From Saad Eskander.


Diary for 15-28 Feb. </o:p>
Thursday 15 Feb. </o:p>
My driver and my guard were not able to pick me up in the morning, as most 
of the roads and bridges were either jammed or closed by the National 
Guards. My driver and the guard both live in al-Jihad district, which is 
near the Baghdad</st1:PlaceName> International</st1:PlaceName> 
Airport</st1:PlaceType></st1:place>. It takes them 40 to 50 minutes 
everyday to pick me up from my home. </o:p>
I had to go to my office by a taxi, although I knew it was not wise to do 
so. I also knew that the driver, and the guard and my wife would not be 
happy to see me going to work by a taxi. Everybody here is afraid of 
kidnapping. I am certain that tens of people have been kidnapped daily 
since early 2006. </o:p>
I got into a taxi, after five minutes waiting. I saw many checkpoints in my 
neighbourhood, a view that makes many people very happy in 
Baghdad</st1:place></st1:City>. The taxi driver began to talk, expressing 
his deep resentment of the checkpoints, claiming that they badly affected 
people's life.  He claimed that he was a former army officer, and that he 
his comrades killed hundreds of US soldiers in the western desert, where he 
was serving at the beginning of the Coalition Forces' invasion of 
Iraq</st1:place></st1:country-region>. I was sure that not a single 
US</st1:place></st1:country-region> soldier was killed in that part of 
Iraq</st1:place></st1:country-region>, and that the US Army lost less than 
40 soldiers during the invasion. He also claimed that the Americans injured 
him in his hip. At one checkpoint, the National Guards ordered us both to 
get out of the car. We were body searched. The car was searched too. The 
National Guards were uncharacteristically very polite. I got to the NLA 
after five minutes, as the driver used a dangerous shortcut (i.e. Bab al-
Mudham Road, in which the ends of three dangerous streets meet: Sheikh 
Omer, al-Kifah and al-Jamhoriyah.) </o:p>
I soon noticed that a US</st1:place></st1:country-region> fighter was 
flying low above our building. I took one picture of the fighter, as it was 
manoeuvring in the sky. I stayed in my office until 12.00. I read all the e-
mail and finished all my paperwork. Before leaving the NLA, I asked the 
rest of the staff to go home, before the National Guards close the 
remaining roads and bridges. </o:p>
I was invited to attend a concert that will be held in al-Rashid Hotel 
(within the Green Zone) on Saturday after noon</st1:time>.    </o:p>
 </o:p>
Friday 16 Feb. </o:p>
Since 2005, the government has banned the movement of all civilian vehicles 
between 11.00 and 15.00. It is precautionary measure designed to protect 
Shi'i prayers. Today, the moss dangerous city in the whole world seems very 
peaceful. The National Guards began to break into some houses, arresting 
suspected people and confiscating their cars.   </o:p>
 </o:p>
I received unconfirmed information concerning the murder of our librarian. 
