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The great demand for such basic commodities, even under conditions of scarcity, means armed groups have found it profitable or advantageous to use their violent power to put themselves in a position to interfere with the supply.
From accusations that US forces manipulate the water and electricity supply in retaliation for attacks, to militia protection at a Baghdad’s most essential wholesale food market, to exorbitant gangland-style extortion in public works projects, Baghdad residents find that vital services are often inseparable from the power of armed groups.
In the northeastern Sha'ab area, residents accuse US forces of withholding electricity and water in the area as collective punishment.
Electricity services had been improving in the area, but deteriorated after a series of mortar attacks on nearby US installations. The water also has been cut intermittently for long periods, and residents complain of dirtier water.
Such mortar attacks are a common tactic of Mahdi Army militiamen, and the heavily populated Sha'ab area is known as a stronghold of the Sadrist current, led by the young Shi'a cleric Muqtada al-Sadr, to which the Mahdi Army is nominally loyal.
Some residents report that the unclean water in the district has led to poisoning cases, which have been difficult to treat as the still faces a shortage of medicine.
The allegations of US forces’ manipulation of water and electricity supply in Sha'ab cannot be verified. US forces withheld electricity and water to the Kadhimiya district during a standoff last month with the Mahdi Army.
Insurgents extort public works funds in Rashid
However, the Americans are not the only party accused of manipulating public services.
Residents report that militant groups in southwest Baghdad have interfered with the efforts of the local municipality to pave the streets, in efforts to extort funds from the contractors hired by the local authorities.
The contractor engaged by the local authorities in to surface the roads in the al-Ma'alif area has left the job after Sunni militants demanded a fee amounting to 20% of the value of the contract, locals report.
The classic protection-extortion bid is reminiscent of gangland enterprises anywhere: The militia demanded a taste of the proceeds in exchange for allowing the project to go forward without interference by armed groups -- who may very well be attached to the very groups demanding payment in the first place.
The same contractor had just completed a road-paving project in neighboring Hay al-Turath, where he was forced to pay 10% of the value of the contract to local militants.
Although he completed the Turath job, acceding to the 10% rate by militants in that area, the contractor refused to pay the 20% demanded by the militants in al-Ma'alif, and left the contract before completion.
Many of Baghdad’s southwestern districts, including Ma'alif and Turath, known collectively as al-Rashid, are reported by residents to be lawless areas, where Iraqi forces and even US military have a little to no presence.
The mixed al-Rashid area has been the site of an ongoing turf war between Sunni and Shi'a militias, and those residents who remain in the lawless areas negotiate the rule of the warring militias on a daily basis.
Mahdi Army protects Jamila wholesale food market
Meanwhile, the Mahdi Army also provides its own protection services, extending its powerful hand over the most important wholesale food market in Baghdad.
The Shi'a militia regularly deploys to the Jamila market, one of the most important wholesale markets in Iraq, locals report.
Jamila district, just southwest of Sadr City, is home to major food wholesaling operations that distribute goods to grocers and other retailers in Baghdad.
Foreign and domestic producers send their produce and other foodstuffs to Jamila to be distributed to grocers and retailers around the capital.
The Mahdi Army takes small fees from the merchants in exchange for securing the market, locals say.
Militiamen also search every large truck and trailer bringing goods to Jamila from Turkey, Syria and Jordan.
Although the Iraqi economy faces serious challenges during the time of occupation and civil strife, the market for food in the capital will always attract interested economic activity. The food consumption needs of millions of Baghdad residents translate into millions of dollars food for sale every day, even in wartime.
While it is not unusual to find heavy militia involvement in economic enterprise in today’s Iraq, the dependence of Baghdad’s food security on the powerful Sadrist militia underscores just how deeply armed groups have penetrated the Iraqi economy, and underscores the ineffectiveness of the central government at protectong even the vital wholesale food market in the capital.
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