After it was handed over to the Iraqi government, the notorious Abu Ghraib prison has been renovated and opened in a new shape. Its ill-remembered name has been changed as well. It is called Baghdad Central Prison now.
On this occasion, The New York Times’ Baghdad Bureau Blog featured its reporters and photographers narrating what they had seen as they covered stories inside that hellish jail from the horrific days when the Iraqi tyrant used to rule and the times when the prison fell in the US military’s control where Iraqi inmates were abused and tortured.
Titled “Abu Ghraib,” The New York Times blog post contains strong graphic images.
blog.bassamsebti@gmail.com
3.01.2009
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However, Abu Ghraib - Baghdad Central Prison - will be judged by what happens within its walls, not by the paint on them.
this was my first thought about the prison,so i wasn't surprised when i read it towards the end of the nyt blog.
i guess this is a 'good thing', especially the idea there may be rehabilitation and visitors. but i also know this is a very big stain on america, and this story oddly timed to be followed by a truth commission of all the worst that happened there. we already know the worst of it was never released to the public.
so, an improved prison is a good thing i suppose. but i am more looking forward to improved conditions for society, this more than anything will prevent circumstances that cause people to resort to crime in the first place.
Annie,
That line caught my eyes and summarized the entire post.
I think the prison should have been closed and turned into a museum. The horrific things that happened there will never be forgotten even if you demolish the old buildings and build new ones instead.
But when I think about the situation deeply, I feel that the government should spend money on basic services instead of a new prison.
Let's hope that someday this place will be turned into a museum.
a museum is a really good idea, but something tells me the US wouldn't ever want a permanent reminder of the torure committed there in our name. they are still referring to it as an aberration, a few bad eggs on the lower rungs. hmm, something tells me that just isn't so. especially wrt all the same sexual deviation kinds of torment that was also documented at gitmo. this is one of the problems w/the private industry sorts, they are beyond the law and provide cover for who they serve. the whole 'softening process' sucks.
But when I think about the situation deeply, I feel that the government should spend money on basic services instead of a new prison.
yeah, i totally agree. we all choose our own battles, and prison reform has never been on the top of my list. but i wanted to say something 'positive' to start of your thread, although looking on 'the bright side' has it's limits wrt prisons. until i see evidence of a viable 'justice' system, i will remain sceptical. i have no doubt iraq has harden criminals, but from what i know of COIN, a lot of their information comes from interrogation, it may be a touch hit or miss if you know what i mean.
there has been a lot less info on iraq lately, other than the 'good' news. today i read about a 2000 person protest of the election results. the bog roads to iraq got linked to from nyt the other day. that is rather unusual. and the 62,000 who got fired from the police, that's quite a large number.
maybe it was associated w/this. i wonder how this sort of lecture goes over culturally w/iraqis. is this a guy thing? i didn't know our military swore so much.
"Abu Gharib" prison is now Baghdad Central Prison after renovation. It is good to make changes in the prison, as renovation brings positive changes in the prisoners. Reformation is better than punishment. But change in the building will not bring transformation in their attitude, they should reform them like the rehabilitation Centers do in order to cultivate values, morals and good citizenship, because most of the prisoners are mentally ill like other patients of drugs addiction and alcoholism. So, it is more important to bring inner improvement rather than reformation of the building..
Shelly Smith
Drug Intervention
because most of the prisoners are mentally ill like other patients of drugs addiction and alcoholism.
what leads you to this conclusion?
Bassam, i am horrified to hear of the bombing recently not far away from this prison that killed so many people. we haven't been talking much about iraq.
did you read the NUPI/Iraqi Report? there are so many rumors going around but not very much in our msn, so i have been reading the arab press when i can find interpretations.
any impressions you have about what's going on i woukld value.
Yeah, Annie. It's horrifying.
Shadid sums it up in this article?:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/03/11/AR2009031104377.html
Thank you Bassam, this story must have come out right after i posted. good for wapo putting it on the front page where it belongs.
the attack failed to make the front page of the government newspaper.
"No one values the victims anymore,"
Abu Ghraib was a symbol of death's anonymity, in a conflict where hundreds of people still die every month, even as a sense of the ordinary returns.
oh Bassam, how , when will this ever end? i was reading a mosel teen's blog a couple days ago and she had just experienced another bombing, more death. it sounds like she is completely exhausted by it, the constance of war. i don't know how these people stay sane.
well, i am very determined never to grow passive about this horrific loss of innocent life. we have opened a pandoras box in iraq without the means to close the lid.
take care
faces of grief
normally when i post links, i use the permalink for the specific post. but dancewater just posted 50 post w/photos from iraq and i can't post them all. just scroll for current images from iraq.
in my last post on this thread i said i was reading a mosel teen's blog a couple days ago and she had just experienced another bombing
since then thru email i've found out she attends the medical university in mosul. it was her school. i presume also Najma's school. (a star from mosul/ blog)
i swear it is thru these everyday lives of people, real people who live thru this Bassam. it crushes me sometimes. it just crushes me.
we hear this and we hear that, things are better since the surge bla whatever. but your country bleeds. no water in mosul. i know they are not children these teens. not like ours can still be children here (skateboarding near the mall!). when i consider their entire teen years have been in the midst of war/blood, and prior the sanctions. when do they get any kind of relief/normality?
sorry for going on. i can't forget iraqis just because my msm doesn't want me to think about it. these voices who speak to us, like violet. oh, never mind. years. it has been too many years. seconds like drips of water, only they have none tonight. thirsty for peace.
http://aljadriya.blogspot.com
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