America's North Shore Journal

Through the 82nd Airborne PAO:
Chuck,
This may seem sort of insignificant, but this is the sign of a victory of sorts. I ate at a similar restaurant on the same street there in 03, and that restaurant was bombed in 05 and destroyed. If they’re reopening, that’s a sign of confidence.

The rebuilding of the famous Abu Nuwas marketplace in eastern Baghdad is nearly complete. After five months of clean up, revitalization, and barrier emplacement, the marketplace is looking to flourish with businesses and customers.

The market, historically known for its mazgouf fish, a Baghdad delicacy cooked over wood fires, has been closed for four years until this month, when one restaurant opened and more planning to do so. The once-dilapidated restaurants, where customers could pick out their own live fish to cook, have been completely rebuilt with seven new structures already in place.

“Part of the success you see is due to using local labor and supplies. In the past, we did not always do that and non-local workers became targets of intimidation,” said Brig. Gen. Vincent K. Brooks, deputy commanding general for support with the Multi-National Division-Baghdad and 1st Cavalry Division, paid a recent visit to the market. “Part of the historic street’s revival is boosting their economy. If you set the proper conditions and rebuild areas, the people will come back.”

For one owner of a fish restaurant, handed down from his father, a tradition in Iraq, the timing couldn’t be better as money was already scarce.

“I plan on passing on the restaurant to my sons as well, but wondered for a while if I would ever be in business again,” he said. “I am very happy to have my restaurant reopened.”

Electricity is still a problem, as it is everywhere in Iraq, and the owner has had to raise his prices to meet the rising costs to run the restaurant, but sees the economic development of the street as a very positive sign of times to come.

“Fortunately, the Amanant (city hall) forgave the debt created by not being able to open for over four years and I can start off fresh,” he said.

The rebuilding has been no easy task as absent owners had to be located. Leaders from the Rusafa District, the civil affairs team from the 2nd Infantry Brigade Combat Team and the Abu Nuwas District Advisory Council chairman teamed up to start the process. While not all owners have been contacted yet, a great number have and they have started rebuilding their lives after seeing the efforts on the street.

The effort with the markets is just a fraction of the work being accomplished overall by local workers and the cluttered streets are now beautifully transformed with two-way driving lanes again, curbs have been painted, and medians restored. The park renovations include new playgrounds for the kids and the cleanup of years of trash to the site that is magnificently located right off the Tigris River and surrounded by eucalyptus trees.

The economic section and surrounding areas that once provided a variety of shops, restaurants, and hotels, and was world-renowned, realized early that the revitalization could get the community back on track by reducing unemployment and resuming some type of normalcy by launching an economic and security meeting on June 9 where 45 local business owners attended.

“It’s in everyone’s best interest to make the area successful with different businesses and not cut anyone one off with barriers being emplaced,” explained the Abu Nuwas chairman, Qays Foraj, to the business owners. The area is starting to see the fruits of their labor.

Financial assistance has already been provided to many business owners on Abu Nuwas by different organizations and have now trickled into surrounding areas such as Meridian Street, where most of the business consist of antique shops, art and rug dealers. The micro grants offered are just a start as many businesses need sometimes up to $100,000 to restart their shops since they have suffered severe damage and lack inventory since 2003.

One such business is the art gallery located where the proprietor, back after a four-year absence, said the gallery used to be hustling and bustling with artists from all over Iraq wanting to display their pieces.

“The artists wanted their paintings, sculptures and drawings displayed at my gallery instead of the National Museum,” said the owner. “I would host exhibits and print out bulletins so customers could peruse the gallery or order from the bulletin.”

Brooks told the proprietor he was courageous for coming back and encouraged him to tell his friends about the changes.

“Blood shot back into my face when I heard about the changes and I felt rejuvenated again,” the art gallery proprietor replied.

While the gallery is not in exhibit shape yet, the proprietor said he will continue to make changes like he did in the past when he originally changed the format of the building from an illegal bar, to the three-story gallery that it is today.

While great numbers of customers have not starting streaming back yet as word is still getting out, three Iraqi television stations have done features on the Abu Nuwas revitalization projects and owners have already seen a small increase in business.

“I would be very happy once the area brings back even a portion of the customers that used to come,” said a retail store owner. “People are noticing the changes and now want their area to look as beautiful as ours.”

Photos and article by Maj. Sean Ryan, 2nd IBCT, 2nd Inf. Div. Public Affairs Officer