Earlier this year, Najaf’s 3rd Emergency Regiment had required these workers to paint their trolleys silver and to wear matching outfits in order to allow them easy access to the caravansaries.
Abu Saiba was unable also to provide accurate figures and statistics on the numbers of these workers, but he thinks there are hundreds in Najaf.
Al-Monitor witnessed incidents where members from the emergency regiment, sometimes with reason and sometimes not, prevented many of these workers from entering the old city. Some workers were beaten by members of the security forces. A first lieutenant in one of the security units in the old city told Al-Monitor on condition of anonymity, “Some of them are robbing the visitors.”
On the causes of the problem, the Ministry of Planning conducted a study in 2010 monitoring the levels of poverty in Iraq in terms of basic needs, job opportunities and good health. The study showed that Muthanna and Qadisiyah provinces came in second and registered 44.3% in terms of the high level of poverty, followed by the province of Dhi Qar.
A number of workers who Al-Monitor met in Najaf came from these provinces. Since this study, no other reports on the topic have been published by the ministry. However, the situation has gotten worse in recent years due to the economic crisis and ongoing war with the Islamic State.
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