From one source, I leant that the librarian was married to a Sunni woman, 
and that he converted from Shi'ism to Sunnism soon after the wedding. He 
even adopted the surname of his wife, i.e. al-Dlami, which a Sunni region 
and a large tribal confederation. He was born in 1959, and had four 
children.  </o:p>
Now the Sunni tribe of the librarian's widow demand considerable financial 
compensations from the killers or they will take law into their own hand 
(i.e. killing the killers). The tribal chiefs have recognized the persons 
who killed the librarian. The compensation will be paid hopefully to for 
the widow and her children. </o:p>
 </o:p>
Saturday,17 Feb. </o:p>
National Guards and the Special Units of the Ministry of Interior could be 
seen everywhere. It was a wonderful day, because I could not hear a bomb 
explosion for the first time since mid-2006. The statistics of the Ministry 
of Interior showed that the level of terrorist attacks and communal 
violence went down sharply by 80%. </o:p>
But I was worried about my two weapons, a pistol and a Kalashnikov. The 
Commander of a Battalion, which has stationed in our area since last 
Tuesday, advised me no to carry weapons, if they are not authorised by the 
Ministries of Interior and Defence. The National Guards and the Police 
would confiscate my weapons even if they are authorised by the Ministry of 
Defence. For us, directors, it is vital to carry some weapon for self-
defence purposes. So far, two of the Ministry of Culture's director 
generals were murdered. Several attempts were made on the lives of other 
directors general and deputy ministers of culture. In early 2005, my car 
was ambushed in the infamous Haifa Street</st1:address></st1:Street>. We, 
my guards and I, were very fortunate not to be killed.  We went to the 
Street in search of one of our drivers, who had been kidnapped along with 
his car by an armed group. He was released later, after they beat him up 
and looted his belongings. My close friends and colleagues told me off for 
being too reckless.    </o:p>
In the evening, I told my driver and guard to bring their guns with them so 
that we could place them in my office along with my own guns. </o:p>
 </o:p>
Sunday, 18 Feb. </o:p>
The morning time was quiet; no explosion nor exchange of fire. The road 
traffic was heavy. It took us three minutes to go the INLA. The check-
points we passed through increased. Unfortunately, in the afternoon, a 
market and a checkpoint were attacked by three car bombs. As a result, one 
police officer and many children and women lost their lives. Despite this 
sad incident, people were still optimistic. Most members of the INLA's 
staff are happy to see the National Guards, the Special Units of the Police 
and the US Army on the street.  </o:p>
In my way to home, a National Guard stopped our car, asking if we carried 
arms with us. We said no. He affirmed that, if you had had arms, he would 
have confiscated them immediately, even if we had an official authorisation 
from the Ministry of Culture. I said that I was one step ahead of him, as I 
put all the guns in my office. He laughed and weaved good by.   </o:p>
I learnt that day that the National Guards broke into al-Fadhel area, 
looking for and arresting suspected people. Some shops reopened in the 
area. The Bab l-Mudham round-about looked busier than before. </o:p>
 </o:p>
19 Monday Feb. </o:p>
The road traffic was getting worse, as the National Guards and Police 
Special Units increased the number of check-points. US armed vehicles were 
moving in the opposite direction.  US army setups temporary checkpoints, 
whereas Iraqi army builds permanent checkpoints.   </o:p>
I had meeting in the Ministry of Culture. I asked another DG to pick me up 
in his way to the Ministry. We tried to reach the Ministry via al-
Shuhada</st1:PlaceName> Bridge</st1:PlaceType></st1:place>. But the bridge 
was closed, like some other bridges. So, we were forced to use a long 
route. We needed to cross al-Sarafiya</st1:PlaceName> 
Bridge</st1:PlaceType></st1:place>, and then pass trough al-Haiffa Street. 
As we drove, we noticed that four or five cars were in al-Haiffa Street. It 
seemed that most people were still afraid of being ambused by the armed 
men, even though the National Guards the Police Special Units have imposed 
their control on the Street completely.  They setup several checkpoints, at 
which the drivers and their passengers were asked for their license and 
identity cards respectively, and sometime they would be ordered to get out 
in order to be body-searched. </o:p>
 </o:p>
We, my fellow director and I, were both members of some committee, set up 
by the Minster to redistribute the former employees of the Ministry of 
Information. The latter was dissolved by the Provisional Coalition 
