ASIA/IRAQ - These barbarians will not stop the birth of a new Iraq. Testimony from northern Iraq: “All the hostages must be released and the humanitarian organisations must come back to help Iraq and its people rise again”

Baghdad (Fides Service)- “The good news that the hostages Simona Pari and Simona Torretta are free comes to join other positive facts in Iraq which are however overshadowed by facts of violence” Father Nizar Semaan, a Catholic priest in a northern Iraqi village near Mosul, told Fides. “Many families here have been praying every evening for the safety of the two girls and to be honest we always felt they would be released” he told Fides
“On behalf of the majority of Iraqis who are people of good will I wish to congratulate the girls and their families and the whole of Italy and I assure you that we are all very happy that they are free. This is a victory for the many humanitarian organisations engage in Iraq. Their presence is indispensable. We know it is not easy to work here but the large majority of Iraqis want the organisations to continue to remain at their side. Our hope is that all the hostages will be freed and that many organisations will return to Iraq to help the country and the people rise again”. (L.M.) (Agenzia Fides 29/9/2004 righe 23 parole 222)