login
Become a member
Quick Registration
Full Registration Benefits -
Free Homepages for Doctors
Free Homepages for Hospitals
Free Homepages for Medical Conference
Free Homepages for NGO's
Personal Health Record Creation
Access to all Medical Slides
Access to all Jobs & Products Sale
In Conservative Iraq There is No Place for Gypsies
"We live worse than dogs," says Ragnab Hannumi Allawi, a villager, wearing a sombre, piercing black look, surrounded by a group of women and sitting on a dusty carpet.
She now refuses to go to Diwaniyah, capital of the eponymous province, to seek help. "The authorities say 'you are entitled to nothing' and throw us out. When we go into the city to buy food, they refuse us."
The only thing these women can do to beg a few dinars is to cover their face entirely to avoid being recognised.
"We leave at 5:00 am and we return around 3:00 pm, for two years they have been shutting all the doors on us and they kept us agonising," says Lamia Hallub, her face broken.
The men, meanwhile, remember with nostalgia the weddings and events where they played and sang at night for rich families.
Before 2003 "we could work in music and folk festivals," says Khalid Jassim, his head dressed in a red and white checked Keffiyeh.
"But since we have had nothing. Why? Because our traditions do not accord with Islamic values," the old man complains.
"They say to us that the artists have no place in Iraq. The art is finished, but what country is there without artists?" he says, his voice rising and mood becoming more animated.
"Give me any job -- military, police, security or worker."
In the face of regular attacks, police installed checkpoints at the village entrance, but despite this many gypsies left.
"In the village, the infrastructure was destroyed, including the water network and the electricity," explains Abbas al-Sidi, a member of the province's Human Rights Commission.
"The attacks, mostly by armed militias, forced the families to flee to other provinces. The number of families has fallen from 450 to 120. Those who remain are the poorest."
The number of Roma in Iraq, according to tribal chiefs, is estimated at 60,000. Their hopes of a better life in the country with a population of 30 million people appear slim.
"Islam considers them to be deviants," declares Hafiz Mutashar, a religious dignitary in Diwaniyah.
"They commit prostitution which is forbidden under Islam. It is normal that our community considers them inferior and insists that they be isolated."
Source-AFP
RAS
|
|
|
 Comment & Contribute
|
Medwonders Health Network
- Health News Index
- News Quick Links
 | News Central | | Health Watch | |
| Latest Health News | | Health In Focus | |
| News Category (500+) | | Breaking Health News | |
| Popular News | | Celebrating Life | |
| Health News and Press Release | | Medindia - Exclusive | |
| News Photo Gallery | | India Special | |
| News Video Gallery | | Lifestyle and Wellness | |
| News From Other Resources | |||
| News Categories: |
| » | Individuals' Brains 'Tick Together' If They Have Strong Emotions |
| » | Keeping Emotions in Check and Being Resilient Helps to Remain Satisfied With Life |
| » | Moral Sense Depends on Type of Activity Being Done at Particular Time |
| » | 'No Scanty Garbs' Campaign UAE Women |
| » | Asian Casinos Combat Crooks |
| More Life Style News | |
|
Lifestyle Related News |
||||||||
| » | Individuals' Brains 'Tick Together' If They Have Strong Emotions | » | Keeping Emotions in Check and Being Resilient Helps to Remain Satisfied With Life | |||||
| » | Moral Sense Depends on Type of Activity Being Done at Particular Time | » | 'No Scanty Garbs' Campaign UAE Women | |||||
| » | Asian Casinos Combat Crooks | » | Dapper Eyewear Records All Within Sight | |||||
| » | Rock Music at Concerts may Lead to Hearing Problems | » | Construction Of 'Intelligent' Robot That Designs Tools on Its Own | |||||
| Read More >> | ||||||||