Authority (CPA), as a part of its policy to dismantle the 
Old</st1:PlaceName> Iraqi</st1:PlaceName> 
State</st1:PlaceType></st1:place>. We have a difficult task ahead of us, as 
we required studying the CV of 1400 people, before we could make a 
decision. We agreed that the best way was to ask each directorate to make a 
detailed list of its needs for new employees, so that we could send the 
right people to the right places (i.e. according to their qualifications 
and expertises). At the end of the meeting, we decided to meet again next 
week, if we the security situation permit. </o:p>
 </o:p>
Before going to work, I arranged to send my wife and son by my car to a 
special clinic in al-Karradah district, where my little son could be 
vaccinated. Around 9.30, one of our guards said that he heard that car bomb 
went off in al-Karradah. I was a bit worried, and so I quickly contacted my 
wife to see if she and my son were safe. She said that they were inside the 
clinic and that they were not aware of the car bomb attack. I learn from 
some TV the subtitles that a bomb which was planted in a public transport 
(a mini-bus) exploded in al-Karradah, killing and injuring 15 innocent 
people. From the TV news bulletin I learnt that two other bombs exploded in 
al-Za'faraniya district in Baghdad</st1:place></st1:City>.   </o:p>
Some of the main newspapers and Hurrah TV subtitles made reference to my 
interview with one of the Reuters's reporters, in which I said that the 
most precious part of INLA's collections was looted by professional 
thieves. It is ironic that our national newspapers resort to foreign news 
agencies to make its readers aware of what happened to the INLA! An Iraqi 
Radio Reporter from al-Iraq al-Hur (Free Iraq), based in 
Prague</st1:place></st1:City> and funded by the US</st1:place></st1:country-
region> government, contacted my office, hoping to interview me regarding 
my statement to the press. </o:p>
  </o:p>
Tuesday 20 Feb. </o:p>
It was a quiet day at the INLA. Some US</st1:place></st1:country-region> 
helicopter flew over our building. The INAL s accountants took all the 
necessary steps to ensure that the monthly salaries would be distributed on 
Wednesday. The Iraqi reporter again, and I informed him that I was ready to 
meet him. I was asked a series of question about the destruction of the 
INLA, and the extent of damage inflicted upon our library and archive 
collections. The Interview lasted just 5 minutes. </o:p>
Many Shi'i families, who had been forced to leave their house, returned to 
al-Fadhel area. This was a good sign that the security situation was under 
the control of the National Guards. </o:p>
A suicidal attack in our street (Shar'a Falastin or Palestine 
Street</st1:address></st1:Street>) caused the death and the injury of 
several innocent people.  The Primer Minister visited the Street few hourse 
before the attack. </o:p>
Wednesday 21 Feb. </o:p>
The monthly salaries were distributed. There has been no rise in the salary 
this month too. The government promised last year that it would increase 
the salary of most of state employees, whose grades are between four and 
10. The rise will be between 50% and 60%. Naturally, most of my staff, who 
are on low income, were truly disappointed. The prices of basic commodities 
and fuel are rising, while the salaries remained the same; and when the 
state rises the salaries, the merchants of the black market will increase 
immediately the prices of their commodities. There are no regulations 
whatosever to protect the consumer or the poor, as if we are in the early 
stages of capitalism, where the state has no role to play in the wellbeing 
of its citizens. </o:p>
 </o:p>
I met the younger brother of late Raad, Mr. N. We discussed many issues 
concerning Raad, e.g. his murder, family and pension.  As requested by N, I 
wrote an official letter to the local police station, asking for copies of 
its murder investigation.  The local police station is just around the 
corner. The head of the INLA's security unit and Mr. N took the letter to 
the police station. </o:p>
Tuesday and Wednesday witnessed lapses in the security plan. There were 
more bomb attacks than the days before. These lapses were expected, giving 
the state of lawlessness that prevailed for many months.       </o:p>
 </o:p>
It seems that the terrorist groups have changed some of their tactics, 
relying more and more on mortar shelling. For the first time, they have 
begun to use gas-bombs in their attacks against civilian targets. My staff, 
like rest of the population of Baghdad</st1:place></st1:City>, have been 
increasingly alarmed by such sadistic attacks. So far, there have been two 
gas-bomb attacks in Baghdad</st1:place></st1:City> and one just outside the 
Capital. The latter caused a mayhem; as more than 150 people were killed. 
