posted on April 7, 2004 06:16:05 PM new
BAGHDAD, Iraq (Reuters) - Mustafa Jaleel, a father of four who earns about $75 a month, has been given an ultimatum by his Iraqi landlord -- pay six times more rent, or get out.
I don't know what to do," said Jaleel, one of an increasing number of Iraqis struggling to cope with soaring rents, hiked by landlords who hope investment opportunities in postwar Iraq will lure rich, foreign tenants.
"I can't afford to live in a house any more and there is no one to turn to," said the 41-year-old school guard.
Many landlords pushed up their prices after the U.S.-led war on Iraq, anticipating an influx of foreign businesses after the fall of former president Saddam Hussein Many have been disappointed but they are not backing down.
Real estate agents say an average three-bedroom, 3,229-square-foot home in a middle-class Baghdad suburb now costs around 750,000 dinars -- about $535 -- a month. Before the U.S.-led war and occupation, the same house would have cost about $80 a month.
Zina Hassan, a 23-year-old student, said she and her husband were increasingly frustrated at how hard it was to find a home they could afford.
"The price for rents has just risen and risen," she said.
"The average monthly rental price is now more than twice the average wage, it doesn't make any sense. One estate agent offered us rents of about $2,000 to $7,000 a month. I'm looking to rent a home with my husband and nothing is affordable.
"If you look at the prices in Baghdad's sought-after areas, you would think you were renting a mansion in Manhattan. They don't account for the fact that roads are damaged, electricity is poor and telephone lines are dead."
posted on April 7, 2004 07:25:32 PM new
Isn't the free market system wonderful... now those landlords can charge what they feel the apartments are worth...
posted on April 7, 2004 08:40:36 PM new
I read today that in general, there is no quicker way to get an Iraqi to laugh than to talk about how the United States is bringing freedom or democracy to the country.
In Baghdad that outrageous rent is for an apartment without a telephone or electricity.
posted on April 7, 2004 10:50:36 PM new
At least they have the freedom to laugh at the US. If they openly laughed at Saddam, they would've had their tongues cut off.
posted on April 8, 2004 06:48:07 AM new
so much for freedom for these kids.....
also Hans Blix said Iraq worse off now than when Saddam was in power.....this war is about corperate profits, and oil, in the name of terrorism.....look who's getting rich off this war.....
posted on April 8, 2004 08:40:21 AM new
Thats too bad! Use a church as an ammo and weapons dump and as a cover to shoot at coalition forces then they become fair targets.
They love playing this game..holy site, bad Yankee. I would treat this matter the same way as the Roman Empire would have.
posted on April 8, 2004 10:28:46 AM new
skylite - People like you who use pictures like these to further your 'cause' appear to excuse the behavior of those who first started this recent violence. You appear to overlook they made a choice to start and continue to confront those there to help the Iraqi people.
Do the attacks on the four US civilians/ex-US soldiers who were FRIED and dismembered by these people have any value to you? Do you see their actions as *normal*, acceptable, human behavior? Do you approve of the actions THEY took that started this? Do those that have died trying to bring peace back to this area have any value at all in your eyes?
[ edited by skylite on Apr 8, 2004 06:49 AM ]