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Continuous wrangling over inconclusive elections will push Iraq over the abyss, warns Louis Raphaël I Sako, the Chaldean Patriarch of Babylon
By La Croix International staff | Iraq
Iraqi's leading Catholic leader has reiterated his call for politicians to dialogue and break the political gridlock following an inconclusive election but this time pleading for them to avoid dragging into the abyss a nation exhausted by war.
"If we do not quickly emerge from the chaos the Iraqi nation plunged into after the October general election, the country will face the worst, and we all know Iraq cannot bear more", Cardinal Louis Raphaël I Sako, the Chaldean Patriarch of Babylon said in a November 16 statement.
He called on national parties and politicians in the country to put aside wicked behavior and avoid dragging into the abyss a nation exhausted by decades of war, Fides reported.
The cardinal said his appeal is for "sincere and courageous national dialogue" involving all national actors -- political leaders, intellectuals and religious leaders -- who are interested in ensuring the reliability of the electoral process and respect for the results of the polls.
"It is only by following this path that it will be possible to reach an acceptable solution in accordance with the Iraqi constitution and law, in order to accelerate the formation of a national government capable of correcting the path, fighting corruption, protecting the sovereignty and unity of the country and protect the security and dignity of Iraqis" he said.
Cardinal Sako's message was disseminated through the Chaldean Church's official communication channels.
In October, the cardinal reminded politicians that "winners have the right to rejoice… but they do not have the right to 'break' the losers". He pleaded with those who think they have been unfairly treated to turn to the judiciary rather than weapons.
Only 43 percent of the Iraqi electorate voted in nationwide elections on October 10.
No party won an outright majority as there were at least 167 parties backing over 3,200 candidates for parliamentary seats.
The Sadrist Movement, a coalition of parties led by the Shia cleric Muqtada al-Sadr, won 73 seats in the 329-member parliament. This gives it a decisive vote in choosing the next Iraqi prime minister. Muqtada al-Sadr has already claimed victory in Iraqi election.
The Kurdistan Democratic Party won 33 seats, making it the single largest political party. The Fatah Alliance, a Shia bloc with links to Iran, won 14 seats.
The results have led to much political wrangling with each party jockeying for influence in deciding the next prime minister.
The current Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi is not seeking re-election but could still return for a second term if a majority backs him.
In Baghdad, protesters maintain garrisons in the "Green Zone" -- an area where government offices and embassies are located -- and accuse the independent commission of falsifying the results.
On November 5, violent clashes took place between security forces and Fatah protesters who had tried to enter the Green Zone, leaving two dead and 125 injured international media reported.
Two days later, the residence of Prime Minister al-Kadhimi was destroyed in a drone attack. Although there were no casualties, it risked plunging the country into a civil war, reopening clashes between Sunni and Shia Muslims.
"Following the attack on your residence in Baghdad, His holiness, Pope Francis wishes me to convey his prayerful closeness to you and your family, and to those injured," read the telegram signed by Vatican Secretary of State, Cardinal Pietro Parolin.
Pope Francis condemned the attack as a "vile act of terrorism" and expressed the hope that the Iraqi people "will be confirmed in wisdom and strength in pursuing the path of peace through dialogue and fraternal solidarity."
The pope had visited Iraq in March, making stops at Baghdad, Mosul, Qaraqosh and Erbil. The prime minister was part of the delegation that greeted Pope Francis upon his arrival at the Baghdad International Airport.
In July, Pope Francis received al-Kadhimi in a private audience in the Vatican.
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