CPTnet
February 2, 2005
IRAQ: Overcoming the Divide
by Peggy Gish
CPT members in Iraq recently met with the new Muslim
Peacemaking Team (MPT) for their first post-training
meeting in Karbala. The group formed a coordinating
committee to move them toward establishing goals,
bylaws, and plan for facilitating another nonviolence
training for students and staff at the Al Uhl Beit University in Karbala.
Mention of one of the long-range goals sparked an
animated time of searching and sharing. How
might MPT spread throughout Iraq, and even beyond to other areas of the
world?
CPT member Cliff Kindy shared about CPT in Hebron and
about Israeli groups helping to rebuild homes of
Palestinians that had been demolished. He mentioned
that the Iraq CPT team is exploring the possibility of
helping a refugee family from Falluja rebuild their
destroyed home, and invited the MPT to join in the
rebuilding.
After a general nod of agreement, concerns began to fly around the room.
-"Yes, but there's a sectarian barrier between us
(Shia) and them (Sunni)."
-"When we visited and helped the Fallujans at the Ain
Tamur refugee camp, this was in our province, so that
was easy."
-"Part of the problem is that the Sunni used to be in
power, but now that has been taken away by the Shia,
so we don't know if they will accept us."
Among the fears and concerns, there were also words of
vision that challenged CPT members.
-"It may be difficult, but it is possible."
-"In the 60's, Muslims, Christians, and Jews lived
together peacefully in Karbala. It was after the 1991
uprisings against Saddam Hussein that his regime
helped spread tension among the different groups. Now
MPT can help remove the barriers."
-"I see now that we are way behind in grasping the
concepts of nonviolence. Nonviolence asks us to deal
with the divisions in our own country."
-"We must not make excuses. We as Iraqi, are
complicit with the mass graves and killings in our
past. We must begin with ourselves to build a new
Iraqi humanity. The suggestion of going to Falluja
helped me to understand more deeply what nonviolence
calls us to. We must move on to overcome the divide."
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