Bad time in Iraq to be dancer

BAGDAD (Reuters). - When march for the work, Milad Siri puts a handkerchief in the head, the body with a traditional suit is covered totally and puts a pistol in its purse. Siri is, from 1996, an exotic dancer and needs Islamic clothes and the pistol from the fall Saddam Hussein.

"Before the war, it was normal to be in the last street the midnight, but now I must arrive at house before the six from afternoon", said Siri, of 27 years, that live in a poor suburb of Bagdad.

To the war to overthrow Hussein an insecurity wave happened that, according to many Iraqians, the American troops have not known to contain. For the women, the resurgence of the religious fervor means to have to take the traditional handkerchief in the head and to dress according to the Islamic norms. But the greater problem of Siri is that from the war the demand of exotic dancers has diminished. "She was customary to win between two or three Iraqian million of dinares (1300 or 2000 dollars) per month, but now the celebrations are scarce", explained.

Divorced and with a son of 12 years, the young person maintains in addition to his mother and three brothers. And he never saw a contradiction between his work and the religion: "the religion is a thing and my life is another one. Gold and I read the Corán; the dance is my work ".

The Islam prohibits the dance and the women only can show to the hands and the face. "I am scared to the punishment of God, but it is the only form that I know to make money", she said.