Tomb of the unholy martyr (Saddam Husseim's burial place)

[icymist]

I though you would like to know this stuff.

Tomb of the unholy martyr
JOHN F BURNS
IN AWJA, IRAQ
THE grave site is forlorn. There are intricate inscriptions hailing him as a martyr, as a hero of the insurgency and as "the eagle of the Arabs". But there is also the mundane bric-a-brac of his life - a carved wooden eagle hung with his personal prayer beads and a gallery of informal photographs.

Saddam Hussein's burial place, in his native village on the banks of the Tigris, is the only public space in Iraq where the former ruler is openly extolled. Everywhere else, he is a nonperson.

Under a decree dating from the American occupation in 2003, all paintings, photographs and statues of Saddam are forbidden, as are public protests in his support.

But in Awja, Saddam's legend lives on, though only as a pale shadow of what it was. The old reception area where he lies - renamed 'Martyrs' Hall' by the family members who manage it - has none of the grandeur of the palaces he built during his 24-year rule. The trickle of visitors drops on some days to twos and threes, and only rarely reaches double figures, far short of making Awja a pilgrimage site on the scale of Iraq's religious shrines.

read the full article

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[Benhurst]

1. "Under a decree dating from the American occupation in 2003,

all paintings, photographs and statues of Saddam are forbidden, as are public protests in his support."

That pretty well says it all.

I wonder what will happen when the foreign occupiers are sent packing.

[icymist]

2. That's a good question.

In my imaginary world, everyone will have ice cream and be able to dance the night away on the anniversary of Saddam's execution. In the real world, I suppose everyone would have a day off from Abu Grab. Just my thoughts, please don't arrest me for them!