Mosul residents sceptical of election candidates’ promises to rebuild city


Mina Aldroubi
  • English
  • Arabic

In Iraq’s historic city of Mosul, posters of electoral candidates hang on piles of rubble and pockmarked walls.

The intention is to encourage people to vote, but, for some, the jostling for support amid evidence of a city let down by countless elected officials is too much to bear.

Candidates for October’s poll promise residents a prosperous future, to combat corruption and rebuild homes after the destruction wrought by ISIS between 2012 and 2017. But many consider their pledges unrealistic, given the extent of the city’s damage.

Residents told The National they have lost hope that their vote will help elect a new generation of leaders who will look after them.

An woman cooks food near a tent where she lives in Iraq's old city of Mosul. Reuters
An woman cooks food near a tent where she lives in Iraq's old city of Mosul. Reuters

“They think they can buy us with their quotes and statements when they sold us out in 2014. Where was the government when ISIS invaded us?” one man said.

“We don’t believe in the country’s political system any more. It’s all lies.”

The Old City, on the western side of the River Tigris, was Mosul’s heart and soul. It still lies in ruins years after ISIS was defeated, despite promises to rebuild.

Structures around the area are covered in bullet holes and the streets are largely deserted.

The Old City suffered the most damage of any district during the fighting between ISIS and Iraqi government forces. It is where the historic Great Mosque of Al Nuri and its famous leaning Al Hadba minaret once stood.

Reconstruction has been painfully slow. Delays have been caused by lack of coherent government at the provincial level; the governor of Nineveh province, which includes Mosul, has been replaced three times since the liberation.

A UAE-funded Unesco project to clear rubble and landmines planted by ISIS around Mosul’s Al Saa’a Monastery began in February.

"What makes matters worse is that the electoral candidates came and hung their pictures over the destruction and devastation, forgetting what has happened to the city,” the resident said.

“They only care about winning.”

Ali Al Baroodi, a photographer and Mosul University lecturer, told The National that nothing new would come about from the elections.

“The situation is the same. It’s been repeated many times before, the way the posters have been displayed on the billboards, above damaged buildings and rubble,” he said.

“We have heard many promises of reconstruction but nothing has come out of it.”

Mr Al Baroodi says that, to this day, corpses and explosive devices are buried under debris throughout the city.

We have heard many promises of reconstruction but nothing has come out of it
Ali Al Baroodi

“Many dead bodies are still pulled out of the rubble and damaged buildings in the city centre. We don’t know their identities,” he said.

This is not what the people of Mosul had hoped to happen, he said.

“There’s nothing new and it’s the same political gains as before.”

The UN estimated that more than 8,000 homes in Mosul were destroyed in the intense air strikes to fight ISIS.

At least 9,000 people were killed in the nine-month battle.

Mosul was long celebrated as a centre of Iraqi culture and history, but that life was suppressed even before ISIS declared its caliphate in 2014.

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Another exciting opening at the W Dubai – The Palm hotel is South Korean chef Akira Back’s new restaurant, which will continue to showcase some of the finest Asian food in the world. Back, whose Seoul restaurant, Dosa, won a Michelin star last year, describes his menu as,  “an innovative Japanese cuisine prepared with a Korean accent”.

Dinner by Heston Blumenthal

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Milestones on the road to union

1970

October 26: Bahrain withdraws from a proposal to create a federation of nine with the seven Trucial States and Qatar. 

December: Ahmed Al Suwaidi visits New York to discuss potential UN membership.

1971

March 1:  Alex Douglas Hume, Conservative foreign secretary confirms that Britain will leave the Gulf and “strongly supports” the creation of a Union of Arab Emirates.

July 12: Historic meeting at which Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid make a binding agreement to create what will become the UAE.

July 18: It is announced that the UAE will be formed from six emirates, with a proposed constitution signed. RAK is not yet part of the agreement.

August 6:  The fifth anniversary of Sheikh Zayed becoming Ruler of Abu Dhabi, with official celebrations deferred until later in the year.

August 15: Bahrain becomes independent.

September 3: Qatar becomes independent.

November 23-25: Meeting with Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid and senior British officials to fix December 2 as date of creation of the UAE.

November 29:  At 5.30pm Iranian forces seize the Greater and Lesser Tunbs by force.

November 30: Despite  a power sharing agreement, Tehran takes full control of Abu Musa. 

November 31: UK officials visit all six participating Emirates to formally end the Trucial States treaties

December 2: 11am, Dubai. New Supreme Council formally elects Sheikh Zayed as President. Treaty of Friendship signed with the UK. 11.30am. Flag raising ceremony at Union House and Al Manhal Palace in Abu Dhabi witnessed by Sheikh Khalifa, then Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi.

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December 9: UAE joins the United Nations.

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Bantamweight: Victor Nunes (BRA) beat Azizbek Satibaldiev (KYG). Round 1 KO

Featherweight: Izzeddin Farhan (JOR) beat Ozodbek Azimov (UZB). Round 1 rear naked choke

Middleweight: Zaakir Badat (RSA) beat Ercin Sirin (TUR). Round 1 triangle choke

Featherweight: Ali Alqaisi (JOR) beat Furkatbek Yokubov (UZB). Round 1 TKO

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Catchweight 74kg: Mirafzal Akhtamov (UZB) beat Marcos Costa (BRA). Split decision

Welterweight: Andre Fialho (POR) beat Sang Hoon-yu (KOR). Round 1 TKO

Lightweight: John Mitchell (IRE) beat Arbi Emiev (RUS). Round 2 RSC (deep cuts)

Middleweight: Gianni Melillo (ITA) beat Mohammed Karaki (LEB)

Welterweight: Handesson Ferreira (BRA) beat Amiran Gogoladze (GEO). Unanimous decision

Flyweight (Female): Carolina Jimenez (VEN) beat Lucrezia Ria (ITA), Round 1 rear naked choke

Welterweight: Daniel Skibinski (POL) beat Acoidan Duque (ESP). Round 3 TKO

Lightweight: Martun Mezhlumyan (ARM) beat Attila Korkmaz (TUR). Unanimous decision

Bantamweight: Ray Borg (USA) beat Jesse Arnett (CAN). Unanimous decision

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MATCH INFO

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Updated: September 23, 2021, 5:22 PM`