</o:p>
 </o:p>
Thursday, 22 Feb. </o:p>
I met Mr. N in the morning. He told me that his brother, Raad, was doing 
two jobs to support his own family. He enquired if the INLA could 
financially help his brother's family. I said that we already donated some 
money for the family and that I was more than happy to employ his son to 
work in my office, if he agreed. Mr. N approved of idea, seeing it as 
practical, for it will at least guarantee a stable income for the family. I 
advised him to prepare all the necessary official papers, so that we could 
apply for a 'martyr grant', which is paid by the government to the family 
of the murdered person. This grant applys only to civil servants and armed 
forces. The 'martyr grant' varies from ministry to ministry. The employees 
of the Ministries of Defence and Interior get the highest 'martyr grant', 
compared with other civilian ministries. Some Ministries pay an additional 
grant, if one of their employees is murdered by terrorists. Unfortunately, 
our Ministry pays the lowest 'martyr grant'. Therefore, we, in the INLA, do 
our best to donate as much money as we can to support the family of the 
murdered employee. </o:p>
 </o:p>
Around 10.30. Miss MA, who lost her older brother few weeks ago, asked to 
see me in my office. She described the devastating psychological and 
financial impact of the death of her brother on her parents and on his own 
wife and children. Her brother was the main breadwinner, not only for his 
own family but also for his parents. Now, she has to provide for her 
parents and for her brother's family. She could not control her tears. I 
advised her to make her younger brother share the sudden heavy burden with 
her. Miss MA and the INLA's administrators were busy taking all the 
necessary procedures for her transfer from Baghdad</st1:place></st1:City> 
to Basra</st1:place></st1:City> in the south, where our Ministry has one 
Cultural House. She already moved her parents and her late brother's family 
of to the city of Basra</st1:place></st1:City>.        </o:p>
 </o:p>
Earlier, I met some of our technicians, asking them to speed up their 
renovation works, and to be prepared for the mid-April, when we will hold a 
photo exhibition in memory of the destruction of the INLA. I have been 
planning to invite some 'honest' politicians, 'real' intellectuals 
and 'committed' journalists for the opening of the exhibition, which will 
tell the story the fall and the rise of INLA.    </o:p>
 </o:p>
Around 12.00, I held an emergency meeting with the INLA's special transport 
committee. The latter assesses offers from different contractors, and then 
submits its recommendations to me, before I make my final decision. 
Usually, I agree with the main recommendation of this committee and other 
committees. Every year in January, we put an advert in a national 
newspaper, inviting transport contractors to make their formal offers in 
sealed envelopes. The INLA's transport committee will subsequently assess 
all the submitted offers, before making its recommendations, especially on 
the one that will fulfil our conditions and meet our needs. This year in 
January, our advert failed to draw the attention of transport contractors, 
largely because of the deteriorating security situation. Therefore, we 
extended the old contract for just one month (i.e. February). In early 
February, we put a new advert in a national newspaper, hoping to attract 
more transport contractors. Unluckily, only three contractors made their 
formal offers. Three offers are the minimal number required by the law. We 
only know two of the contractors, the present one and the former one. We 
always prefer to work with the one we know, for obvious security reasons. 
The offers were all exceptionally high. The three contractors have doubled 
the sum, which we paid for the period Feb. 2006-Jan. 2007. The members of 
the committee and I are aware that the contractors were extremely greedy, 
trying to blackmail us, as we were running of time. The former contractor 
made a new offer; it was still 45% higher than last year.  The offer was 
verbal. This means that I had to ask the staff to share partially the 
financial burden, i.e. to make up the difference. We consulted the INLA's 
staff, and they all agreed to pay a small amount of money. We thought that 
we at least succeeded in securing a deal with the former contractor. 
Unfortunately, the contractor changed his mind at the last minute, 
demanding more money. The members of transport committee and I agreed that 
we should not bow to the blackmail of the greedy contractors, and that we 
should wait until the end of March, in the hope that new offers will be 
made and that new contractors will compete with the current ones. </o:p>
 </o:p>
 </o:p>
Friday, 23 Feb. </o:p>
I read usually some of my e-mails on Friday morning. I came across an e-
mail sent by a British lady to BL concerning my diary. She said that she 
was happy (or more accurately surprised) to learn that the person who was 
fixing the INLA's internet system was a women. I thought I should send her 
an e-mail on Sunday, in which I will explain that the heads of the 
Acquisition, Bibliography, Library Cataloguing, Archival Categorization, 
Periodical, Documentary Library and the Personnel  Departments are all 
women. In addition to that, the majority of the deputy-heads the library 
and archive departments are women. The person who manages the INLA's 
official web site is a woman. Sixty percent of the people, whom I sent 
abroad for training purposes, were women. Last but not least, the female 
staff of the INLA formed their own society in 2004, with the aim of 
defending their rights. The society has its own periodical, of which so far 
three issues were published. It was the idea of my staff to publish an 
annual bibliography for Iraqi women. Last year, we published one volume, 
and this year another volume will be published . </o:p>
 </o:p>
 </o:p>
Saturday, 24 Feb. </o:p>
A booby-trap went off in al-Jamhoriyah Street. Fortunately, the damages 
were very limited. The National Guards and Coalition Forces closed one-half 
of the al-Jamhoriya Street permanently, as precautionary measure to protect 
the shoppers and the traders of the al-Shurjah. Despite the continuation of 
the bomb attacks, people feel much safer than in the past, i.e. before the 
implementation of the New Security Plan. The reason is that the number of 
kidnapping and assassination incidents has gone down sharply. People of 
Baghdad</st1:place></st1:City> (including the INLA's staff) are afraid of 
kidnapping and assassination attempts much more than car-bomb attacks. 
