Sheikh Fadel Al-Sahlani : "It will take
two to three years to stabilize the country"
Translation by Douglas
French original: "Cheikh Fadel Al-Sah Lani : 'Il faudra deux à trois ans au moins avant de stabiliser le pays'"
(Le Monde, 2003/10/27)
Interview with the Shia dignitary of North AmericaNew York from our correspondent
Imam Fadhel Al-Sahlani is the highest shia religious authority in North America. He leads the Al-Khoei congregation in Queens, New York. He was born in Basrah and fled the regime of Saddam Hussein. He has just returned from a long tour of Iraq.
Six months ago you rejoiced at the coming end of the of the regime of Saddam Hussein, saying that for the Shia, “the enemy of my enemy is my friend.” Is this still the case?
Things haven’t changed much since. We are grateful to the allied forces for the sacrifices they have made and continue to make in destroying the regime of Saddam Hussein and freeing Iraq. You know, people are so happy not to have to fear being kidnapped, tortured or disappearing from one day to the next. They now have complete religious freedom and can express themselves as they want to. I was even able to travel to the Shia holy sites without being stopped by anyone: this was unimaginable before. Outside the Sunni zone and Baghdad, things in the rest of the country are getting better. Economic life is starting up again. There are basic food stuffs available for sale. The water and electricity have returned. Finally, there is above all and everywhere the desire to rebuild.
That said, the country is in a lamentable state and the recent war has little to do with this. In Basrah, for example, there were no more than 10 to 15 buildings damaged by the war. However, nothing had been maintained or repaired for years, decades. There hasn’t been any garbage collection for a longtime. There are neighborhoods where it is even difficult to breathe and people live there nevertheless.
And the daily attacks?
The greatest problem relates to the total absence of any government capable of acting. The police are practically non-existent. Criminals do as they wish. I traveled most everywhere in the country, from Basrah to Nassiriya, Baghdad to Kerbala, and other places in a car that I borrowed with no license plates. Nobody was bothered. In such a void, any other country would have seen much more crime but I like to believe that the teachings of Islam have lessened criminality.
But there is a genuine guerilla war against the American presence...
The terrorist acts are being committed by members of Saddam’s security forces, the Ba’th party or the Republican Guard who have blended in with the civilian population and were not pursued after the war. They are exploiting the chaos and the abundance of weapons to lead a guerilla war rather easily. They are also being helped by some of Iraq’s neighbors who have no interest in seeing the country prosperous and democratic. Lastly, the enemies of the United States, starting with Al-Qaeda, are also exploiting the situation to create a battleground. Clearly, Syria, some religious sects in Saudi Arabia which doubtless no longer have the support of their governments, have no interest in seeing the frontiers of Iraq become stable and peaceful.
Would handing power over to the Iraqis quickly reduce the violence?
I doubt it. This is the idea of diplomats who are far from reality. Iraqis need time, and the means, for example, to create an efficient police force. The policemen of the former regime no longer know how to do their jobs. They have to relearn everything. These people aren’t going to change in a few weeks. You can generalize this example to all the state missions. It will take two to three years to stabilize the country.
But a Shia leader, Muqtada al-Sadr, opposes the occupation and has announced the formation of his own government...
These people are manipulated by the enemies of Iraq. The Iraqis have had enough of these meaningless speeches on nationalism, Arab unity and the struggle against the West, responsible for all our misfortunes.
We have had enough of this kind of rhetoric for thirty years. It has lead us to where we are now. The great majority of Shias are Iraqis who no longer want to hear these hollow words. They want good relations with their neighbors, with the West and a better life for their children.
[Posted 2003/11/06]
Copyright © Watch 2001-2006.
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