I am posting this up in its entirity today. It will go on SoA web site 
soon. For those of you who don't this is appropriate, I am sorry but I 
think it merits being read as  soon as possible as it is quite dramatic. 

Thanks, and best wishes,

Patricia

************************************
Diary 1-15th June 2007


Statistic for the Impact of Sectarian Violence on the INLA's Staff (May 
2007)
2 displacements and death threats of staff
3 extensive damages to personal properties (one house was destroyed totally)
1 unlawful death of relatives (brother)
1 disappearance of relatives (brother)
1 detention of relatives (son and brother)
 
The INLA's Visitors Figure 
Month             Visitors
March              296
April                381
May                 354
 
Friday, 1 June  
I was still in Sulaimaniyah, where I began to prepare a place for my 
family, which can be used in case of emergency.  
According to the INLA's daily security report, in mid-night, Sunni 
extremists shelled the surrounding areas, including the Ministry of Public 
Works and Municipality. The attack was followed by some heavy exchanges of 
fire between Sunni extremists and the National Guards. In the early 
morning, Shi'i militias attacked al- Fadhel by mortars.
 
Saturday, 2 June
My wife rang me, saying that her doctor told her that she had to go 
directly to al-Sa'dun private Clinic, whenever she felt any pain in her 
abdomen, and that she had to undergo a cesarean operation before 8 Friday. 
Thursday was given as the deadline. She told me that she would wait for me 
to return to Baghdad.
We learnt that a group of terrorists blew up an important bridge on the 
main road between Kirkuk and Baghdad. As there was no alternative bridge or 
road, I was forced to stay in Sulaimaniya for two days, hoping that the 
Iraqi Army would repair the bridge or provide an alternative road.    
I informed my office that because of the destruction of the bridge my 
return would be postponed for two days. I was informed that security 
situation was calm.   
 
Sunday, 3 June
After learning from the news that there was a heavy fighting and shelling 
in Bab al-Mudham, al-Fadhel and al-Jamhoriyah, I contacted my secretary, Um 
Haitham. She gave some details about the deteriorating security situation. 
Al-Fadhed was shelled by rockets and mortars. As a result, many civilians 
were either killed or injured. Several old houses were also destroyed.  
Untypical of her, my secretary did not hide her fears. I told her to inform 
my deputy that he should not hesitate to evacuate our staff from the 
building, if he saw that as a necessary measure. 
I was assured that the security situation was improving. 
 
Monday, 4 June
I was in constant contact with my office. 
I called my wife several times to see if she and the baby were OK.
According to the INLA's daily security report, at 11.00, a suicide 
terrorist carried out a car bomb attack in Bab al-Mudham. The attacker was 
driving an ambulance. Fortunately, no one was killed or injured; only three 
cars were badly damaged. The incident was followed by another bomb attack 
in the same area at 15.45. 
Sunni extremists hijacked a mini-bus from Bab al-Mudham. They took the mini-
bus to their strong-hold in al-Fadhel. The extremists had begun to execute 
seven passengers.  The National Guards broke into Fadhel and succeeded in 
rescuing the rest of the passengers.  
 
Tuesday, 5 June
At 6.00, I left the very peaceful city of Sulaimaniyah by car. Our car was 
thoroughly and frequently searched by tens of military and police check-
points set on the main road. I saw the destroyed bridge. Hundreds of 
vehicles of different sizes and shapes were waiting near the bridge. It was 
a chaotic situation. One lorry overturned and blocked the way. Everybody 
wanted to use an old sub-way, which military found. The sub-way was, in 
fact, part of a very old road built by the British. We waited under the Sun 
for one hour, before the military allowed us to use the sub-way. 
We arrived to Baghdad at 11.00. The journey was really exhausting, and 
therefore I was not able to go to my office. One can feel the unbearable 
heat of the Sun as soon as one approaches Baghdad. The temperature in 
Baghdad is much higher than in Sulaimaniyah. 
I learnt that, at 11.05, a group of US soldiers, who were on patrol, 
entered the INLA's building. They were met by my Deputy, Mr. Ash. The 
Americans asked politely if they could setup one or two military points 
inside the INLA. The Deputy informed the Americans that they could setup 
their military points outside the building, if they wanted to protect the 
area. The US soldiers left the INLA immediately. During the night, sporadic 
exchanges of fires and rocket blasts were heard in Bab al-Mudham.  
Iraqi intelligence services discovered a huge bomb factory, when searching 
the industrial area of Sheikh Umar (1 km away from the INLA). Hundreds of 
bombs, rockets and rocket-launchers were found. It is likely that some of 
the factory's bombs and rockets hit the INLA. I am sure that there are 
other bomb factories in the same industrial area.     
 
