The writing on the wall
The walls of Iraq bear witness to the demands of the people. Nermeen Al-Mufti deciphers the graffiti in Baghdad
The walls of Iraq are the only true objects of "liberation" and "democracy" in Iraq.
I can almost hear the wall near my house laughing and luxuriating in this new-found freedom. For many years the surface had been a dull colour, and the day before the last presidential election on 15 October it became a banner, displaying the slogan "Yes, yes to Saddam". This remained on walls until the day of "liberation", when the sentence was changed to "No, no to Saddam". Then somebody wrote the word "criminal" before the name of the erstwhile leader.
With so many political parties, societies and movements now emerging in Iraq, the walls have become an important soapbox, a tool for exercising the right to freedom of expression, and a signal of the approach of democracy. Emblazoned brightly across one wall was "Thank you Mr Bush", with the name "Bush" later crossed out by another unknown graffiti artist.
The wall near my house has undergone a major transformation within the past two months of occupation or so-called "liberation". It has been witness to the sentiments and longing of the Iraqi people. "Arab and Kurds together will rebuild Iraq", with a poster of Jalal Talabani pasted at the end, is one such sentiment. Then comes the declaration that, "There is no democratic Iraq without resolution of the Kurdish issue", illustrated this time with the image of Masoud Barzani. Ayatollah Mohamed Baqir Al-Hakeem's face adorns the slogan "Yes to our Hawza", while another anonymous citizen says "Yes to a secular government".
The Iraqi flag also made an appearance with a "Yes to independent Iraq and no to occupation".
The political can be personal, too. One graffiti artist exercised his new-found democratic right to scribble, "I promise Amal to love you forever -- Mahmoud" This next to a drawing of a bleeding heart.
My favourite, though, is the job advertisement: "Job vacancy; expert wanted for the post of president. A chance not to be missed."
The wall is also an outlet for anger and resentment. One group of irate Iraqis wrote "Americans, sooner or later we will kick you out".
"Long live Falluja", the town 45km west of Baghdad, is remembered and celebrated for its resistance to the American forces.
Many of the slogans are written side by side, with older slogans often being replaced by new ideas.
Is this democracy?
"I discovered the draw-back of democracy," commented Ali Omer, a young writer, "it dirties the walls!"
"Before the occupation there was only one poster to be seen everywhere, the one bearing the image of Saddam Hussein. Now the walls are full of people we hardly know," commented Shatha Hassan, a teacher in the Institute of Fine Arts, adding that the walls have become the mirror of current instability.
"Nobody is willing to help the students," said university student Ammar Ali, while exercising this very right, painting "We do not want to lose this year" across the rough surface. Many of the Ba'athist professors have been expelled, he continued, and the parties have done nothing. "We still don't know if we'll be taking our exams or not. Nobody reads the papers, so maybe our demands will be seen on the walls," he hopes.
