- There was an attempt yesterday on Akila Al-Hashimi's
life. We heard about yesterday morning and have been listening for news
ever since. She lives in Jihad Quarter and was leaving for work yesterday
when two pick-up trucks with armed men cut off her car and opened fire
on her and her 'bodyguards'- her brothers. Neighbors heard the commotion,
armed themselves and went out to see what it was. The neighbors and the
gang began shooting at eachother.
-
- Akila was taken to Al-Yarmuk hospital where her stomach
was operated upon and then shipped off in an American army ambulance to
no one knows where, but people say it was probably the hospital they have
set up in Baghdad Airport. They say she was wounded in the foot, the shoulder
and the stomach- her condition is critical, but stable.
-
- It's depressing because she was actually one of the decent
members on the council. She was living in Iraq and worked extensively in
foreign affairs in the past. It's also depressing because of what it signifies-
that no female is safe, no matter how high up she is...
-
- Everyone has their own conjectures on who it could have
been. Ahmad Al-Chalabi, of course, right off, before they even started
investigations said, "It was Saddam and his loyalists!"- he's
beginning to sound like a broken record... but no one listens to him anyway.
The FBI in Iraq who examined the site said they had no idea yet who it
could be. Why would it be Ba'athists if Akila herself was once a Ba'athist
and handled relations with international organizations in the Ministry
of Foreign Affairs before the occupation? Choosing her was one of the smartest
thing the CPA did since they got here. It was through her contacts and
extensive knowledge of current Iraqi foreign affairs that Al-Chalabi and
Al-Pachichi were received at the UN as 'representatives' of the Iraqi people.
She was recently chosen as one of three from the Governing Council, along
with Al-Pachichi, to work as a sort of political buffer between the Governing
Council and the new cabinet of ministers.
-
- But there has been bitterness towards her by some of
the more extreme members of the Governing Council- not only is she female,
wears no hijab and was the first actual 'foreign representative' of the
new government, but she was also a prominent part of the former government.
The technique used sounds like the same used with those school principals
who were killed and the same used with that brilliant female electrician
who was assassinated... I wonder if Akila got a 'warning letter'. She should
have had better protection. If they are not going to protect one of only
3 female members of the Governing Council, then who are they going to protect?
Who is deemed worthy of protection?
-
- Yeah, Baghdad is real safe when armed men can ride around
in SUVs and pick-ups throwing grenades and opening fire on the Governing
Council, of all people.
-
- I really hope they find whoever did this, and I hope
the punishment is severe.
-
-
-
- <http://riverbendblog.blogspot.com/>http://riverbendblog.blogspot.com/
|
