ANCHOR LEAD: Foreign invasion, civil war and economic dysfunction have been the story of Iraq for the better part of the last three decades. Now, you can add the most devastating pandemic of our time to the list of catastrophes that have colored Iraq’s modern history. Given the state of the government and the shoddy health care system, whatever challenges we face in the United States are vastly more difficult in a broken country. (Lower third: Rani Simawe, @RSim)
VO: At the peak of ISIL’s power, Iraq was considered by many, a failed state. Major cities were lost and held by fundamentalists committing atrocious crimes. Since ISIL’s power diminished thanks to collaborative efforts between the Iraqi government, the Kurdish minority, and foreign powers, the country began gravitating towards something resembling a viable state. Just in time for the COVID-19 pandemic to threaten to undo everything. (Graphics: Iraqi territory controlled by ISIL at the height of ISIL’s power, stock b-roll of warfare)
IMAN MAHMOUD, BAGHDAD RESIDENT, SOT: Some places are better than others. My district is okay, but there are still religious gatherings, and things like weddings and funerals. All of the cafes and restaurants are closed, and nobody is allowed to take taxi or bus. I think some people don’t take it seriously. (Interview footage conducted over FaceTime. Lower third: Iman Mahmoud, Baghdad Resident)
VO: The current COVID-19 numbers in Iraq are 2,219 cases with 95 deaths. These numbers are extremely low when compared to Iowa’s numbers, which stand at over 9,000 cases and nearly 200 deaths. Considering Iraq has over ten times the population of Iraq, you could be forgiven for thinking the numbers in Iraq do not add up. (Bar Graph comparing reported numbers in Iraq to reported numbers in Iowa)
IMAN MAHMOUD SOT: They say only 2,000 cases, and about 90 deaths. I don’t believe this. The government is not good at keeping up. The health care here is poor. The doctors and nurses care, but there is not enough of them. And the record keeping is very bad. I never trust the records or what the government says. They are still letting people in from Iran, because the Iraq government is Iran’s puppet. (FaceTime interview footage, map of Iran-Iraq border)
VO: There is an attitude of distrust when it comes to how locals view the Iraqi government. Residents tend to do what they want despite pleas from healthcare workers and the government to remain at home. (Stock b-roll of citizens engaging in public prayer, and pilgrimages to mosques)
IMAN MAHMOUD SOT: It’s unbelievable. I still see and hear about people gathering for prayer in big groups. People say Allah will cure them if they get sick. And there are people who say if they get very sick, they will not go to the hospitals. They know the health care is bad, and they would rather die at home.
STAND UP: The COVID-19 pandemic will continue to destabilize any sense of normal people feel in any part of the world. For a country like Iraq, devastation has been an unfortunate part of their normal. Yet, through tenacity and grit, the citizens still call it home. This is Rani Simawe with DITV.
Rani's Blog 