Imad Al-Shammari-Erbil
The updates of matters naturally affect the course of the situation. Perhaps what Iraq has been witnessing for three months against the government and the existing system has a direct impact on the decisions and fixed occasions, including the celebration of the New Year's Day for Christians, and the demonstrations have expressed the unification of the spectra of the Iraqi people.
The decision to cancel New Year's celebrations and keep prayers by all Christians in Iraq was an expression of solidarity with the current events, in support of protesters in the squares.
The Babylonian Bloc announced by the Commander of the 50th Brigade in the Popular Mobilization, led by the operations of the Nineveh sector, Colonel Dhafer, that the bloc with the cancellation of the celebrations and the maintenance of the prayers, because it recited the souls of the martyrs and wounded who fell in the demonstrations.
For his part, Father El-Khoury Emad Karyous considered that canceling the celebration and stopping receiving congratulations was a synergy with the bloodshed that the people of the south and Baghdad are going through, "We are part of the fabric of this country."
It is the same opinion adopted by the people of this community in Iraq, according to what the Christian activist Rand Khaled said during her statement to Al-Jazeera Net, explaining that canceling the celebration is canceling and scaling down the external plans that seek to tear the country's unity.
| El Khoury Qarytous (left) and some Christian activists (Al-Jazeera) |
Political failure
What is happening today in the protest arenas is perhaps unique in the national cohesion, in terms of the diversity of sects and nationalities and the unification of demands in the service of the Iraqis, which was considered by political analyst Ghanem Al-Abed as the first failure steps of the ruling political class that went on the principle of divide and rule blocking a decade and a half ago, in order to maintain its positions And its interests.
He considered that leaving the Christian people in Iraq to celebrate the New Year, which is considered one of their most important activities, a strong indication of national cohesion.
This was supported by political analyst Raed Al-Hamid, explaining that some parties are not served by the unity of Iraqis, and for this reason, the protests and the continued sit-in in the city squares represented a strong blow to many political blocs, and removed the patriotic mask from the faces of the intruders from the parties and the corrupt.
| Models of Christmas trees with pictures of the victims of the protests and their names (Anatolia) |
In editing
After the Christians insisted that New Year's celebrations not be held, the Tahrir Square had a new flavor to celebrate, as Christmas trees this year were decorated in an innovative way, and Saqr Al-Zaidi, one of the organizers of the demonstrations in Tahrir, explains that the Christmas trees have a national and human nature, as they scarred the Iraqi flags and pictures of the protests killed.
The participant described the liberation demonstrations Imad Sobeih - who is a Christian - that decorating Christmas trees in this way reflects a clear message of protest against the corrupt.
| Christians in Baghdad, Nineveh, express their solidarity with Baghdad (the island) |
Other sects
It seems that the sense of responsibility and responsibility towards the homeland is a common factor among the various Iraqi factions. The civil activist, member of the Red Crescent Society, Shaima Al-Abbasi, said that the Christians ’position to boycott the celebrations reflects their respect for the blood of the victims of the demonstrations and the sharing of the nation’s concerns.
She noted that gratitude was expressed to Christians by visiting an elite of all Mosul sects for Christian neighborhoods, and by offering gifts to them.
Shaima continues to say that this exchange of feelings is the focus of the victory of the people's will against sectarianism and those behind it, confirming Al-Abed’s statement that most sectarian attempts broadcast by some political parties to serve their interests through the slogan of divide and conquer have failed.
Rand Khaled considered that the Christians' leaving the celebration is evidence of their national affiliation over any other affiliation.