Saturday, March 31, 2007 1:59:21 PM
Al Mansour district bounces back
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Baghdad: It was one of the finest and most crowded neighbourhoods in Baghdad.
Al Mansour commercial district attracted shoppers, namely females requesting Italian, French and American products and goods.
However, in the past months, the high-class district, well known for its commercial and social vitality, became the most abandoned places in Baghdad. Major markets' shopkeepers deserted their shops and the neighbourhood as well, after encountering assassination attempts by armed men.
"Upto three weeks ago, shopkeepers were not able to keep their shops open after five pm. In fact most of them preferred to close their stores at midday. The reason behind that was the increase of insurgent operations," said Maher Al Qalaji, owner of a luxurious and imported clothes' store.
New security plan
"We used to call Al Mansour neighbourhood as a downfall district with no state authority in it at all," he told Gulf News.
Al Mansour, also known as embassies' district, is close to the Green Zone which includes significant garrison and domestic areas, like the American military command headquarters and houses of both former prime minister Eyad Allawi and his Deputy Ahmad Al Chalabi.
The late president Saddam Hussain's house which was bombed by American warplanes, days before the fall of his regime in 2003 was also located there. Three weeks ago, this district started to regain some of its vitality as a result of the new security plan, 'Imposing the Law' in Baghdad.
Umm Sa'ad , a local shopper, told Gulf News : "After a long break since last August, I decided to shop in Al Mansour district with two of my daughters."
She continued saying: "We used to fear abductions and killings, especially when some heavy clashes between armed men and Iraqi-American forces occurred here. We are so glad that normal life is back again in this neighbourhood."
The district was named Al Qaida and abduction district due to some serious kidnapping operations there, like the kidnapping of Moroccan diplomats and their counterparts from Algeria, Egypt and Russia, as well as some American, British and Iraqi businessmen.
Despite the relative peaceful situation, some believe that the neighbourhood needs more security operations to be really clean and safe.
Even with rare car-bombings, Al Mansour district still witnesses bomb explosions, like the recent assassination attempt against Iraqi Vice-President Adel Abdul Mehdi which took place at the Ministry of Public Works in the centre of Al Mansour district.
Ironically , shopkeepers and customers in the district continue working and shopping for long hours until seven pm or more.
Samir Radi, owner of a cosmetics store, told Gulf News: "The exciting matter is not only with opening of the shops for long hours, but also the customers' great enthusiasm and the signs of joy."
Radi added: "Now there is rivalry among shopkeepers to import new clothes. I hope the situation improves and continues as it is now without any relapse, God willing."
http://www.gulfnews.com/region/Iraq/10114823.html
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Baghdad: It was one of the finest and most crowded neighbourhoods in Baghdad.
Al Mansour commercial district attracted shoppers, namely females requesting Italian, French and American products and goods.
However, in the past months, the high-class district, well known for its commercial and social vitality, became the most abandoned places in Baghdad. Major markets' shopkeepers deserted their shops and the neighbourhood as well, after encountering assassination attempts by armed men.
"Upto three weeks ago, shopkeepers were not able to keep their shops open after five pm. In fact most of them preferred to close their stores at midday. The reason behind that was the increase of insurgent operations," said Maher Al Qalaji, owner of a luxurious and imported clothes' store.
New security plan
"We used to call Al Mansour neighbourhood as a downfall district with no state authority in it at all," he told Gulf News.
Al Mansour, also known as embassies' district, is close to the Green Zone which includes significant garrison and domestic areas, like the American military command headquarters and houses of both former prime minister Eyad Allawi and his Deputy Ahmad Al Chalabi.
The late president Saddam Hussain's house which was bombed by American warplanes, days before the fall of his regime in 2003 was also located there. Three weeks ago, this district started to regain some of its vitality as a result of the new security plan, 'Imposing the Law' in Baghdad.
Umm Sa'ad , a local shopper, told Gulf News : "After a long break since last August, I decided to shop in Al Mansour district with two of my daughters."
She continued saying: "We used to fear abductions and killings, especially when some heavy clashes between armed men and Iraqi-American forces occurred here. We are so glad that normal life is back again in this neighbourhood."
The district was named Al Qaida and abduction district due to some serious kidnapping operations there, like the kidnapping of Moroccan diplomats and their counterparts from Algeria, Egypt and Russia, as well as some American, British and Iraqi businessmen.
Despite the relative peaceful situation, some believe that the neighbourhood needs more security operations to be really clean and safe.
Even with rare car-bombings, Al Mansour district still witnesses bomb explosions, like the recent assassination attempt against Iraqi Vice-President Adel Abdul Mehdi which took place at the Ministry of Public Works in the centre of Al Mansour district.
Ironically , shopkeepers and customers in the district continue working and shopping for long hours until seven pm or more.
Samir Radi, owner of a cosmetics store, told Gulf News: "The exciting matter is not only with opening of the shops for long hours, but also the customers' great enthusiasm and the signs of joy."
Radi added: "Now there is rivalry among shopkeepers to import new clothes. I hope the situation improves and continues as it is now without any relapse, God willing."
http://www.gulfnews.com/region/Iraq/10114823.html
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