</o:p>
Another reporter contacted me in the evening, asking for an interview. I 
agreed to meet him in my office on Sunday morning. The strangest thing I 
have noticed here in Baghdad</st1:place></st1:City> is that local 
journalists change my answers, as they want and according to the political 
orientation of the newspaper or journal, they work for! I had some 
unpleasant experiences in this respect. Once, a local newspaper mentioned 
in one of its headlines that the Director General of the INLA accused the 
American Occupation Forces of the destruction of his library! I have learnt 
a good lesson and so I insist now on reading the draft of the interview, 
before being published or .    </o:p>
At 18.50, I received a call from a friend, who is the spokesperson of the 
Iraqi Writers Union. He mentioned that he knew a Shi i cleric who got hold 
of historical documents, photographs and microfiches, which were looted 
from the INLA and that he wanted to hand them over to me in person.  I 
asked my friend why the cleric did not return the looted items earlier? He 
replied that the cleric did not trust anybody in past, and that he waited 
for the right time to hand them over. Naturally, I was extremely glad to 
see the return of some of our looted collections to us. My friend gave my 
phone number to the cleric, who called two minutes later. We talked for 5 
minutes and agreed to meet up early next week. I did thank him in advance 
for his efforts to return our looted items.  </o:p>
 </o:p>
Sunday, 25 Feb. </o:p>
It has been the worst day, since the beginning of the New Security Plan two 
weeks ago. A suicide attack against the Administration and Economic Faculty 
(University of al-Mustanseriyah) resulted in the killing and the injuring 
of more than 170 people. Most of the victims were young students. The 
suicide attacker was a woman! </o:p>
In the morning, a big explosion shook our building. I was surprised to 
learn later that the explosion was caused by a detonated car in al-Karradah 
district, which is about 6 km away from the INLA!     </o:p>
I had a brief meeting with late Raad's son, Zaid. It was his first day 
working in my office. I asked my secretary to help him settle and explain 
to him the nature of his duties. Zaid seemed to be very sad and 
disorientated, as he lost his father unexpectedly just two weeks ago. </o:p>
The Cleric rang me, and apologise for not being able to come to the INLA. I 
told him he would be welcomed in my office at anytime.   </o:p>
 </o:p>
I held a meeting with the heads of all the departments. The meeting lasted 
one hour, during which we discussed several issues, including, off course, 
the security situation, transport, the budget, the appointments of new 
staff, the annual report of each department and the commemoration of the 
destruction of the INLA in Mid April 2003. All the attendants supported the 
idea of holding a photograph exhibition. At the end of the meeting, we 
decided to form a number of committees to do certain tasks, such as making 
all the necessary arrangements for the proposed exhibition. </o:p>
 </o:p>
The crew of al-Hurrah Iraq</st1:place></st1:country-region> (a US Satellite 
TV channel) arrived to the INLA. The TV reporter interviewed me separately 
for 20 minutes. The TV crew then toured the departments, interviewing some 
of the staff and the readers. </o:p>
In the evening, the al-Hurrah Iraq</st1:place></st1:country-region> showed 
my interview, in which I criticised successive 
Iraq</st1:place></st1:country-region> governments and the political class 
for ignoring acute cultural problems that the country has been facing since 
the collapse of the former dictatorial regime. I stated that the state-run 
cultural institutions were desperately in need of radical transformation. 
