A Hundred and One Days: A Baghdad Journal Read Online Free PDF Page A
Author: Åsne Seierstad
he knows that I am lying. I keep my mouth shut. To report my questions and attitude is one of Takhlef’s duties. But I want my first article home to deal with something real - how people live, how they think about Iraq, about the USA and about the war that is lurking over the horizon. I cannot just phone Aftenposten and ask for some space in the travel section: ‘A guide to Baghdad’s art scene - from Babylon to Saddam at sunset’. Bon voyage!
- Shall we do the National Museum tomorrow? Takhlef asks.
I shrug my shoulders.
- They have one hundred and seventy thousand artefacts. It is very interesting.
I do not want to see one hundred and seventy thousand artefacts.
- What about the monuments to the revolution? Or Saddam Hussein’s gift collection? There are thousands of gifts from all the world’s leaders. Or what about the Mother of all Battles mosque, to commemorate the Gulf War? There is a Koran inside the mosque written with the president’s blood. It has six hundred and fifty pages. In the course of two years our president donated twenty-eight litres of blood in order to write the book. Or what about the Ark of the Clenched Fists? They are enlarged copies of the president’s hands.
I shake my head.
- Tomorrow at eleven Baghdad’s artists are marching in a peace demonstration, says Takhlef.
I might find someone who will divulge some secrets. An intellectual, an atheist, an artistic soul.
- Yes, I’d love that.
Lady Macbeth, Medea, Romeo and Othello asked for peace yesterday. The cultural elite of Baghdad, with actors at the front, were called out on to the streets to protest against what the Iraqis call the US aggression. The interpretation of the characters as demonstrators was convincing. Walking slowly, clutching pictures of Saddam Hussein, a purposeful procession wound its way through the streets of Baghdad. It was easy to learn the chant by heart: Saddam, Saddam, Saddam. In our blood and in our hearts. Saddam, Saddam, Saddam, no one must take him from us, they cried in unison.
- I hope this does the trick, said Karim Awad, one of Iraq’s most famous actors. - It is our duty as actors to be good role models, we must show that we support our leader, said Awad, who was educated at a Californian school of dramatic art and has appeared in several films and TV dramas. He identifies closely with Othello, the noble warrior betrayed by his servant.
A procession of dwarves, often used in Iraqi comedies, and dancers in colourful costumes and well-known pop stars joined in the festivities.
A few blocks away, at the UN headquarters, the head of the weapons inspectors, Hans Blix, read out the new 10-point agreement.
The most significant development is that the UN is guaranteed unlimited access, to include private homes. Iraq will encourage scientists to speak to weapons inspectors, and will allow inspectors to interview technical experts without the presence of Iraqi officials. In addition, Iraq will establish its own team to look for warheads.
Hans Blix said Iraq had handed over several new documents, were preparing others and promised to uncover more.
- We have solved a string of practical problems, but unfortunately not all, Hans Blix said when he left Baghdad to report to the UN in New York on 27 January. - I am sure Iraq will honour its promises, he said and reiterated that war was not inevitable.
The UN maintains that Iraq is hiding anthrax, the VX nerve gas and Scud missiles. The country has produced no evidence that these have been destroyed.
- We have left these points to be discussed later, he promised. Iraq has put forth conflicting information about the nerve gas production programme. Last week UN inspectors found empty chemical warheads unreported by Iraq. Iraq said it was an oversight.
After the meeting Hans Blix and his entourage left for Cyprus. Thereafter they travel to Athens to brief the UN executive
- Shall we do the National Museum tomorrow? Takhlef asks.
I shrug my shoulders.
- They have one hundred and seventy thousand artefacts. It is very interesting.
I do not want to see one hundred and seventy thousand artefacts.
- What about the monuments to the revolution? Or Saddam Hussein’s gift collection? There are thousands of gifts from all the world’s leaders. Or what about the Mother of all Battles mosque, to commemorate the Gulf War? There is a Koran inside the mosque written with the president’s blood. It has six hundred and fifty pages. In the course of two years our president donated twenty-eight litres of blood in order to write the book. Or what about the Ark of the Clenched Fists? They are enlarged copies of the president’s hands.
I shake my head.
- Tomorrow at eleven Baghdad’s artists are marching in a peace demonstration, says Takhlef.
I might find someone who will divulge some secrets. An intellectual, an atheist, an artistic soul.
- Yes, I’d love that.
Lady Macbeth, Medea, Romeo and Othello asked for peace yesterday. The cultural elite of Baghdad, with actors at the front, were called out on to the streets to protest against what the Iraqis call the US aggression. The interpretation of the characters as demonstrators was convincing. Walking slowly, clutching pictures of Saddam Hussein, a purposeful procession wound its way through the streets of Baghdad. It was easy to learn the chant by heart: Saddam, Saddam, Saddam. In our blood and in our hearts. Saddam, Saddam, Saddam, no one must take him from us, they cried in unison.
- I hope this does the trick, said Karim Awad, one of Iraq’s most famous actors. - It is our duty as actors to be good role models, we must show that we support our leader, said Awad, who was educated at a Californian school of dramatic art and has appeared in several films and TV dramas. He identifies closely with Othello, the noble warrior betrayed by his servant.
A procession of dwarves, often used in Iraqi comedies, and dancers in colourful costumes and well-known pop stars joined in the festivities.
A few blocks away, at the UN headquarters, the head of the weapons inspectors, Hans Blix, read out the new 10-point agreement.
The most significant development is that the UN is guaranteed unlimited access, to include private homes. Iraq will encourage scientists to speak to weapons inspectors, and will allow inspectors to interview technical experts without the presence of Iraqi officials. In addition, Iraq will establish its own team to look for warheads.
Hans Blix said Iraq had handed over several new documents, were preparing others and promised to uncover more.
- We have solved a string of practical problems, but unfortunately not all, Hans Blix said when he left Baghdad to report to the UN in New York on 27 January. - I am sure Iraq will honour its promises, he said and reiterated that war was not inevitable.
The UN maintains that Iraq is hiding anthrax, the VX nerve gas and Scud missiles. The country has produced no evidence that these have been destroyed.
- We have left these points to be discussed later, he promised. Iraq has put forth conflicting information about the nerve gas production programme. Last week UN inspectors found empty chemical warheads unreported by Iraq. Iraq said it was an oversight.
After the meeting Hans Blix and his entourage left for Cyprus. Thereafter they travel to Athens to brief the UN executive
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