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| Sunni Clerics Supporting Fatwa Against Attacks on Government Officials |
| 2004-03-01 |
| .... "Dear sons of our nation, we call upon you to close ranks and elevate yourselves above your grudges so that we may open a new chapter in the life of our country," the fatwa begins. "We condemn any act of violence against Iraqi state government workers, police and soldiers, because it is aggression under Islamic law." The document issued in Ramadi declares that killing fellow Iraqis not only runs counter to the idea of holy war, but also constitutes what is known in the Muslim world as haram, the unpardonable act of killing another Muslim. "Targeting any Iraqi organization, is not holy war but aggression," it continues. "Everyone should be warned against staining their hands with Muslim blood." .... The idea for this [fatwa] came about after the fatal attack on the Falluja police station two weeks ago. That attack, staged by insurgents in the middle of town in the middle of the morning, resulted in the deaths of 15 Iraqi police officers and 3 civilians. The day after the attack, the clerics in Falluja got together and issued the fatwa. Word spread quickly throughout the province, and the idea caught on. Within a week, imams from all over Anbar, an arid region the size of Wyoming, had signed up. The clerics printed up 3,000 copies and have begun distributing them at mosques and kebab houses around the province. .... The big question, of course, is how much influence the fatwa will have. "The people don’t listen to us anymore," said Imam Sulaiman, director of the Islamic Affairs Department for Anbar Province. The clerics’ uncertainty illustrates the divided nature of the population here. Across Anbar Province, many people have declared their support for the new Iraqi government either by taking part in local government meetings or by volunteering to become police officers. Yet at the same time, the insurgency goes on. Nevertheless, the Sunni imams of Anbar say they are encouraged. It has been a quiet week across the province. The fatwa received a warm reception all over the country, even among Shiites. Some of Anbar’s clerics are thinking of trying to persuade their fellow clerics across the country to sign on. |
| Posted by:Mike Sylwester |
| #1 "The clerics’ uncertainty illustrates the divided nature of the population here. Across Anbar Province, many people have declared their support for the new Iraqi government either by taking part in local government meetings or by volunteering to become police officers. Yet at the same time, the insurgency goes on. " Yup, not surprising. Some in Al anbar were in bed with the old regime, some were its victims (yes even in the sunni triangle) and many were neither. Some have lost relatives to the occupation forces, while others have lost relatives to the insurgents. The insurgency here is real, but the population is divided. The marines will find a place to test their small wars doctrine and attempt to win hearts and minds. This will be difficult, but will require patience, against both those who would cut and run, and those who would overreact. |
| Posted by: liberalhawk 2004-3-1 10:53:14 AM |