Iraqi Elections
12/11/2004 10:11AM (8:11PM Addis Ababa)
It is strange to watch the American run Arabic language satellite television channel Al Hurra (the Free One). It is immaculately produced, especially in comparison to it's dowdier cousins in the region, and features programs that are intended, I'm sure, to endear American culture to the "Arab street". I don't watch it often, but when I do I am struck my one particular thing: commercials for the upcoming Iraqi elections. They are broadcast frequently, and take several forms:
- three mobs approach each other on three streets. They wave different flags, and are shouting some sort of slogan as they glower at each other. As they stop at the intersection and violence seems imminent, a child peeks out from behind an adult, spying another child in the opposing mob. They rush out to greet each other, obviously friends, and you notice that they are wearing threadbare jerseys of the same soccer team. As they embrace the adults find themselves ashamed of their inability to get along and sheepishly step out to embrace each other, the flags mixing as the shot from above recedes.
- a montage of smiling women sewing together an Iraqi flag, and intent men building ballot boxes. The music swells as the sign saying "polling place" is put up, the ballot boxes are brought in, and schoolchildren watch the Iraqi flag being raised.
- a montage of people from different walks of life (and obviously different religious backgrounds) with their thoughts about the future broadcast. They are all hopes for a brighter future, dreams for a future career, or subtly worded hopes for a secular Iraq.
We've all heard about the moves that the US is taking to encourage the Iraqi elections, and to improve the image of the country in the region, but it is only when you see the tangible results that it really hits home.
Speaking of home, I am leaving for the Sudan at midnight, for two weeks. I'll probably have better access to the internet there than in Ethiopia, so look out for more posts about my travels.