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International sanctions drive Iraqis to God

Iraqis In this story: June 13, 1997
Web posted at: 9:01 p.m. EDT (0101 GMT)

From Reporter Ben Wedeman

BAGHDAD, Iraq (CNN) -- Nearly seven years of international sanctions have brought tremendous hardships to the people of Iraq, and for many there is only one place that brings them any respite: the mosque.

For an hour or so on Friday, the Muslim day of rest, the faithful escape the cares of daily life at places such as the Abu Hanifa mosque in Baghdad.

Iraqis say the number of people going to the mosque has increased steadily in recent years as life has become ever more difficult under the sanctions.

CNN's Ben Wedeman reports
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"Thank God, we have been through these hardships, and it's had a big impact on us," says one man. "We've been affected by this tragedy, so we've gone back to God."

Iraq was barred by the U.N. Security Council from selling oil abroad after it invaded Kuwait in 1990, thereby cutting off a major revenue source. Late last year, the council loosened the sanctions slightly by approving an "oil-for- food" program.

Flah

Since the invasion of Kuwait and the subsequent setbacks at the hands of an international force led by the United States, the Iraqi government has used religious themes to rally support at home and abroad.

Shortly after the invasion of Kuwait, Iraq modified its flag to include the expression Allahu akbar -- God is great.

Saddam building a new mosque

Iraqi President Saddam Hussein has become the country's primary proponent of piety. In 1995, he ordered the construction of a mosque called, predictably enough, the Great Saddam Mosque, which designers say will be one of the biggest in the world.

Before the Gulf war, Baghdad was an easygoing town, where a night out was a popular pastime. But sanctions changed all that. Times are tough, cash is in short supply, and making a living -- not having a good time -- is the top priority for most people.

tomb

The mosque is one of the few places where little has changed. And that is a comfort for many Iraqis, weary after years of hardship and war -- not only over the invasion of Kuwait but also over earlier battles with Iran.

Al-Kazimiya Mosque is the focal point of Baghdad's Shiite Muslim population, one of the two main Islamic sects. The faithful travel from throughout the country to visit the tomb of Imam Kazim, a revered religious leader.

"As a result of the war, we fought and the sanctions, what can we do?" says another man. "We have turned to God. Only God will listen to our problems."

Rumors of Muslim activists unconfirmed

There are whispers in Baghdad that Muslim activists are engaged in an underground struggle against the Iraqi regime, but the whispers are virtually impossible to confirm.

Whether they are praying for a change in the regime or an end to sanctions, Iraqis are hoping their prayers will soon be answered.

 
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