</o:p>
 </o:p>
Monday, 26 Feb. </o:p>
At 12.30, I met the Shi'i cleric, Said H. He used a police car to bring the 
documents, photos and microfilms. He was escorted by three police officers. 
I told him it was dangerous to use police cars, as they were an obvious 
target for the armed men. He said that he was forced to ask the police for 
their assistant, as he thought that our area was extremely dangerous, 
security speaking. In the course of our discussion, I was genially 
surprised by the young cleric's open-mindedness and liberal views. We 
talked freely about politics and culture. We both found out that we had 
similar views on many issues. He told me that he attended the last 
conference of the Iraqi Communist Party, as a guest and that he was proud 
of his communist friends. Then he asked his driver to bring all the 
documents, photos and microfiches so that he could hand them over to me. 
The documents, photos and microfiches were placed untidily in several bags 
and boxes. They covered the Monarchical Era (1921-1958). I thanked the 
young cleric for returning some of our missing collections. We exchanged 
phone numbers and promised to meet each other whenever we could. After the 
end of the meeting, which lasted one hour, I escorted the young cleric to 
the main gate.   </o:p>
 </o:p>
At 19.53, al-Hurrah Iraq</st1:place></st1:country-region> showed a 5-minute 
report on activities of the INLA. My staff and I talked about our efforts 
to modernise the INLA in the wake of its destruction in April 2003. I was 
happy about the positive impact that the report had on the viewers. </o:p>
 </o:p>
Tuesday, 27 Feb. </o:p>
At last, we received some good news; the Council of Presidency and the 
Parliament have both approved of the 2007 Budget. It means that the INLA 
will be using its annual budget in the coming month, as all the 
restrictions imposed by the Ministry of Finance will be lifted. </o:p>
 </o:p>
I learnt today that the Minister sent an official letter to the Council of 
Ministers, in which he asked the Prime Minister's approval of keeping me in 
my post as the director general of the INLA! Three months ago, the Prime 
Minister sent a special team secretly to the Ministry of Culture, with the 
aim of examining the validity of the appointment of several director 
generals. Oddly enough, the team questioned the way in which I and two of 
my colleagues were appointed in 2003, while the appointments of the 
remaining director generals, who took their post in 2005 and 2006, were 
considered as valid!  The sending and the findings of the team were not 
accidental. Only the appointments of the secular and liberal oriented 
directors were considered as not fulfilling the criterion set by the Prime 
Minister: an official letter from the CPA (Coalition Provisional 
Authority), decree from the Governing Council, or a decision from the 
current primer minister or his predecessors. My official ministerial 
appointment was considered as unsatisfactory by the special team. 
Therefore, I had no choice but to ask two of the former Cultural Advisors 
of the CPA to testify in my favour, by sending an official letter to the 
Minister of Culture. The two advisors were flabbergasted by my request, as 
I worked with both of them in my capacity as the director general of the 
INLA.  They immediately sent a letter to the Minister, confirming that the 
CPA had recognised my appointment as valid. </o:p>
     </o:p>
  </o:p>
Wednesday, 28 Feb. </o:p>
There are strong rumours that the Prime minister will replace 10 of his 
ministers, including the minister of culture. The frequent changes in the 
governments had very negative effects on our works. Every new minister 
seeks to make radical changes in the ministry, according to his political 
affiliation and religious loyalty. </o:p>
 </o:p>
The Impact of the Sectarian Violence on the INLA's Staff (January- February 
2007) </o:p>
Number </o:p> Type of impact </o:p> 
1 </o:p> Unlawful Death (assassinations) </o:p> 
2 </o:p> Unlawful Death of Relatives (one Daughter and one Brother, one 
Brother-in-Law </o:p> 
2 </o:p> Kidnappings </o:p> 
2 </o:p> Death Threat </o:p> 
3 </o:p> Displacement </o:p> 

</o:p>