“Let the guns be silent! “, launched Pope Francis, Friday March 5 on his arrival in Iraq, for the first papal visit in the history of the country, ravaged by wars. Speaking to the Iraqi authorities – including President Barham Saleh – the leader of the 1.3 billion Catholics in the world raised all the hot topics.
He notably returned to the fate of the Yazidi minority, targeted by members of the Islamic State (IS) organization from 2014, and whose thousands of women have been reduced to sexual slavery.
“I cannot fail to recall the Yazidis, innocent victims of senseless and inhuman barbarities, persecuted for their religious affiliation, whose very identity and survival have been threatened. “
“Enough violence, extremism, intolerance”, also hammered the sovereign pontiff. Enough also of the ” corruption “, which led hundreds of thousands of Iraqis to demonstrate for months at the end of 2019. At the time, the Pope urged Iraq to stop repressing its young people in demand for justice. It is necessary “Build justice”, again pleaded the Argentine dignitary.
It is also necessary that “No one is considered a second-class citizen”, he argued. In particular Christians, who represent 1% of the country’s population – they are now only 400,000, against 1.5 million twenty years ago. The Pope therefore recalled their “Very ancient presence on this earth”, pleading for “Their participation in public life” in their capacity as “Citizens enjoying full rights, freedom and responsibility”.
Dozens of mass graves
Under high protection, traveling alone and masked under strict confinement in the face of the Covid-19 epidemic, the 84-year-old Pope came in “Pilgrim of peace” to comfort one of the oldest Christian communities in the world, withered by violence and poverty.
On Sunday, he will participate in an ecumenical prayer in Ur, in the south of the country, the cradle of Patriarch Abraham (presented by tradition as the father of monotheisms). At his side will be Yazidi, Shiite, Sunni and Sabaean dignitaries.
The chief investigator of the United Nations, Karim Khan, estimated on Friday that the papal visit delivered “A message of union, peace and coexistence between communities”. “The visits of the Holy Father to Mosul and Karakoch”, cities “Ravaged by the crimes of the IS, will be deep and personal moments for the Christians of Iraq”, he added. And this will underline that “Every life counts”, continued the head of a mission which has already begun examining dozens of mass graves, including Yazidis.
“Our shared determination to promote justice, tolerance and reconciliation is the best way to combat the legacy of ISIS”, concluded the official, present at the time of the papal address to politicians and diplomats in Baghdad.
During his stay – which will end on Monday at the end of 1445 km traveled mainly by air to avoid areas where jihadists are still hiding -, François will reach out to Muslims by meeting the great Ayatollah Ali Al-Sistani, highest authority in Islam for many Shiites in Iraq and around the world.
