By Kazem al-Akaby Aug 9, 2008, 12:10 GMT
Baghdad - After five years of violence marked by killings and suicide bombings, Iraqis are now - amid a marked improvement in the security situation - cautiously starting to venture out to relax in their parks and public places again.
Something they hadn't done for years - chilling out with family and friends in public - is something people in Baghdad are starting to learn how to do again.
The new relative feeling of safety comes amid Pentagon data showing that in June, violence had dropped by 40 to 80 per cent, the result of the increased presence of US troops and better coordination with the Iraqi military.
Now, Iraqis are starting to hang out again in marketplaces, parks, and other spots which had long been deserted.
'The good weather and the drop in violence made me get out of the house to enjoy this beautiful garden,' said Aziz Hady, 43, who cameo to a safe park in Baghdad's central Harithyah district with his wife and four children.
'And with the electricity always being cut off at home, we decided to come here and enjoy a nice picnic under the shade of the trees,' Hady added.
The park, located on the banks of the Tigris River, contains a zoo and a fun fair as well, and remains a bustling place until the late in the evening.
Hundreds of Iraqis meanwhile visit the park's market, searching for a variety of goods, from house birds to clothing to antiques.
Helping to boost the security of such public places, the government has built large cement walls to surround the market squares and posted police and army troops to provide protection.
Such local markets feature exotic animals - monkeys, wolves, trained dogs, snakes, and strange fish species.
Such markets seem to have something for everyone. Book lovers, for example, can now go in search of books by Arab and international writers.
And, amid the new atmosphere, people are once again enjoying a simple pleasure - just hanging out in one of Baghad's old cafes, chatting, drinking tea and playing or watching a game of dominos.
At sunset, shoppers say farewell to the market, heading home laden with bags heavy from their day of shopping.
And Muslims who have longed for the blessings of a Friday are now visiting mosques and holy places once again as well.
Unfortunately, while markets and parks are starting to resume their pre-war activities again, the city's theatres and cinemas still present a picture of desolation - they remain closed down and have become littered with accumulated trash and filth.
After the US-led invasion in the spring of 2003, prominent singers and actors fled the country. Now, now only a limited number of plays are performed at the national theatre. The audience is usually comprised of Iraqi intellectuals.
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SP4: Good NewsAug 9th, 2008 - 16:23:29
...no matter what you may think....
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littlehornAug 10th, 2008 - 16:38:56
This reminds me of how Neo-Nazis want Blacks to shut up because they were liberated by Whites. Look. You killed more than a million of them. And now you get ecstatic, because some of them 'go out in parks again'. OH my GOD MISSION ACCOMPLISHED GUYS ! Some of them are not being killed by us or by terrorist ! Yeeehaaaaw! And now maybe you can GET THE HELL OUT ? AS THE IRAQIS HAVE BEEN WANTING YOU TO FOR YEARS.
SP4: Good NewsAug 9th, 2008 - 16:23:29
...no matter what you may think....
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