Wednesday, 6 June
As soon as I arrived to my office, I studies the terms of the internet 
agreement between the INLA and the Ministry of Industry. The annual 
internet subscription is around US$8.000. The internet service is reliable. 
I phoned my sister, asking her to come to my flat so that she could 
accompany my wife to the Clinic. She told me that her neighborhood was 
encircled by snipers who kill anybody who tries to leave his house. A 
number of her neighbors were killed by snipers' bullets.   
 
Thursday, 7 June
It was a very difficult day. My wife could not sleep, as she felt some 
severe pains in her abdomen. My son also found it very difficult to sleep 
for unknown reason. I was awake for most of the night. Neither my wife nor 
I was aware of the seriousness of her conditions. 
My sister arrived. She had to avoid the main road and walk for a long 
distance between the houses in order to avoid the snipers, who were very 
active in her neighborhood.  Soon, my sister, my mother-in-law, my nephew 
and his wife took my wife directly to al-Sa'dun Clinic. The latter is 
located near the Palestine Meridian Hotel in al-Sa'dun Street. It took them 
25 minutes to arrive to the Clinic.  
My guard took me by car to the INLA, where I faced another problem. The 
high temperature began to affect badly our microfilm cameras and other 
equipment. The head of the Microfilm Department asked me to relocate his 
equipment; otherwise he and his team would no be able to do their daily 
task. After consulting some members of the staff, I decided to relocate 
several departments and units. The Microfilm cameras would be relocated in 
one of the archive classification and catalog rooms, which has good air-
conditioners. The English archival collection would be relocated in the 
Personnel Department's room. The latter would go to the second floor to 
occupy the IT training room. The Conference Room would be used temporarily 
as IT training room. These changes were necessary, if we wanted to carry on 
the filming our archival collections. Some of the staff was not happy about 
the relocation, even though I explained at length the reasons.
A construction company has begun to repair the destroyed parts of the 
INLA's fence, which will be one meter higher than before, for security 
reasons. The same company will also repair all the damaged windows. The 
repair works will last one month at most. 
One of our best and dedicated technicians came to see me with his two sons. 
He told me that the local Shi'i warlords ordered him and his two sons to 
join the al-Mahdi Army; otherwise they would have to leave their house. The 
technician is Sunni. He asked me if he his two sons could spend the night 
at the INLA. I told him that I did not mind and that his sons could stay in 
the guards' room whenever they wanted.  
At 12.00, my nephew called me, saying that my wife was still in the queue, 
waiting for her operation. They had waiting for the operation since 8.30. 
One of the guards came to my office, informing me that all the INLA's 
guards received direct death threat from Sunni extremists, who were active 
in al-Fadhel. The extremists accused our guards of being members of al-
Mahdi army.  The claim is totally unfounded.  The INLA's guards are a 
mixture of Sunnis and Shi'is, Arabs and Kurds. They have never taken part 
in any fighting. I advised my guards to avoid al-Jamhoriya and al-Fadhel, 
when coming or leaving the INLA. 
I called my nephew. He told me that my wife was still waiting for her 
operation. 
At 12.30, I decided to go the Clinic, after I finished all my paper works.  
It was a very hot day. The air-conditioning unit in our Daewoo car was not 
working. I was sweating heavily. I arrived to the Clinic around 13.15. My 
wife was still waiting for her operation. I was not able to see her before 
the operation. Five minutes late, I was told that my wife was inside the 
operation room. At 13.35, my second child was born. It was a daughter. At 
14.00, my wife was taken to her private room, where I, my sister and my 
mother-in-law were waiting anxiously. Thirty minutes later, my wife's 
doctor came to the room. She informed us that the lives of my wife and my 
daughter were in real danger, as the stitches of my wife's first operation 
were ripped. Both were very lucky to survive. My wife was a bit careless, 
as she did not take seriously her doctor's advice. My daughter's weight was 
4 Kilograms, when she was born. She seemed to be healthy. I named 
her 'Hanas'. It is a Kurdish name, and means 'Soul'. 
Friends and relatives poured into the Clinic to see my wife and Hanas. 
As there will be a curfew on Friday, I took some necessary steps to 
discharge my wife from the Clinic before 11.00. The curfew lasts 4 hours 
(from 11.00 to 15.00). 
I asked my nephew to purchase a new generator for me, so that we could use 
after my wife and daughter arrive to the flat. The old generate was not 
working anymore. We headed home at 16.40. My wife, my son, my new-born 
daughter, my sister and my mother-in-law spent the night in the Clinic. 
But, no body was able to sleep. The pains prevented my wife from sleeping; 
my son found it very difficult to sleep without being held by one of his 
parents. 
As soon as I arrived to the flat, friends and relatives began to call me. 
They congratulated me on the birth of my second child. 
At mid-night, just before I went to my bed, I did not believe my eyes when 
I saw the reflections of fires on the door of the setting room. The air-
conditioner was on fire for unknown reasons. I put out the fire hastily, 
after the flat was engulfed in smoke. I opened quickly all the doors and 
the windows to get rid of all the unpleasant smell and smoke. I was lucky 
to see the fire before I went to my bed; otherwise, the whole flat would 
have been destroyed. Luckily, the damages were limited. I was extremely 
exhausted when I slept. 
According to the INLA's daily security report, there were sporadic light 
exchanges of fires in Bab al-Mudham during the night. 
 
