Women dismayed by ban on visiting Kadhimiya shrines

Iraq-Feature BAGHDAD / IraqiNews.com: The decision taken by the Baghdad operations center to prevent women from visiting two Kadhimiya shrines in northern Baghdad stirred anger and dismay among them, as they consider the decision evidence of the security forces’ weakness. “The decision is unfair and is a clear accusation of women of being terrorists, but i insist on visiting them,” Hajja Kulthom, 54, from Sadr City, told IraqiNews.com news agency. The Baghdad operations center on Monday decided to prevent women from entering Kadhimiya city on Muharam 9, 10 until the end of Ashuraa to avoid any possible attacks on the visitors. Shiites commemorates on Muharram 10th, the killing of Imam Hussein Ibn Ali and his brothers and friends, killed in Karbala in the battle of Taf on Muharram 10, 61 (October 10, 680 AD on the Gregorian calendar). The battle of Taf in Karbala witnessed the killing of Imam al-Hussein, his brother, sons, nephews and friends – all numbering 72 – on the 10th of Muharram at the hands of the 30,000-man army of Yazid Ibn Muaawiya, the second caliph in the Umayyad Dynasty that ruled for more than 90 years. Karbala, with an estimated population of 572,300 people in 2003, is the capital of the province and is considered to be one of Shiite Muslims’ holiest cities. The city, 110 km south of Baghdad, is one of Iraq’s wealthiest, profiting both from religious visitors and agricultural produce, especially dates “There is no justification for banning women from visiting Kadhimiya, as any suicide bomber – not just a female one – could launch an attack,” Israa Nafea, 33, from al-Shaab neighborhood said. “It’s the first time for women to be prevented from visiting Kadhimiya during Ashuraa,” Nedal Mohamed, 42, a teacher, told IraqiNews.com news agency. “I used to commemorate Ashuraa with my husband and children every year, but this year I will not be able to do that,” Um Hussein, 38, from Ur neighborhood in eastern Baghdad, said. Shiite traditions faced several problems and confrontations whether in the time of the former regime, when many visitors to Karbala walking on foot to take part in the rituals used to be arrested, or in the present time. Some critics object to certain self-harming practices on the grounds that the blood resulting from the tatbir could be donated to patients who are in need. After the fall of the Iraqi regime in April 2003, these Shiite celebrations were targets for car bombings and explosive charge attacks by armed groups. During the Ashuraa celebrations of 2004, a suicide bomber blew up himself amidst funerary pavilions and killed hundreds of people. SH (I)/SR 1