Azzaman,
Iraq
Iraqi Uncompensated Victims Lose Faith in American Forces
By Abdulsamia al-Smaraai
September 25, 2006
Azzaman - Iraq- Original
Article (English)
After having
relatives killed and wounded and their homes and property destroyed, thousands
of furious victims of American attacks on Iraqi cities, towns and villages have
yet to receive compensation.
The U.S.
invasion of Iraq began in March 2003, and the official announcement of the end
of major combat operations came shortly after its forces landed in Baghdad. But
there has been no letup in these operations. Many Iraqi cities, towns and
villages have seen a wave of "invasions," ostensibly to root out the
sources of "terror and insurgency."
And with
the insurgency and resistance mushrooming, so have these "invasions"
by U.S. forces.
Major
cities like Falluja, Samarra, Mosul, Ramadi, Tal Affar and several others, lying
within the so-called Sunni Triangle, have been invaded several times.
Before,
during and immediately after these invasions, American and Iraqi officials routinely
make big promises to the civilian population. They vow to rebuild the destroyed
cities and pay handsomely for casualties and damage. And the local media carry
stories on the amounts of money already earmarked for the purpose.
For
example, $25 million was allocated to the city of Samarra alone, after a large-scale
U.S. invasion of the city in October, 2004. But residents say that while they continue
to be bombed, there has been no trace of the money.
Along
with two cars, Mr. Abu Rihab had his house destroyed. He estimates the damage
at $300,000, but despite four applications for compensation he has so far
received nothing.
"U.S.
warplanes struck my home, destroyed my house and two cars as well as my store,
which sells air-conditioning equipment. I have a right to compensation, since I
had nothing to do with the so-called mujahiddeen or resistance," he said.
The
neighborhood of al-Jibriya is perhaps among the most affected in Samarra. American
bombing of the neighborhood has turned Mohammed Nadeem’s life into a tragedy.
"U.S.
warplanes bombarded my sister’s home. The bombing turned the house into a heap
of debris. We had to dig up the corpses of my sister, her husband and three
children from the ruins. We have submitted several applications for
compensation, but to no avail," Nadeemd said.
Stories
like these are the most likely source of the mistrust many Iraqis feel toward
the U.S. occupiers. Confidence in America and its occupation forces in the
country is at a very low ebb.
But local
authorities say that the $25 million allocated for Samarra, most of it part of
an American grant, is set aside in the Central Bank and will be released as quickly
as possible.
Hussain
Jabbara, senior provincial official from Takreet, where Samarra is located, said
he recently had a meeting with Iraqi officials and U.S. military officers who
confirmed that "appropriate compensation" will be made for those
affected in Samarra.
VIDEO FROM DUBAI: 'DEMOCRACY CANNOT TAKE
ROOT ON A COUNTRY THAT REJECTS FREEDOM'
ABU DHABI TV, Dubai: Excerpts excerpts from an interview with Iraqi Member of Parliament, Iyad Jamal Al-Din, August 19, 00:04:00, Via MEMRI
"You cannot plant democracy in a country that rejects it. Freedom does not come through learning how to read and write. Freedom, like love, is an inner feeling. If you are not free, no force in the world can liberate you. Freedom is a will within the individual, and, unfortunately, this wonderful and beautiful individual in our countries has been distorted by the fraudulent Islamic culture."
Iraqi Parliamentarian Iyad Jamal Al-Din