Uprooted Shia Flood into Kut

[Barrett808]

Uprooted Shia Flood into Kut
Fleeing Baghdad’s sectarian violence, Shia families find shelter in southern city.
By Ayub Nuri in Kut (ICR No. 171, 05-Apr-06)

The old woman's face and hands are covered with traditional Arab tattoos. Passing her hands through her granddaughter's hair, Wuzyia Mubarak Salman, 60, told her story with tears streaming down her cheeks.

Salman, a Shia, moved with her family to Abu Ghraib in western Baghdad thirty years ago. Last month, she abandoned her home after she received an anonymous death threat.

"They wrote on the wall of our house, 'You have 24 hours to leave or we will blow up the house you and your children ’," said Salman, who fled to Kut - a majority Shia city, 160 kilometres south of Baghdad - after the warning.

Salman, who presently lives in two tents with her two married sons and ten grandchildren, says Shias are targeted because they are taking over the reins of power in Iraq and Sunnis don’t like it.

"'Leave this area,’ they said. ‘We don't want you. You are Shias and do not have a place here'," recalled Salman, who’s nephew was killed on his way to work.

(more)

http://www.iwpr.net/?p=icr&s=f&o=260858&apc_state=henh

[xultar]

1. Wow. Sounds like a civil war!

[skooooo]

2. Not til Rummy says so.

[xultar]

3. Or guys with triangle hats and snappy uniforms with flutes and drums

march down main street Baghdad.

[catmother]

4. it's really sad what's happening to these people because of us.

saddam was a terrible person, but at least he kept order in the country.:think:

[brokensymmetry]

5. When WILL you start reporting the positive news?

Here we have the Iraqi people, able to move to new cities and start new lives. Clearly, Freedom Is On The March!

:sarcasm:

Seriously, how tragic. And this is only the prelude to a conflict which may well result in the death of countless thousands and untold suffering. If they don't hate us after this...

Sorry, but words fail me.

[AlamoDemoc]

6. Oh mine! now we have Sunni population as refugees on Kurdish..

territory. Sunnis and Shia lived peacefully for generations, and respected their slight religion differences...but now we have have Sunnis seeking shelter with the Kurds.


This is indeed a civil war...if not, then everyone is blind by it...

[thereismore]

7. ethnic cleansing. horrible. now finally we could do something positive. nt

[rocktivity]

8. GOOD NEWS!

Iraq has begun its own immigration program!

:party: (This post is part of the George Bush GULF WAR GOOD NEWS intiative.)
rocknation