Iraqis 'who dreamt of a better life find only fear and frustration'

Baghdad: The Iraqi capital is the most violent and bloodiest city in the world.

According to statistics published by the Adil Medical Centre in Baghdad terrorist acts and explosions cause the deaths of 2,000 to 3,000 civilians per month. Ironically the tools and victims of this blind terrorism are young Iraqis.

The Iraqi Centre for Strategic Studies reported that sectarian tension between Sunnis and Shiites has been generated by political, historical and social reasons. The study confirmed that extremists on both Sunni and Shiite sides tempt young Iraqis into joining the ongoing sectarian violence.

The Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs report declared more than 60 per cent of unemployed Iraqis are young university graduates. The report said this factor, in addition to the sectarian element, contributes to making young Iraqis commit terrorism.

Al Dora, a district located south of Baghdad, is now divided between Shiites and Sunnis. Karim, a 30-year-old Iraqi, told Gulf News: "Before the fall of Saddam Hussain's regime in 2003, there were two football teams, one from a Shiite neighbourhood and the other from a Sunni neighbourhood. We used to compete with fraternal and sportsmanship spirit, we used to exchange visits. Today there are groups of armed Shiites and Sunnis, who fight each other."

Suicide

With the absence of any official statistics, Iraqi health ministry sources anticipate more than half of victims of terrorism are young. Other medical sources in Ibn Rushd Psychiatric Hospital revealed that cases of depression and suicide doubled three to five times among young Iraqis due to the worsening terrorism climate.

Sura Fawzi, lecturer at a Baghdad university told Gulf News: "Young Iraqis are the first victims of this terrorism scourge. What happened after the occupation disrupted the natural and legitimate march for all young Iraqis, especially students who were targeted by the terrorists.

"I think the threats sent to academics inside the university campus proves there are university students behind it and they have joined the terrorist campaign against young students and professors. This is a disaster ... Baghdad is in its worst condition and the young Iraqis who looked and dreamed of a better life find only fear and frustration."