ASIA/IRAQ - Elections: “This was a victory for the people and a defeat for terrorism”, Father Nizar Semaan told Fides

Baghdad (Fides Service). “The loser was terrorism. The vote showed the world that Iraqis are not all terrorists, they are a people like other peoples and they want peace. This was a victory for the Iraqi people who used the weapon of voting and democracy to defeat the horror of fundamentalist terrorism” said Catholic priest Father Nizar Semaan in Mosul, northern Iraq, commenting for Fides the elections yesterday 30 January. “The good turn-out showed that our people love their country and want peace and democracy. The terrorists are only a small minority they do not represent the majority of Iraqis” continued Father Nizar.
“Yesterday’s vote was an important step towards the re-establishment of Iraq’s sovereignty. But much remains to be done. Therefore we still need solidarity and help from the international community which played an important role in the organisation of the elections” said the Iraqi priest.
Father Nizar is confident with regard to the outcome of the vote: “Even if the Shiite list wins, the important element is for the winner to respect the rules of democracy and the rights of the people. I am sure that that most political forces in Iraq intend to protect the interests of the people and have no wish to be conditioned by neighbouring countries”.
With regard to a possible splitting of the country on the basis of ethnic and confessional origin, the Iraqi priest is prudent: “There are no reliable figures with regard the number of Sunni Muslims who voted however in Mosul there was a good turn out and there are many Sunni Muslims in Mosul. I hope therefore that the civil conflict feared by some is only an academic idea. In fact the Iraqi people’s reaction going to vote en masse despite terrorists goes in the opposite direction to division and violence. Yesterday the Iraqi people clearly said they want a free and sovereign Iraq. ”. (L.M.) (Agenzia Fides 31/1/2005 righe 29 parole 349)