CPTnet
4 February 2006

IRAQ REFLECTION: Bridges

by Michele Naar

 The Baghdad area has many bridges, because the Tigris River snakes right
through the middle of the city. Over the years, these bridges have been
blown up, damaged, burned, blocked, and sometimes repaired.

Iraq has many sects. Over the years the bridges that connect different
groups of people have been blown up, damaged, burned, blocked and sometimes
repaired. Right now, we see that the bridges binding humanity together in
Iraq are crumbling.

I have traveled to Iraq four times since 2002. Each year the rivers of
blood that flow under these bridges get deeper. This year, it seems like
we're drowning in it. The rivers are overflowing with the blood of the
Sunni, Shia, Kurd, Christian, Palestinian, and coalition forces. They are
filled with the blood of men and women, children and the elderly. I often
feel way over my head and the thought of one more drop of blood added to
these rivers is too much to bear.

Recently, two members of the CPT Iraq team met with a number of the Muslim
Peacemakers in Najaf who are Shia. They have been strengthening bridges they
built with the Sunni in Fallujah. Now they want to deliver gifts to the
poorest families in Kurdistan during their religious holiday. This simple
action has enormous potential for bridge building.

As the Muslim peacemakers shared other ideas for building bridges, the light
in their eyes shone so bright and strong one could visualize the rivers of
blood beginning to recede.