ASIA/IRAQ - “The violence used by Al Qaida reveals weakness not power. What has all this got to do with religion” asks a Catholic priest in Iraq

Rome (Fides Service)- “Terrorists, Al Qaida, are already defeated because they are unable to propose a credible model of society. All they can do is to kill” Fr Nizar Semaan a Catholic priest in the northern Iraqi town of Mosul told Fides. “The latest episodes of violence in Iraq and in other countries are alarming but we must not let them discourage us” Fr Nizar told Fides. “It is true terrorists kill people but this only shows that they are weak and humanly and ideologically empty. They kill because that is all they are able to do. They have to kill innocent people to show they exist, to say: “you see we exist”, and this in itself is an admission of their weakness and defeat”.
“Al Qaida and other terrorist organisations wrap their crimes in the mantle of religion, taking advantage of the religious sentiments of young men, but what they do has nothing to do with religion. Most of those killed in Iraq are just ordinary citizens. Even the policemen killed in attacks day after day are men who need a job and a wage to provide for their family. What has this to do with religion?” Fr Nizar asked.
“This violence fills us with anguish, pain and anger but we need not worry because the world is ahead of terrorists” said Fr. Nizar. “Most of humanity wants peace and social and economic progress. Even in the Arab world at large there is a growing demand for democracy and respect for human rights”.
“The appeal made by Benedict XVI for harmony among peoples expressed the desires and longings of the greater part of humanity. This is what we want to hear and what we ourselves must keep saying to make the culture of peace and love prevail over violence which is an end in itself” the priest said.
Fr. Nizar calls on the media “to provide the people with correct information avoiding sensationalism. Giving more space to acts of terrorism only encourages the perpetrators. This is not to say that they should not be mentioned but that less functional tones should be used for terrorists. Why isn’t more media space given to the Iraqis, and they are the majority, who are working hard to build a new democratic Iraq?” (L.M.) (Agenzia Fides 16/5/2005 righe 35 parole 400)