Friday, 8 June 
At 9.00, my nephew and I went by car to the Clinic, to bring my wife and 
our two children home. We were all back in the flat by 11.00. I was stayed 
at home for the rest of the day. 
 
Saturday, 9 June
At 10.00, my nephew and I went again by car to the Clinic, to complete some 
paper works concerning the birth of Hanas. 
At 11.50, I went to the nearest internet café to see my e-mails. Just as I 
was crossing the main road, a huge blast shook our neighborhood. The blast 
was a result of a bomb, which went off in our street (about 200 away from 
my flat). At once, my wife rang me; as she very anxious about me. I assured 
her that the bomb exploded at the other end of our street.
Friends and relatives came to visit us, to congratulate my wife and I about 
the new baby. 
 
Sunday, 10 June
The traffic was heavy. It took us some time to arrive to the INLA. 
I had one hour meeting with the staff of Public Relations Department. A 
number of issues were discussed to improve staff's cultural activities. I 
promised to provide the Department with a new brand computer, a 
photocopier, TV set and Satellite system.
The statistics of the INLA's Department of Planning show that the 
deteriorating security situation has forced eleven people in the INLA to 
take early retirements. I am sure that many others of my staff will follow 
suit, as soon as the new Pension Law comes into force.  
  
Monday, 11 June
We had no electricity during the working hours. We all were sweating 
heavily because of the heat. Hot weather and long history of political 
instability and violence may explain why Iraqis are very short tempered 
people.  
I met the manager of the construction company, who told me that he brought 
with him 14 air-conditioners of different sizes. I gave the company's 
technician a list of places where they could install the new air-
conditioners. The manager told me that his company's bid for the 
construction of the Pioneer Library was successful and that he would begin 
the construction as soon as all the papers works were completed.  It was a 
great news for us. At last, after several years delay, our project will 
implemented.
After reading their recommendations, I decided to disband the special 
committee, whose main task was to define the grade and salary of the newly 
reinstated employees. The latter had been allegedly sacked or forced to 
resign for political reasons. A new committee was instantly formed, whose 
members would first meet on Tuesday.
At 10.30, I met a well know Iraqi scholar in my office. He lost his sight 
three years ago. He was a very traditionalist in his views on culture. He 
sough to hold a special exhibition for the books he wrote at the 
Directorate of Fine Arts. He asked me to borrow his books from our 
collections. I said that he could borrow the books and could hold another 
exhibition at the INLA. He accepted my suggestion. He wanted to meet our 
Minister to fund the publication of a new book. I tried in vain to arrange  
a meeting for him with the Minister.   
According to the INLA's security report, a group of armed men kidnapped a 
civilian near building. Coalition forces were deployed in the area in the 
wake of the incident.  
 
Tuesday, 12 June
We could not sleep during the night, as US Apache helicopters were flying 
very low above our neighborhood. The helicopters made unbearable noises and 
polluted the air. The night was very hot and humid.
I arrived to my office at 8.15. At 8.30 the electricity returned, after the 
technicians of the Ministry of Electricity repaired the damages. I learnt 
that two technicians of the Bab al-Mudham Electricity Distribution Office 
were killed in the last bomb attacks near the INLA.  Our technicians used 
to work closely with the two murdered technicians.
I talked to Mr. Mo. About his detained son. He told me that he had no new 
information, apart from the fact that his son was held in the basement of 
the Ministry of Interior.  
At 1.00, I supervised the meeting of the INLA's special committee. It took 
us one hour and thirty minutes to identify the grade and salary of the 
newly reinstated employees.
Before leaving the INLA, I was stopped by Miss Su, from the Financial 
Department. She told me that her husband was arrested by the Ministry of 
Interior's special security force and that she did not know what to do. I 
encouraged her to hire a good lawyer, who could track down her husband; 
otherwise he would disappear without a trace. Hiring a lawyer, who has 
contacts, is very expensive.   
 
Wednesday, 13 June
Once again, US Apache helicopters were flying very low in our neighborhood 
during the night, and we found it very difficult to sleep. 
 
