Baghdad's concrete walls divide but protect

By David Clarke

BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Walls are an emotive issue in Baghdad. Towering concrete barriers have mushroomed across Iraq's capital, put up by U.S. forces striving to cripple Sunni and Shi'ite militants.

Critics argue the walls divide communities, stifle economic activity, imprison residents and only widen the sectarian rifts that remain at the root of Iraq's political gridlock.

Proponents say walls protect single sect or mixed neighbourhoods alike, allow the security forces to choke off insurgent groups, make people feel safer and permit residents to start policing their own streets.

For Um Ali, a shopkeeper in the mainly Sunni Arab district of Qadissiya, the high concrete blast walls make it difficult to move around and new checkpoints add hours to journeys.

But at the same time the measures have provided extra security. As a Shi'ite in a Sunni area she had pondered fleeing regular sectarian attacks but plans to stay for now.

"Of course it's better. You know how I used to feel?" she said. "I feel safer now."

She said gunmen pulled up in cars and targeted Shi'ite-owned stores on the main shopping street. She only opened her shop for a few hours a day and then enlisted a partner to look after it.

But the U.S. walls and checkpoints have stopped the gunmen. Now Um Ali opens her stationery store whenever she wants.