Life goes on in Baghdad mindless of government and bombing threats
The world hardly notices it anymore, but daily bombs still explode in the Iraqi capital Baghdad. Only when the number of casualties is high the attack gets mentioned; like the three explosions that recently caused over a hundred deaths in different parts of the city.
Not only has the international media gotten used to the violence in Iraq, Iraqis themselves too leave their homes daily and go about their business, almost as if they want to block out the reality of the dangers that engulf them.
While in Europe every bomb attack shakes a whole nation, and even those around it, leading to people making monuments with flowers and toys for the victims, in Baghdad traders and civilians go back to the targeted market as soon as the blood is washed away.
In Europe the media give the victims names and faces, while in Baghdad only the exceptional ones get some attention. Even though they are labelled as martyrs, and should therefore be revered, most are soon forgotten in the news of the next attack.
When I was in Baghdad recently people complained about this, as they expected the government not only to do more to remember their beloved ones, but also to prevent the attacks.
“Lives in Iraq are cheap,” said a young shopkeeper to me, who had lost a niece in one of the three attacks. She left behind six children, but none of the authorities or institutions has come forward to deal with this problem.
Had this been just about any place else, solving it would never have been left to the family; the community. The authorities would have been involved right away, caring for the kids and trying to prevent them from growing up traumatized.
It is known that in Europe and even in the Kurdistan Region attacks get thwarted by good policing, or even good luck. It seems they are prevented too in Baghdad, but not much is reported about that – probably because so many attacks still do happen.
And that is partly due to the corruption that is endemic in Iraq, where politicians and civil servants all have found ways to put extra money in their pockets.
The lack of security can be related back to it, as most of the guards at the checkpoints are not well trained and often were just handed the job because of an influential family member.
But more important even is the fact that the detectors they use to sniff out explosives in passing cars do not work. Its British seller was convicted for forgery years ago in his home country, but the Iraqi checkpoints are still using the devise.
I am told that the Iraqi general who bought the thing cannot be persecuted because of his close connections to influential politicians. And for that reason, nobody will openly admit that the detector is completely useless, so it continues to be used. To the benefit of terrorists who have no problem passing the checkpoints with their explosives.
How cheap are Iraqi lives, indeed. And it is even more so when you see that in the Kurdistan Region any bomb attack will be followed by extensive investigations and arrests to prevent any more from happening.
How can Iraqi politicians live with the responsibility of not doing everything they can, to prevent the daily bomb attacks? Of the fact that indirectly, people are dying because of them?
Because when do we hear of perpetrators being picked up and even tried in Iraq for the many bomb attacks that take place – apart from the occasional hidden ISIS cell that is found, or a bomb factory that is discovered?
No wonder Baghdadis have decided to ignore the threat they are under, by going to shopping malls and crowded markets, having ice creams in the street with the whole family, and men sitting on the riverside after work smoking and drinking in the cooling evening breeze.
What can they do, to make their live safer? That is in the hands of the government, and they know it does not care enough for them to take the necessary measures to prevent the daily attacks.
They cannot wait for someone to finally make it happen. So they concentrate on their own lives and pleasures as that is just about all left to do – apart from leaving their city and their country.
Which is not only made impossible by international visa laws, but it also means giving in completely and leaving Iraq to people who do not care for the lives of others.
Not only has the international media gotten used to the violence in Iraq, Iraqis themselves too leave their homes daily and go about their business, almost as if they want to block out the reality of the dangers that engulf them.
While in Europe every bomb attack shakes a whole nation, and even those around it, leading to people making monuments with flowers and toys for the victims, in Baghdad traders and civilians go back to the targeted market as soon as the blood is washed away.
In Europe the media give the victims names and faces, while in Baghdad only the exceptional ones get some attention. Even though they are labelled as martyrs, and should therefore be revered, most are soon forgotten in the news of the next attack.
When I was in Baghdad recently people complained about this, as they expected the government not only to do more to remember their beloved ones, but also to prevent the attacks.
“Lives in Iraq are cheap,” said a young shopkeeper to me, who had lost a niece in one of the three attacks. She left behind six children, but none of the authorities or institutions has come forward to deal with this problem.
Had this been just about any place else, solving it would never have been left to the family; the community. The authorities would have been involved right away, caring for the kids and trying to prevent them from growing up traumatized.
It is known that in Europe and even in the Kurdistan Region attacks get thwarted by good policing, or even good luck. It seems they are prevented too in Baghdad, but not much is reported about that – probably because so many attacks still do happen.
And that is partly due to the corruption that is endemic in Iraq, where politicians and civil servants all have found ways to put extra money in their pockets.
The lack of security can be related back to it, as most of the guards at the checkpoints are not well trained and often were just handed the job because of an influential family member.
But more important even is the fact that the detectors they use to sniff out explosives in passing cars do not work. Its British seller was convicted for forgery years ago in his home country, but the Iraqi checkpoints are still using the devise.
I am told that the Iraqi general who bought the thing cannot be persecuted because of his close connections to influential politicians. And for that reason, nobody will openly admit that the detector is completely useless, so it continues to be used. To the benefit of terrorists who have no problem passing the checkpoints with their explosives.
How cheap are Iraqi lives, indeed. And it is even more so when you see that in the Kurdistan Region any bomb attack will be followed by extensive investigations and arrests to prevent any more from happening.
How can Iraqi politicians live with the responsibility of not doing everything they can, to prevent the daily bomb attacks? Of the fact that indirectly, people are dying because of them?
Because when do we hear of perpetrators being picked up and even tried in Iraq for the many bomb attacks that take place – apart from the occasional hidden ISIS cell that is found, or a bomb factory that is discovered?
No wonder Baghdadis have decided to ignore the threat they are under, by going to shopping malls and crowded markets, having ice creams in the street with the whole family, and men sitting on the riverside after work smoking and drinking in the cooling evening breeze.
What can they do, to make their live safer? That is in the hands of the government, and they know it does not care enough for them to take the necessary measures to prevent the daily attacks.
They cannot wait for someone to finally make it happen. So they concentrate on their own lives and pleasures as that is just about all left to do – apart from leaving their city and their country.
Which is not only made impossible by international visa laws, but it also means giving in completely and leaving Iraq to people who do not care for the lives of others.
The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the position of Rudaw.