By Spc. Dustin Roberts
2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division
BAGHDAD – More than 30 Sheiks from the Baghdad neighborhoods of Hurriyah and Tarmiyah gathered at a mosque, Dec. 3, in a neighborhood that was once filled with sectarian violence to see for themselves how the security situation has changed.
The religious leaders from both the Sunni and Shiite tribes met at the al-Farooq Mosque in Hurriyah, where the 1st Battalion, 22nd Brigade, 6th Iraqi Army Division, with the help of the 1st Combined Arms Battalion, 18th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division, Multi-National Division – Baghdad, displayed how safe the neighborhood is.
Many of the Sheiks from Tarmiyah had once lived in Hurriyah and relocated because sectarian violence dramatically increased from around February 2006 to February 2008, said Maj. John Breland, human terrain team leader, attached to the 2nd BCT, 1st Inf. Div.
"The Sheiks [from Tarmiyah] were surprised and amazed by the progress that had been made in Hurriyah over the last two years," Breland said. "They were under the impression that Hurriyah was still a very dangerous place, and as they witnessed for themselves, that is not the case."
Iraqi army Maj. Adhab Imam al- Giussy Hussein, commander, 1st Battalion, 22nd Brigade, 6th IA Division, formally welcomed the visitors and spoke of the effectiveness of the battalion's tactics against sectarian violence in Hurriyah.
"The displaced Sheiks saw the houses that they once lived in before they were forced to move away and were grateful for the invite from the Hurriyah Sheiks and the Iraqi army," said Breland. "Maj. Hussein explained that despite the reputation of Hurriyah, anti-resettlement violence is almost non-existent and the situation is still improving."
After Hussein talked about the security mission, he described the procedures of how Tarmiyah attorneys can come back and work with the IA to help facilitate relocation. He then turned the discussion over to the Sheiks.
"The Iraqi security forces were not the main players in this meeting – the main effort and discussion was actually led by the Sheiks," said Maj. Todd Auld, civil affairs officer, 2nd BCT, 1st Inf. Div. "That was historic because a year ago, they wouldn't have been able to have that conversation, and they wouldn't have wanted to talk to each other about it."
Because Sheiks are leaders the people of Iraq usually trust and look up to, Auld said they were the right group of people to show how Hurriyah has changed.
"They also got to go through very fundamental conflict mitigation steps that will help reconciliation and accommodation," he said. "The people are tired of the violence and want it to end."
After having the opportunity to hear Hussein speak, and following several discussions amongst themselves, the Sheiks were escorted by the Iraqi army to Dolai, a neighborhood they were also concerned about.
The Sheiks thought the IA did not have a strong presence in Dolai and were able to see how security has improved there as well.
One of their concerns expressed was that of the Abass Mosque, which they heard was destroyed during the course of the sectarian violence. To their relief, they were able to tour the mosque, touch its walls and see that it was never disturbed.
"This went a long ways toward convincing them that a lot of things they heard about Hurriyah were not correct," Breland said. "Our hopes are that they will carry what they learned to Tarmiyah so the citizens there, who are displaced, will know that a lot of the things they've heard about Hurriyah are no longer true and it's safe for them to come home."
| Date Taken: |
12.03.2008 |
| Date Posted: |
12.04.2008 12:44 |
| Story ID: |
27189 |
| Location: |
BAGHDAD, IQ |
| Web Views: |
211 |
| Downloads: |
190 |
PUBLIC DOMAIN
This work, Hurriyah security improvements highlighted in walk through, by SGT Dustin Roberts, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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