|
Baghdad residents forming committees for protection
In response to increasing cases of kidnapping, robbery and theft in the capital, Baghdad, residents are joining forces to protect themselves and their families by taking security matters into their own hands."We had to choose between waiting for robbers to enter our houses and going out in the streets and protecting ourselves," said Ahmed Salam, a resident of the Hay al-Adel district. In recent weeks, groups of men from seven districts of the capital have formed informal security committees, organising eight-hour shifts and erecting roadblocks in central areas of the capital. The move comes after a series of meetings between both Sunni and Shi'ite religous leaders, as well as representatives of the capital's Christian community. "When you're protecting your loved ones, there are no religious differences," said Hassan Baduk, a committee leader in the Hay Jamia'a district of the capital. Committee members armed with pistols and Kalashnikov rifles, available on the black market for as little as US $100 apiece, alternate positions during the day at dozens of improvised check-points. At least 50 men from each district are involved in the operation. The group also stops suspicious cars to check the identification cards of drivers and passengers. Many residents agree that, given the dearth of police on the streets, citizen patrols are badly needed. "Rarely do we see a police car on our streets," said Baduk. "And when we do, they drive by so fast we don't have time to ask for help." Yarmouk district resident Haki Kareem agreed. "The situation is much worse at night, because there are no police patrols in some areas," he said. "Thieves feel free to walk in the empty streets and proceed with their robberies." Kareem added that at least 35 houses were burgled last December in his district alone. The Iraqi police forces, meanwhile, say they are too few in number to provide adequate total security. Increasing numbers of insurgent attacks have resulted in the resignation of hundreds of police officers over the last year, compounding the problem further. According to the Ministry of Interior, there is at least one attack against police personnel every day in Iraq. During the rule of Saddam Hussein, there were an estimated 76,000 police officers countrywide. Following Hussein's ousting by coalition forces in 2003, however, the then US-run Coalition Provisional Authority dissolved both the army and police. Interior ministry figures now put the number of police officers at more than 82,000. Iraqi police officers generally receive two months of training before hitting the streets, but some say this is inadequate preparation given the rising sophistication of insurgent attacks. "It's very difficult to provide security the salaries are too little compared to the risks we have to take," said Baghdad police officer Adnan Ala'a. "Sometimes you leave the house with the impression you won't return," he added. According to the interior ministry, policemen earn an average wage of US $200 per month. The Iraqi government, meanwhile, has urged local residents to refrain from forming vigilante groups. "We believe such procedures can be very dangerous," said interior ministry spokesman General Adnan Abdul-Rahman. "It could lead to gunfights between locals and criminals, which can result in the death of innocent bystanders." "In the meantime, though, we don't have enough police to offer 24-hour protection to all neighbourhoods of the capital," Abdul Rahman conceded. Posted by: Dan Darling 2006-02-15 |
| http://www.rantburg.com/poparticle.php?ID=142707 |