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Soccer brings Baghdad neighborhoods together

Former Iraqi deputy prime minister Ahmed Chalabi, center, shakes hands with players from Kadhimiyah, a Shiite neighborhood, and Adhamiyah, a Sunni neighborhood, before a match in Baghdad on Sunday. PHOTO: AFP

After two years of barely talking to each other, residents of adjoining Sunni and Shiite neighborhoods of Baghdad came together on Sunday for a soccer match sponsored by Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki.

The match between players from Shiite neighborhood Kadhimiyah and the Sunni suburb of Adhamiyah was staged under tight security at Baghdad's main stadium, Al-Shaab.

It was part of events organized by Maliki's office to mark the launch on Feb. 14 last year of the Baghdad security plan, which has helped reduce levels of violence in the Iraqi capital.

"This match brings happiness to Iraqis and sadness to those who want to foment trouble among its communities," said Qadduri, head of the supporters club for Iraq's national team.

"Kadhimiyah and Adhamiyah are neighbors but their relations were destroyed by odious sectarianism inspired by those with evil intentions," said Qadduri, who uses only one name.

The two Baghdad neighborhoods had become theaters for violent clashes between extremists from the two communities and residents of each zone rarely set foot on each other's turf.

The Al-Aimma bridge which spans the Tigris and connects the two districts, was shut to traffic in February 2005.

In August of that year it became the scene of a tragedy when a stampede killed about 1,000 Shiite pilgrims. Afterwards it was also shut to pedestrians.

Its continuing closure is symbolic of the discord that exists between Iraq's two main religious communities.

"I am happy today to meet my brothers from Adhamiyah, we have been separated for some time," said Ahmed Hussein, a member of the Kadhimiyah club.

"Today's match has rekindled hope that Baghdad is returning to the old days," he said.

"Sport unifies, there are no sectarian divides between the players. If there was, there would be no sport at all in Iraq today," Hussein said. "Tomorrow we will go to Adhamiyah and will play there as we used to do in the past."

On the Al-Shaab stage, the dream of reconciliation became reality. And there was no chance for old rivalries to be rekindled, as the final score was 1-1 -- to the satisfaction of all.
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