Across West Asia, life in lockdown is a study in contrasts
nNEWDELHI:IN early March, a striking image of Mecca’s Al Haram Mosque went viral. The popular Saudi mosque was empty. Its white floor stood out in contrast with the towering Kaaba, Islam’s holiest site.
Unlike many countries around the world, where lockdowns came too late, the Saudis had swung into action ahead of time in February end, decisively closing doors to tourists and pilgrims.
The measures came even before the kingdom reported its first case. It was much later that the country, prepared by then, started reporting its first cases and deaths.
“Other countries that didn’t take matters seriously should have followed all the measures taken by the kingdom to protect its people,” G Sultan, a resident of Riyadh, told HT. “If you go to the supermarkets, you find what you want and in very abundant quantities, and the prices haven’t changed.”
Sultan lives at home with his family, closely following up on his children, who are studying through distance education.
“The government has instituted strict measures to prevent people from leaving home, yet you can get what you want by using electronic requests,” he says.
Other countries in West Asia were not so swift, though, as the coronavirus later hit the region badly.
Iran, especially, had a difficult time tackling the outbreak. It was West Asia’s focal point in the initial days, with Qom city as the hot spot.
“I don’t think they (the government) are doing enough - at all,” said an Iranian man who lives in Hormozgan. He wished not to be named. “There haven’t been quarantines, no roads have been closed, people are free to travel, there are still planes coming and going. It’s the people who are taking care of each other.”
Across the border in Iraq, Baghdad resident Zainab laments the country was too late to react. “They were late in closing the airports. They allowed Iranian visitors to come in,” says the 23-year-old engineer.
“Curfew procedures are not serious. Plus, the government hasn’t been firm with some religious groups who insist on gathering for rituals.”