From: Aftenposten.
Date: 2009-02-18
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 BAGHDAD 000429
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958:
DECL: 02/17/2024
TAGS: PGOV, PRL, PHUM, PTER, SOCI, PINR, IZ
SUBJECT: RRT ERBIL: THE SILENT IMAMS, DEALING WITH EXTEMIST MESSAGES IN THE
KURDISTAN REGION - RESEND
BAGHDAD 00000429 001.2 OF 002
Classified By: Regional Coordinator Lucy Tamlyn for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).
This is an Erbil Regional Reconstruction Team (RRT) cable.
1. (C)
Summary: A number of Muslim leaders in the Kurdistan region
took to the pulpit in December/January to denounce Israeli
actions in the Gaza strip and call for the destruction of the
Israeli state and death to Jews. In response, the Kurdistan
Regional Government (KRG) banned these Imams from preaching
(while continuing to pay their salaries.) Kurds generally
accept the government,s right to curb extremist rhetoric.
Nonetheless, government interference in religious messages can
sometimes cause resentment. KRG leadership has asked for U.S.
support in promoting a tolerant, peaceful Islam, particularly
through exchanges (U.S. Muslim visitors to the Kurdistan
Region and vice-versa). End Summary.
2. (SBU)
For a four-week period after the Israeli actions against Gaza
commenced, certain religious leaders in the Kurdistan Region
used their Friday sermons to exhort their congregations to
acts of violence against Jews, Israel and the supporters of
Israel. Some examples: On December 5 an Imam prayed for the
Palestinian people and asked God to rain his anger at the
Jewish people and destroy them. On December 5, at another
mosque, the congregation was prompted to pray that God would
destroy Israel and kill all the Jewish people. On January 16
an Imam told his followers `we should pray that God will
destroy all the Jewish people.' During his prayer, he asked
God to kill the Jews one by one until none of them was left
alive. He also prayed that God would `kill those who
support the country of Israel' as well.
3. (C)
RRT Team Leader (TL) discussed the mosque messages with
Minister of the Interior Karim Sinjari on January 21, Prime
Minister Barzani on January 25 and the Minister of the
Endowment (Religious Affairs) Mohammad Ahmad Saeed Shakaly on
January 28. All three were aware of the issue, concerned by it
and readily listed the action that the Government was taking
to stop the messages. Interior Minister Sinjari stated that he
had employees at every mosque listening to the sermon and
making a report. He also noted that ) while he had permitted a
meeting to denounce the situation in Gaza organized by the
Kurdistan Islamic Group (KIG), he had not allowed that meeting
to turn into a public demonstration.
4. [TEXT REMOVED BY AFTENPOSTEN]
5. (SBU)
The government also took the step of ensuring that these bans
were made public. On January 20, Awene newspaper reported that
a preacher in Erbil mosque had been removed because he
`exaggerated concerning the Israeli attacks on Gaza and
praised the Hamas leader.' According to the same article,
another Imam was removed from his job because he Qarticle,
another Imam was removed from his job because he called for a
collection to be made for Gaza during the sermon. He was also
accused of `terrifying the people of Kurdistan in the name of
Islam' and `encouraging people to stand against the national
interest.' The article pointed out that all of the preachers
were receiving a salary from the government; as employees of
the Ministry of the Endowment they are obliged to comply with
the law. The KRG also disseminated through government media an
article written by the Minister of the Endowment on the
importance of separating religious affairs from political
affairs.
Promoting Tolerance
------------------
6. (C)
Prime Minister Barzani informed RRT Team Leader that a
conference would be organized on February 15 to bring together
all of the clerics in order to help them understand that
religion and politics do not mix. (Note: The RRT has been
invited to this conference and will attend the opening
ceremony. End note). During the meeting with the Minister of
the Endowment he asked for RRT support in promoting exchanges
with Muslim Americans visiting the Kurdistan Region (and
vice-versa, particularly with those Imams who were, according
to him, getting their `talking points' from
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extremist sources outside of the country) in order to
encourage mutual understanding and promote a more tolerant and
peaceful Islam.
`Our Israeli Brothers and Sisters'
-----------------------------------
7. (C)
The Gaza crisis also brought to the fore what must be a unique
sub-current of solidarity with Israel which exists in the
Kurdistan Region, not only as a result of ethnic ties with
Kurds in Israel, but also because of the shared experience as
victims of genocide. In an opinion piece published in the
independent newspaper Roznama, writer Pishitwan Gulpi
apologized to his Kurdish Israeli `brothers and sisters' for
the actions of KIG leader Ali Bapir (who had organized the
meeting in support of Hamas). Pishitwan accused Ali Bapir of
encouraging actions against Israel `which might kill even more
innocent people(including some who might be Kurds.' In his own
press release, Ali Bapir claimed that he held the meeting in
support of Hamas in part to put to rest rumors that Kurdistan
supported Israel.
Comment
-------
8. (C)
Most Kurds accept the right of Kurdish leadership to curb
extremist messages and to clamp down on religious leaders
whose words and actions are seen to threaten the Region,s
security. Nonetheless, congregations can resent the
government,s control over religious messages. For example,
when a popular preacher in Suleymaniya (who had criticized the
new Personal Status Law) was replaced with another Imam (whose
Friday message was `pray for rain'), many disgruntled
worshippers pointedly walked out of the mosque. Given the
strong pro-American sentiment in the Region, visits would be
well received and reinforce government efforts to maintain the
Kurdistan Region,s tradition of moderate and tolerant Islam.
End comment.
BUTENIS