https://www.wordswithoutborders.org/article/the-green-zone-rabbit
Summary
The Green Zone Rabbit is a story of Hajjar, Salsal, and a rabbit. Hajjar had gone through a lot of life difficulties before meeting with Salsal whom he stays with in the green zone. The green zone neighborhood was comprised of politicians and their bodyguards. The government only allowed politicians to live in this neighborhood and regular security operations were conducted to ensure the place is safe. Salsal and Hajjar lived in the neighborhood because they pretended to be bodyguards to some politician(s) as they waited to execute their mission. Hajjar wanted revenge after his two brothers were murder in inhumane way that saw their bodies drilled lots of holes and they heads cut off. Umm Dala brought a rabbit that she said she found on the park and Hajjar took care of it and loved it equally. On the day of their mission, to kill the deputy minister of culture, things did not go as planned. Hajjar knew after the mission they will disappear to the edge of the capital, so he put the rabbit in the trunk of the car. After waiting for long for their target, they became tired and Hajjar went to the shop to buy cigarettes, he needed to get out because he was so mad, he said “My heart was pounding like crazy from the anger” but then the car blew up and burned Salsal and the rabbit.
Response
The story relates to things that happen in the modern world and it paints a picture of what human beings are, and what they are willing to give to satisfy their interests. Just like in the story, politicians are often characterized as selfish and those who will stand down for nothing to achieve their goals. Human beings tend to revenge whenever something they consider unjust happen to them. In the story, Hajjar is willing to conspire to commit murder because of the injustice he went through. In societies where the system has failed to deliver justice to the people, individuals often take law onto their hands.
https://www.wordswithoutborders.org/article/the-green-zone-rabbit
Hassan Blasim 