After arriving to the INLA, I went to visit the nearby Mosque. I suspected 
that the Imam of the Mosque was using INLA's telephone lines illegally. I 
was accompanied by the INLA's telephone technician, and one guard soon 
joined us. The Imam was not in the Mosque. I told a young man, who lives 
with his own family in the Mosque, that I needed to inspect our telephone 
lines to why they were not working. As I expected, the lines were slashed 
on the roof of the Mosque, and I also discovered that the Imam linked a 
telephone set to our lines. So, the God-fearing Imam has been making calls 
free of charge at our expenses for months!! Before I leave the Mosque, I 
left a small message to the Imam with the young man…………….  
I seized the opportunity to tour the beautiful Mosque. The renovation of 
the Mosque has not been completed. The beautiful Mosque is totally 
deserted. In the past, Sunni prayers used to come to the Mosque daily. 
Because of the communal violence in Bab al-Mudham and in neighboring areas, 
Sunni and Shi'i Mosques have become a main target for the extremists.  
Immediately after I left the Mosque, I inspected the work of the demolished 
part of the fence. Our guards were extremely worried about the fence for 
security reasons. I met the manager of the construction company; I asked 
him to speed up the repairing works, explaining to him that armed men could 
easily enter the building through the demolished fence. The manager 
promised to rebuild the fence as quickly as he could. 
Soon after, I met the Ministry of Culture's air-conditioning engineer. We 
talked about the distribution of the air-conditioners, while we were 
touring the building. We agreed to modify the old plan so that it could 
meet our needs. 
At 11.40, as I was talking to the head of the Public Relations, the head of 
the Administration Department entered my office hurriedly. He informed me 
in quiet voice that a group of terrorists blew up the two minarets of the 
Holy al-Askari Mosque in Samara. The same Mosque, who contains the tombs of 
two outstanding Shi'i' Imams, had been attacked last year. The first attack 
intensified communal violence in an unprecedented way. Hundreds of innocent 
Shi'is and Sunnis had been killed. Tens of Mosques were attacked and burnt, 
and thousands of families were forced to leave their homes. Based on past 
experience, I decided to close the INLA immediately. I asked my staff to 
evacuate the building as soon as they could. By 12.00, the building was 
completely empty. I advised some of my Sunni staff to avoid Shi'i dominated 
areas, when returning to their homes. The INLA will not reopen its doors, 
before relative normality is surly reestablished. There were unconfirmed 
reports that Shi'i inhabitants of al-Sadr City went to the street to 
protest against the new attack on the two holy shrines, and that the 
American soldiers and tanks entered the City to execute a military 
operation. Thus, the situation in Baghdad became vey tense and alarming in 
a short space of time.  
Soon after, the government decided to impose indefinite curfew, which began 
at 18.00. It was a right decision. I hope that there would be no further 
blood-shed. 
The streets were totally empty, when I left home to see a friend who lived 
just down the road. Baghdad seemed an abandoned and forgotten city. But, at 
least there was no sound of car bomb attacks or shelling.  
According to the INLA's security report, National Guards and security 
police were deployed throughout Bab al-Mudham. The area witnesses sporadic 
light exchange of fire. At 19.30, al-Fadhel was shelled by mortars by Shi'i 
extremists. 
 
Thursday, 14 June
The curfew continued. The streets were still empty. People stayed inside. I 
had some time to do my usual reading and writing. I was not able to read or 
write at home, after Hanas' birth. We, my wife and I, have started to get 
used to look after the two little children. It is a difficult task, giving 
the shortages of electricity, water and fuel as well as the high 
temperature of our long summer. My sister and my mother-in-law are doing 
their best to help us.   
At 14.00, mortar attacks were launched from our neighborhood. We did not 
know who was behind the attack or what area was the target of the attack. 
During the night, US Apache helicopters were, as a usual, flying very low.  
According to the INLA's security report, the situation was tense in Bab al-
Mudham. But there was no fighting or shelling.
 
Friday, 15 June 
The government decided to lengthen the curfew period. People were 
disappointed by the government's decision. The prices of foodstuff went up 
sharply. Before long, most shops and local markets were forced to close. 
The curfew enriches the rich and impoverishes the poor. At 12.00, I went 
outside to buy some bread. Luckily, two bakers were open. The internet café 
was close. 
US Apache helicopters were flying very low during the night (Doing what? 
God knows). Apart from the noises of the helicopters, some blasts disturb 
the tranquility of the night.  
There were some confirmed reports that a number of Sunni Mosques were 
attacked by Shi'i extremists in retaliation to the destruction of the two 
minarets. Fortunately, there were no casualties.