I’m sure plenty of you are aware of Riverbend, a young Iraqi women posting a blog called Baghdad Burning from Baghdad. This is just a heads up to anyone unaware of her blog.
Amid all the noise over all the Iraq issues her posts stand out as a beacon of clarity, detailing a life that the majority of us cannot even begin to imagine.
Or from a buzzflash interview with her
“Riverbend” is a storyteller. Her “Baghdad Burning” blog is one part Anne Frank, another part Scheherazade and “A Thousand and One Arabian Nights” — from cyberspace. As she wrote in her first weblog entry, dated August 17, 2003: “So this is the beginning for me, I guess … expect a lot of complaining and ranting. … A little bit about myself: I’m female, Iraqi and 24. I survived the war. That’s all you need to know. It’s all that matters these days anyway.” Riverbend’s experience of war, her political commentary and nuanced slice-of-life descriptions, have won her worldwide respect and appreciation.
Her latest post is up today. Go and read it.
It tells you about trying to get your washing done in her Baghdad.
“I’ve been dying to wash the curtains and sheets since the ajaja…” S. breathed, pulling out dusty curtains from the plastic bag. She paused suddenly, a horrific idea occurring to her, “You have water, right? Right?” We had water, I assured her. I didn’t mention, however, that there had been no electricity for the better part of the morning and the generator was providing only enough for the refrigerator, television and a few lights.
It tells you about dust storms in her Baghdad.
We call a dust storm an “ajaja” in Iraq. I don’t think there’s a proper translation for that word. Last week, a few large ajajas kept Baghdad in a sort of pale yellow haze.
It tells you about trying to get to work in her Baghdad.
There were also several explosions and road blocks today. It took the cousin an hour to get to work, which was only twenty minutes away before the war. Now, he has to navigate between closed streets, check points, and those delightful concrete barriers rising up everywhere.
It tells you about arbitrary detentions in her Baghdad
Almost every Iraqi family can give the name of a friend or relative who is in one of the many American prisons for no particular reason. They aren’t allowed to see lawyers or have visitors and stories of torture have become commonplace.
It tells you about summer heat in her Baghdad.
Air conditioners cannot be turned on and the heat is oppressive by 8 am these days.
It tells you about the infrastructure in her Baghdad.
while Baghdad seems to be falling apart in so many ways with roads broken and pitted, buildings blasted and burnt out and residential areas often swimming in sewage.
And then it tells you about the other Baghdad
the Green Zone is flourishing. The walls surrounding restricted areas housing Americans and Puppets have gotten higher….is a city in itself….the future US Embassy and the housing complex that will surround it, to restaurants, shops, fitness centers, gasoline stations, constant electricity and water……is a source of consternation and aggravation for the typical Iraqi…..is a provocation ….is like a slap in the face
Go and read it. And keep doing whatever you’re doing to oppose this illegal war.
Cross posted at Dkos