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Two iraqi actors are perfoming a drama named "They Pass
by Here", which describes the tyranny, love and peace before and
after the
war. | |
Iraqi actors hoped the fall of Saddam Hussein would herald a new era of
artistic freedom. But they have seen their dreams destroyed by violence.
With Baghdad racked by bomb attacks, a wave of kidnappings and
widespread crime, few Iraqis bother going to the theater.
"We have lost security and safety. The audience is mentally exhausted,"
said actor Khalil Ibrahim. "How could they bear to watch a play for two or
three hours?"
In the looting and chaos that followed the overthrow of Saddam in April
last year, the National Theater in Baghdad was ransacked. Actors would gather
outside what was left of the building to pick up their meager salaries.
"We sat on the street waiting for our salaries. The National Theater
building was looted and burned," said Qasim al-Sayid, 38. "It was a
tragedy."
Seventeen months later, things have only gotten worse. Actors and
actresses gather each Sunday and Wednesday at the theater to show they are
still present in Baghdad, a condition of the money they receive from the
state.
With the interim government struggling to quell a deadly insurgency and to
rebuild the economy, there is little time and money to be spared for
culture.
"The government was obliged to put other priorities on its list," said
Alla Hussein, 25, an actress and a student of theater at Baghdad's College
of Fine Arts. "Art came last on that list. Actors and actresses were the
first to stop working, and they will be the last to resume their
activities."
Culture Minister Mofeed al-Jazaeri knows very well that his ministry is
not seen as a priority, and is asking for foreign aid to help fund the
revival of cultural activity.
"Electricity is more important than a book. Clean water is more
important than a play. Security is more important than the cinema," he
said. "It seems that culture is not considered on the priority list. That
is why we are seeking the help of international organizations to
compensate for what we lack."
Baghdad's streets are dangerous at night. Few Iraqis like to stay out
too late after dark -- there is the risk of kidnapping or robbery, of
being caught in the crossfire
during battles between guerrillas and U.S.-led forces.
"People are afraid," Sayid said. "The security situation is bad."
Many Iraqis fear that theaters could be targeted by insurgents trying
to sow chaos in the country.
(Agencies) |
伊拉克演員們原本希望薩達姆·侯賽因政權倒臺后，藝術界會進入重獲自由的新時期，但是他們眼睜睜地看著屢屢發生的暴力事件摧毀了他們的夢想。
巴格達飽受炸彈侵襲之苦，綁架事件頻頻發生，犯罪活動猖獗，在這種情況下，伊拉克人根本沒有心思去劇場看演出。
演員哈利勒·易卜拉希馬說：“我們的安全得不到保證。觀眾們的精神疲憊不堪。他們怎么能忍受觀看長達兩三個小時的演出呢？”
去年4月，薩達姆政權被推翻后，伊拉克國內掀起了搶劫的狂潮，局勢一片混亂，位于巴格達的伊拉克國家劇院也遭到了洗劫。演員們不得不聚集在大樓殘骸外面來獲取微薄的收入。
38歲的卡西姆·賽義德說：“我們坐在街道上等著拿薪水。國家劇院遭到搶劫和焚燒。這是一個悲劇。”
17個月過去了，事態只是越變越遭。演員們每周三和周日聚集在劇院，表明他們仍然在巴格達，這樣他們才能領取國家提供的補助金。
伊拉克臨時政府的當務之急是力爭平息嚴重的叛亂，恢復經濟，政府無暇顧及也沒有多余的資金投入文化領域。
25歲的阿拉·侯賽因是一名演員，同時也是巴格達藝術學院的學生。她說：“政府不得不在議事日程上安排一些更重要的事，藝術在政府的議事日程上排名最后。演員們最先停工，而且他們也將是最后恢復工作的。”
伊拉克文化部長莫夫德·亞扎伊里非常清楚文化部得不到政府的重視，所以他正在尋求外國的幫助，為伊拉克文化活動的復興籌集資金。
他說：“電比書籍更重要。清潔的水比戲劇更重要。安全比電影更重要。看來文化并沒有被列入政府優先考慮的名單上。所以我們只能向國際組織尋求幫助以補償缺乏的資金。”
夜幕降臨后的巴格達街道是不安全的。晚上沒有人愿意在外面逗留太久，因為隨時都有被綁架或被搶劫的危險，也可能被困在游擊隊和以美國為首的聯軍的交火中。
賽義德說：“人們很害怕。安全狀況十分糟糕。”
很多伊拉克人擔心劇場會成為叛亂分子襲擊的對象，他們試圖在全國制造混亂。
（中國日報網站譯） |
Updated: 2004-10-14 10:11