Photo By Master Sgt. Opal Vaughn | A group of local Iraqi children listen to their teacher as he explains how chemistry...... read more read more
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By Spc. Opal Vaughn
14th Public Affairs Detachment
JALEEL, Iraq - "Mister, mister," yells an Iraqi school girl. "Surah," she smiles pretending to take a picture as she gestures the action with her tiny fingers.
Slowly a crowd of school goers begin to gather around chanting, "Mister, surah, surah." Unable to resist, a Soldier pulls out a personal digital camera and snaps a couple photos of the children showing them the photo afterward.
Years ago, before the initial invasion by U.S. troops in 2003, Hadia'l Sadun was considered one of the more dangerous areas in Iraq, according to Capt. Joel Glover, a fire support officer with 2nd Battalion, 8th Field Artillery, 1st Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division.
"This place is considered the birthplace of the al-Qaida," Glover stated. "The people were terrorized so much they were driven from their homes. They are just now starting to go home. Recently, 45 displaced families returned home after being forced to live with relatives, squatting in abandoned buildings or even living on the streets."
Glover continued stating, "We had an official ceremony to reopen the town signifying the Iraqi government and its people are making big steps and great strides. Gen. Hassam has been helping up out by getting other government officials involved in this whole process. The best thing is there is no U.S. involvement here, only Iraqi," Glover stated. "We're just her to watch and take notes."
Based on the many smiles and warm welcomes given to the Soldiers, Iraqi army and government official's visiting the area, no one would ever imagine any of the local people had been displaced from their homes for so long. Yet each Iraqi child and every adult greeted each person with a gleeful smile.
"Their homes and their schools were blown up by al-Qaida," said Mouded Tahir Mohammed, the education director. "I'm surprised to see so many of them going on as if nothing has ever happened. But we still want to build more buildings so that the school houses can be reopened and the children can continue to get an education."
Along with the director of education, Staff Brig. Gen. Saaeb, 18th Iraqi Army Brigade, 5th Iraqi Army Division, Nahia Buhritz Mayor Hassam and Lt. Col. Matt Anderson, commander, 2-8 FA, 1st SBCT, 25th Inf. Div. also visited with the local people.
The visit focused on opening up the communication lines between the local Iraqi people in each community and the Iraqi government.
"This is a first good step toward the healing process and turning over Iraq," Anderson stated. "Currently, we still work with Iraqi government officials so that when the Iraqi army makes a promise to its people, we ensure they keep it."
Now that it is safe for the local people to return, the government has been doing their part as well.
"Mohammed, Mayor Hassam and Saaeb put together this package so the local people could give an assessment of surroundings," Glover stated. "This joint operation between the IA, sheiks and local governments, gives them a chance to visit the schools and talk with the students and teachers to see what they need; improvements, problems, anything."
When al-Qaida was still in power, according to Glover, attendance in schools was not too popular. "Before, teachers and students were too afraid to go to school. Now, the school teachers are reassuring Saaeb they will have 100 percent attendance of both students and teachers," Glover continued. "But it's only because most of them are just now feeling safe enough to return home and continue to get an education, something most of us take for granted."
Many of the people returning home have nothing left but a pile of rubble or nothing at all. Under Iraq's new government, the Internally Displaced Person program was established for local nationals allowing families to return home and rebuild again, Glover stated. The program assesses the damage to a home and gives a family the amount the home is valued at in order to begin rebuilding.
With guided assistance, the Iraqi government has come a long way from where it once was. Many families are still living without running water, electricity or telephones. There are many unhealed scars of loss, anguish and separation which still linger from the impending threat of remaining al-Qaida members. But in due time, Iraq will one day be rid of the threat and stand on its own.
| Date Taken: | 01.03.2009 |
| Date Posted: | 01.03.2009 10:13 |
| Story ID: | 28415 |
| Location: | IQ |
| Web Views: | 291 |
| Downloads: | 284 |
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