 |
|
Baghdad cafés abounds in Iraqis at Ramadanian nights
|
By
Imam El-Leithy, Numir Subhy, IOL Correspondent
BAGHDAD,
November 4 (IslamOnline.net) - As mornings in Iraq have become
concomitant with bombings and attacks against U.S.-led occupation
forces and officials circles working with them, Iraqis are now more
active at the nights of the fasting month of Ramadan, with
restaurants, cafés and shops across Baghdad jam-packed by people.
And
now that the U.S.-imposed night curfew has been lifted during the holy
month, mosques are teeming with the faithful.
"Now
you see Iraqis coming in droves to mosques to perform Tarawih prayer,
and by the same token you see cafés full," Abd Hashim, owner of
a restaurant at al-Azamiya district in Baghdad, told IslamOnline.net
Tuesday, November 4.
"I
reinstated 12 workers I had laid off over the past few months to keep
pace with the increasing demand.
"True
that the deadly
bombings of October 27 had their toll on the
market, but things are much better now than in the past two months
when we were terrified by the U.S. soldiers, thieves and the night
curfew," Abd Hashim added.
At
least 42 people were killed and over 200 others injured when a series
of bombings hit vital parts of the Iraqi capital, including the
headquarters of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC)
and several police stations.
Saad
Far'an, a café owner, says there is no room for fears now.
"We
no longer live in horror, but the Americans do...I close my shop now
at 11 p.m.," jubilant Far'an told IOL.
Asked
about the latest bombings that claimed lives of innocent Iraqis, he
stressed it was neither the work of the Iraqi resistance nor even
ousted president Saddam Hussein.
"The
proof is very simple; we are moving freely at night with no guards,
which make us an easy target for the resistance fighters should they
want to terrify us," Far’an averred.
Samir
al-Salih, however, still fears for his children's safety from
indiscriminate bombings.
"I
only fear for my children and that's why we keep them at home. But
when it comes to cafés and restaurants, it is quite safe," he
told IOL.
Following
the October 27 attacks, the Iraqi interim education ministry ordered
all schools indefinitely closed to keep safe all students in these
turbulent times.
Baghdad
was also semi-paralyzed
Saturday, November 1, amid fears of new deadly attacks on the
so-called "resistance day."