Veggies, fish, meat and dead bodies in markets

For those of us living in relatively peaceful and safe nations, going to the markets on any given mornings will be a chore that is met with the hustle and bustle of the active traders there.

People from all kind of life meet at the markets and all of us are there for the purpose of buying food to feed ourselves and our families.

We meet strangers at the markets, some whom we talk to, others we just nod. We take these markets for granted, knowing that it will be there, that the traders will continue selling things that we need and whenever we go, we will find them.

People in Iraq however are not so fortunate like us. There, market traders have almost stopped selling vegetables, meat and other goods for the people. In fact, these traders have found another vocation altogether.

Nowadays they spend most of their time clearing the debris caused by mortar shells and suicide bombs. I don’t know why the rogues in Iraq like to regularly target the markets there.

Could it be because markets are one place where people go without any fears or prejudices attached? It is after all a place where everyone gathers. And as such attacks to these places will drive whatever messages the perpetrators of violence want to send.

In the end, what happens is that innocent people are victimized in one place they think they can do their chores peacefully, and it leaves the traders with the additional task of cleaning up the mess, not to mention, at the expense of their already measly income too.

The photograph above shows some traders in the century old Isterbadi market in Baghdad clearing up the debris after a bomb blast in it killed at least four people and wounded 13 others yesterday.

This same scene is repeated almost daily in other markets all across the war-torn Iraq. It has now become a common sight that along with the little supply of meat, poultry, vegetables and fish, you can also find dead bodies in the Iraqi markets. The only difference is that they are not for sale, and they surely did not come to these markets to be slaughtered!