to run a hair saloon which generated some money but they had to close that down. Some hens in the backyard produce eggs and meat, otherwise they live on a low budget.
Susan alKhatib
-No, we cant afford living without ration-cards, especially in this situation without jobs and income. That is right, we had some money but from the collapse of the regime until now we spent everything.
But the overwhelming problem right now is the kidnapping of Omar's brother.
Zahrah alKhatib
-He left the house at 3.30pm and took a taxi. At 7.45 pm they called us and said "your son is with us and we want 200 000 USD". We asked them "who are you, what are you doing?" and then they switched off the phone. Then they called again and that man said "I want to talk with his wife", he insulted her and then asked "Are you sunnimuslim or shia?"
The man called a few times later and asked which sect they belonged to, then no more calls. The ransom was well beyond the range of the family and theyn have no idea where Omar's brother is now.
Zahrah alKhatib
-We even searched in the morges. We also put his picture in leaflets near the morge. Maybe someone will bring his body together with the victims of any bombings, but until now no information.
Umm Ahmed alKhatib
-I wish the americans took him, because then after four or five months they will release him.
Det är förstås ingen tröst för familjen att kidnappningar är alltför vanliga, även på deras gata.
Zahrah alKhatib
-In our street there was another guy who was kidnapped, his house is in the corner. Also two palestinians were kidnapped.
Omar alKhatib
-There is also another guy who was kidnapped six or seven months ago.
Zahrah alKhatib
-Some of them were released after having paid ransom. For us and the other, we are still waiting.
Umm Ahmed alKhatib
-We dont want electricity, we can live without that. We just want a quiet situation.
Zahrah alKhatib
-I am worried for my kids when I send them to school. For instance the accident in Karrada a few days ago. There were many explosions and also a suicide bomber was in a minibus and exploded himself with the passengers.
A few blocks away Omar's and Ahmed's cousins Abdulkhaleq and Walid alKhatib live. Abdulkhaleq cannot work any more because it takes two men to take care of his brother Walid who was badly wounded by shots half a year after the invasion in 2003. Some men in a car shot him one evening on his way back home, since then he is paralyzed.
Waleed alKhatib
-Until now I don't know why they shot me. I don't belong to any party or organization, it is a mystery.
Abdulkhaleq, their wives and the cousin Beshaar have to turn Waleed in his bed once every hour and take care of him, a hard work. The operation which should have been done some years ago never took place.
Abd alKhaleq alKhatib
-Immediately after they shot him, he was not stable enough for an operation and the doctors were afraid that he would collapse. But at the time he got stable enough, the doctors had left the country.
Waleed receives 100 000 dinarer, close to 50 euro, every month in disabled pension. It just helps to cover some expenses because the medical equipment needed for him require electricity all day. So the family keeps three generators working shifts in the backyard.
Abd alKhaleq alKhatib
-My friends bring me a canister almost every day.
Now is time for Ashura, a shia tradition with good food, and the family also share that tradition.
Omar alKhatib
-We have this food almost every day, especially now during ashura.
Omar's other cousin, Estebrak, at least has an income. He runs a cellphone shop but was robbed recently and - as a sunni muslim - strongly suspects sectarian shia gangs to be behind the robbing.
Estebrak alKhatib
-They looked around and checked the faces (of those in my shop) and I tried to escape from them but they caught me and put a pistol agaginst my head . I told them immediately "I am of your sekt" because I suspected they were from a specific militia. I quarreled with them for some time and then they shot me in my leg and face. They shot me here.
He was brought in a car to Sadr city, a shia part of Baghdad. On the road they were stopped several times by police checkpoints but the police didn't do anything because the kidnappers showed id:s prowing they were members of a feared shia militia.
Estebrak alKhatib
-They carried pistols and badges. The police came up to us but they showed them the badges and the police just left.
Several reports from human rights organisations claim that parts of the Iraqi police work in close co-operation with militia groups, who are linked to certain sectarian parties represented in the government. This makes it hard to quickly stop the sectarian violence and criminality.
Estebrak knew that he, as a sunni muslim, ran a big risk to be kidnapped. So he had prepared himself by learning to pray according to shia tradition. This saved his life.
Estebrak alKhatib
(The kidnappers) asked me "are you sunni or shia?" I told them I am shia, so they ordered me to pray and I prayed .
The militia was finally convinced he was one of them and released him. So he got out of it alive but badly maltreated and with a few gunshot wounds.
Estebrak alKhatib
After what I saw I feel sorry for the Iraqi people because they lost every hope for the future.
But Susan alKhatib doesn't enjoy beeing unemployed. She started her own NGO, "Women of Mesopotamia". So far without income and just five members but at least for the good cause to further independence for women in an patriarchial Iraq, and also for trying to stop the sectarian violence by education.
Susan alKhatib
-I hope this will change things in the society for if women are not educated and children kept raised in sectarian thinking, it will keep on beeing bad.