The rebirth of Iraq and a warning to London
An interview with Mgr Rabban al Qas, Chaldean bishop of Amadiyah and Arbil. The future of the country is secular, not fundamentalist. In London: "There must be a distinction between freedom of expression, respect for human rights, and hospitality extended to criminals."
Komane (AsiaNews) For the western media, Iraq is a destroyed country; for Mgr Rabban al Qas, bishop of Amadiyah and Arbil, the country is undergoing a revival: "Certainly there are attacks," he said in an interview with AsiaNews, "but daily life goes on. The Iraqi people continue to live, they are not afraid". The bishop said "order, discipline, transport, displacements, and work" have improved in Iraq, "there is a change for the better compared to one or two years ago". To confirm this, he speaks of among other things celebrations which take place in Iraq for children's first Holy Communion.
Mgr Rabban dismissed fears of a possible Islamic twist in the constitution ("among Shi'ites, Christians and Sunnis themselves, there are lay figures who are pushing in the opposite direction") and he stood firm in his accusation that fundamentalists responsible for attacks come from abroad: "Some days ago, 1,300 terrorists were arrested on the Syrian front. Guarding the border must become a resolve for all countries bordering Iraq."
As for Great Britain, stricken by terrorism, the bishop expressed much compassion. At the same time, Mgr Rabban stressed: "[The British] extended too much hospitality to fundamentalists and now they have many who eat, drink, and publicize their war and violence a distinction must be made between freedom of expression, respect for human rights and hospitality extended to criminals."
The telephone interview started with the bishop's long list of appointments to celebrate first Holy Communion. "Yesterday, at the Church of St George in Arbil, 75 children received their first Holy Communion. Two days ago, there were 150 at the Church of St Peter and Paul. Next week in Chaklawa, there will be 35, and on 31 July in Harmata there will be 30. And tens and tens more in the villages of Haragane and Harnache. They are all boys and girls aged between 8 to 10 years and 11 and 12 years. The ceremony starts with a long procession on foot and by car attended by thousands of people. This year, I talked about the Year of the Eucharist, urging my flock to rediscover the spirit of the mass. There is the risk that people attach too much importance to material things. From months before, we prepare both parents and children for communion with a series of meetings, inviting speakers who are lay, religious or priests. People come from Mosul, Baghdad and all the Christian community, youths and adults, is animated."
For us, Iraq is a country of desolation and terror, full of suffering. What meaning does the celebration of Holy Communion take on in such a time?
For us, Holy Communion is a pillar of faith and it is the union of our life with the life of Jesus.
We celebrate it in even during this difficult time because it is a challenge: despite all that goes on, we want to live. Car bombs, killings but life goes on in the celebration of Holy Communion, marriage, feasts. Certainly there are attacks but daily life goes on. The Iraqi people continue to live, they are not afraid. In fact, there is an effort to celebrate even more than before, with much more awareness!
You talk like this because you are based in Kurdistan, which is quite peaceful, but what about the rest of the country?
They do the same in Mosul and Baghdad. Only they try to celebrate early in the morning, not late in the afternoon.
Do you take security measures?
Not in Kurdistan. There is a guard at the entrance of the church courtyard, but I don't want guards in front of the church and the episcopate. All my doors are open, even if in Arbil there were two attacks on 2 February 2004 and last June. Every day, there are scenes of violence on television, but the president himself says that the problem of Iraq is not caused by religious division but by people linked to the past regime and to new integralists who have come from abroad.
Twenty-three Iraqis are killed every day in Iraq. Nearly two years after the fall of Saddam Hussein, there is no security as yet. Is there still hope in Iraq?
What the media portray is true: explosions, killings, attacks. But if you see how much order, discipline, transport, displacements, and work have improved, there is a change for the better compared to one or two years ago. Now people understand there is a government, the structure of a new state. Thousands and thousands of allied and Iraqi soldiers are present. There is a constitution which is being drawn up, laws are being enacted.
The presence of authority is recognised. This was not the case before. And Al-Qaeda integralists and terrorists coming from abroad seek to penetrate Iraq precisely to destroy the beginnings of this social organization. Some days ago, 1,300 terrorists were arrested on the Syrian border. Guarding the frontier must be a resolve for all countries bordering Iraq.
Some days ago, the premier Al Jafaari went to Iran. Is the encounter between Iraq and Iran a positive step? Hasn't Iran become more integralist with the new government?
Yes, Iran has become more closed. But one cannot forget that many members of the current Iraqi government, and Al Jafaari himself, have links of religious and historical kinship with the shi'ites. Iran remains a partner of Iraq but there is no fear that the conservatism of Iran will influence our country. In Iraq, the presence of Kurds and Sunnis will put a stop to any Islamic republic.
Even as regards the new constitution, some fear a downslide towards Sharia. But for now, all that is certain is that Sharia will be "one of the sources" of the constitution. But there will be other sources too. Some fringes of integralist Shi'ites want to push for a greater islamisation. But among Shi'ites, Christians and the same Sunnis there are lay figures who are pushing in the opposite direction. At the most, if there are Muslims who want to be guided by Sharia, they will be allowed to do so. But there is still debate about this and the new constitution has yet to be approved.
And are foreign troops still useful or counterproductive?
Foreign troops are still necessary to guarantee security, order and peace. Local troops are still not expert enough. Let's not forget that the enemies of this government former Baathists and foreign fundamentalists want precisely to eradicate all peace in Iraq. Come to Iraq and see for yourselves the daily arrests of these foreign fundamentalists.
What do the Iraqis think of Saddam Hussein, now that a process against him is drawing closer?
People see Saddam Hussein on television and have the impression this is a film of the past. Saddam is now far away and he will not come back again.
You Iraqis live with terrorism every day. What do the London attacks provoke in you?
Above all much compassion and sorrow. But I feel I should give a warning: the British are reaping the fruit of trees they have sown in their country. They extended too much hospitality to fundamentalists and now they have many, who eat, drink and publicize their war and violence.
They have not been able to foresee the danger. In the name of human rights, they gave shelter to assassins. Why should London welcome a person who has been rejected by his country because he has killed? There must be a distinction between respect for human rights and hospitality extended to criminals.
We cannot extend hospitality to people who preach war, criticize Iraq, applaud beheadings, sow hatred and with all this, such people are allowed to talk on television and in newspapers.
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