Hope turns to anger for the parched and starving
Days into the US-led war, Iraq's civilians are still waiting for the food, water and other help Washington and London promised they would distribute behind their advancing soldiers. But with unexpectedly tough combat holding up the humanitarian aid convoys, hope is rapidly turning to anger against the invaders.
"This war has quickly turned us into beggars," an old man who gave his name as Farak said as he sat on the side of a road near Nasiriya in southern Iraq yesterday.
In this part of the country, at least, years of UN economic sanctions that stripped cupboards have now been replaced by a fierce war which is depleting the few remaining valuable provisions, resulting in severe penury.
At least 100,000 small children in Basra are at risk of disease after water supplies were cut following US-led air strikes on the besieged southern Iraqi city, the United Nations Children's Fund warned today
And UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan called for rapid action to help the people of Basra, home to some two million people and Iraq's second largest city, get adequate water supplies.
Basra's main Wafa al-Qaed water treatment plant has been out of action due to a power outage since Friday. And while other plants can supply about 40 per cent of usual needs, the International Committee of the Red Cross in Geneva describes the situation as an emergency. Near Zubayr, some civilians can be seen walking to the checkpoints set up by the invading forces. The civilians pretend to be Iraqi soldiers who want to surrender, a move to secure US military "meals-ready-to eat" and bottles of mineral water.
But they are turned away after failing to present proper identification.
With no running water and no electricity, and food all but gone, the inhabitants of the desertic south have slipped into despair, no longer believing in the US promises they would be taken care of. There are no celebrations to greet the western troops.
"We've been abandoned to our fate. Nobody has given us anything to eat. Nobody is providing security. All they do is arrive here, attack Saddam's forces, then leave," said Hussein Yaber, a 20-year-old shepherd living in a barn south of Nasiriyah.
Yesterday, he was forced to buy 300 litres of water from various trucks driving down from the north because his family now had no more drinking water.
"We can't remember when the situation has been so bad," he said - a telling comment in a region with a Muslim Shi'ite majority long oppressed by the Sunni minority that runs Iraq.
Because of the desperation, incidents of looting and assault have broken out in recent days, resulting in several people being hurt.
On Sunday, a 10-year-old girl died when she stepped on one of the innumerable landmines laid by Iraqi President Saddam Hussein's followers around the border town of Safwan.
"Why did an innocent girl step on it and not an American?" asked Yaber, a resident.
According to the only doctor in Safwan, Ali, basic medicine is urgently needed, including analgesics, antibiotics, and drugs for gastroenteritis - a constant health problem because of frequently contaminated drinking water.
The nearest hospital is in Umm Qasr, the port town 20 kilometres to the east where a small group of Iraqi fighters have been able to hold out and fire shots at coalition soldiers for four days despite aerial bombings and artillery shelling.
"If the (US and British) soldiers are among us for only a short time, we could try to respect them. But if they have come to stay, there are going to be a lot of problems because the United States only wants to destroy Islam," affirmed a young Safwan man driving a car with a white flag flying from its roof.
Nowhere in Safwan were the scenes of celebration or relief US President George W Bush and British Prime Minister Tony Blair had been counting on to confront their critics.
Although the town was the first to fall to the coalition troops without resistance last Friday, by yesterday the British patrols were receiving no victory signs from the children in street.
The atmosphere is tense, and the soldiers posted at the entrance and exit of the town can do little to assuage the growing anger directed at them.
Near one of the tanks stationed next to a torn-up portrait of Saddam, a local man said: "The United States hasn't understood that it's not going to be able to kill Saddam Hussein with this war. For better or for worse, he has already become a legend."
In Moscow, a Kremlin spokesman said President Vladimir Putin had told US President George W Bush by telephone that Iraq faced the risk of a humanitarian crisis.
"We can't drive because petrol is running out. There is no gas. What can we do," asked Abdullah, who was riding a bicycle through a British checkpoint protected by tanks past The Southern Gas Company.
At another checkpoint, Iraqis with blankets and pots piled in the back of pick-up trucks streamed out of the town of al-Zubayr. They said armed members of the ruling Baath party were intimidating the civilians in the town which was why many were leaving.
"They took my three sons and executed them this morning behind the hospital in al-Zubayr," said Adil Sughayar, waving his hands in the air.
The Baath Party is not the only object of rage. Frustrated Iraqis wander to checkpoints looking for relatives they said had been arrested by the US or British forces.
"We go and we try to find water because it has been cut off in our area and then the Americans and British arrest people who are not even soldiers," said Mohsen Ibrahim.
The southern port city of Umm Qasr has been pounded by shells for days. But according to at least some citizens it is the Baath Party members who have paralysed the town with fear.
"The Americans think there are Republican Guards in the city. It's only ten men with old rifles who are resisting," said Ali Muhammed, an army deserter.
"Everyone else wants the Americans to free Umm Qasr. We would like to kill the 10 men but we are afraid that if the Americans don't win Saddam will slit our throats."
AFP and Reuters