KUWAIT MEDIA REACTION: SECTARIAN VIOLENCE

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 KUWAIT 000702 SIPDIS SIPDIS STATE FOR NEA/ARPI, NEA/PA, NEA/AIA, NEA/PI, INR/NESA, R/MR, I/GNEA, B/BXN, B/BRN, NEA/PPD, NEA/IPA FOR ALTERMAN USAID/ANE/MEA LONDON FOR TSOU PARIS FOR ZEYA E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: OPRC KMDR KPAO PREL KDEM PGOV KU SUBJECT: KUWAIT MEDIA REACTION: SECTARIAN VIOLENCE Selected Headlines -------------- ¶1. Thursday, 23 February 2006 -- Arab Times Front page "Urgent pleas against civil war" -- Al-Qabas Front page "Iraq races against sectarian violence" -- Al-Qabas p. 3 "The Amir denounces the explosion at the Imam Al-Hadi mausoleum: terrorist acts far from the teachings of our religion" -- Al-Rai Al-Aam front page "Explosion at the mausoleum of Ali Al-Hady and Hasan Al-Askari put Iraq on the brink of a 'sectarian war'" -- Al-Watan front page "Explosion at the two Imams' mausoleum ignites Iraq" -- Al-Watan p. 9 "Explosion at the Imam Al-Hady's mausoleum is music to the ears of the nation's enemies" -- Al-Seyassah front page "Iraq on the brink of a destructive sectarian war" -- Al-Seyassah p. 30 "Sectarian war knocks on Iraq's doors after the burning of dozens of Sunni mosques in response to an explosion at a Shiite mausoleum" -- Al-Anbaa front page "Sectarian war ignited in Iraq" ¶2. Friday, 24 February 2006 -- Arab Times front page "Scores dead in sectarian strife" -- The Daily Star front page "Kuwait Shiites protest attack on Iraqi mausoleum" -- Kuwait Times front page "Shiites Seethe" -- Al-Qabas front page "Iraq: the aftermath of the political strife continues" -- Al-Qabas p. 35 "Bush understands the Shiites' anger and calls for calm. The day hell's doors opened" -- Al-Rai Al-Aam front page "Kuwaiti Shiites demonstrated against Samraa explosion. Washington: Al-Qaeda targeted the Samraa mausoleum" -- Al-Rai Al-Aam p. 3 "Al-Khorafi: we call on Iraqis to let the opportunity pass for those who do not wish Iraq well" -- Al-Watan front page "War of the mosques" -- Al-Watan p. 4 "Demonstrators against the explosion at the Imams' mausoleum: yes yes to reform... no no to terrorism" -- Al-Watan p. 11 "More than Iraqi 100 killed most of them Sunnis and Baghdad's morgue is full of bodies... Attacks on dozens of mosques" -- Al-Seyassah front page "Sectarian violence explodes in Iraq 220 dead and 184 Sunni mosques burned" -- Al-Anbaa front page "The sectarian volcano has erupted in Iraq: assaults on 168 mosques and the execution of hundreds among them 12 Imam" ¶3. Saturday, 25 February 2006 -- Kuwait Times front page "Kuwaiti Shiites step up protests over shrine bombing Iraq on brink of civil war" -- Kuwait Times p. 19 "Foes, friend in Mideast say 'America to blame' Is Iraq headed for civil war, or worse?" -- Arab Times front page "Curfew stems Iraq bloodbath" -- Arab Times p. 18 "Foes, even friends blame US" KUWAIT 00000702 002 OF 003 -- Al-Qabas p. 6 "Those behind the explosion at the mausoleum are infidels and we will not allow them to penetrate our unity" -- Al-Rai Al-Aam p. 7 "The Imam of the grand mosque in Friday's sermon: Hold on to national unity... it is a blessing" -- Al-Watan p. 35 "General Abizaid: Terrorists with ties to Al-Qaeda attacked the shrine to ignite sectarian violence in the region" -- Al-Seyassah front page "Naser Al-Mohamed: The situation in Iraq is dangerous and approaching chaos"; "Al-Sistani warns of Shiite anger and Al-Mahdi army continues it revenge" -- Al-Seyassah p. 4 "Al-Mubarak: We are worried about Iran developing its nuclear reactors and have implemented procedures for emergencies" ¶4. Sunday, 26 February 2006 -- Arab Times front page "Sunnis, Shias in pact amid fears of 'endless civil war'" -- Arab Times p. 7 "Vehicle coming in from Iraq to be disinfected against bird flu" -- Al-Qabas front page "The Iraqi government warns of an open war" -- Al-Qabas p. 4 "Buffer zone between Kuwait and Iraq to prevent avian flu" -- Al-Seyassah front page "Fahd Al-Salim: Washing racks in Al-Abdali to sanitize vehicles coming from Iraq" -- Al-Seyassah p. 24 "Al-Jaafari's government seals off Baghdad and warns: If the civil war start it will not end" -- Al-Anbaa front page "Waterfalls of blood continue in Iraq" Block Quotes -------------- ¶5. Sunday, 26 February 2006 -- Mohamed Yousef Al-Melaifi wrote in the pro-government daily Al-Seyassah under the title "Not a thousand golden domes...not even the Kaaba": "I do not see a good reason for all the commotion for a dome that was demolished; we can build a thousand domes in its place. This demolished dome's sacredness was not mentioned in the Quraan nor was it mentioned in Sunna. While we are emphatically against attacking places of worship, before us is a religious matter that must be clarified to the people. A true believer adheres to the truth even if it is against his interest. What people must realize is that mosques are sacred and the most sacred among them is the Haram in Mecca and the most sacred object within it is the Kaaba. But, what is more sacred to God is a true believer, one who worships no other. This is not a claim I make, it is the truth that Islam has taught us and that our beloved prophet has pointed out to us. Therefore those claim that they want to avenge their sacred places are only infringing upon the sacredness of what is greater than those sacred places. The Sunni mosques that have been burnt are a thousand times less horrendous than the killing of a number of Imams of mosques. Stone can be rebuilt to be bigger and more beautiful than before but the souls of the believers that have departed do not equate a thousand golden domes, not even the Kaaba itself." -- Salah Al-Fadly wrote in the moderate daily Al-Rai Al-Aam under the title "The sectarian turmoil in Iraq": "It was not unexpected that the subscribers to the Takfiri ideology would attack the Imam Al-Hady's shrine as they see that visiting such places as a form of worship to the person buried there. While such an act does not damage the image of the Imam Al-Hady nor does lessen people's love and respect for him, it shows the true colors of their savage souls and the devilish ideas that flourish in their brains. Iraqis have survived many assaults carried out by these Takfiris, but when it comes to sacred places and the mausoleums and shrines of the Imams this is a matter beyond patience and perseverance. And if expressing anger is justifiable by the greatness of this incident, it does not justify the attacks on some mosques. The mosques that were attacked as a form of revenge do not belong to the Sunnis, they belong to all Muslims. That is why attacks against any mosques or shrine are unforgivable." KUWAIT 00000702 003 OF 003 -- Adel Al-Qassar wrote in the progressive daily Al-Qabas under the title "When mosques are attacked": "Is this a minor or major sign that a civil war is erupting in Iraq? Attacking the shrine of the Imams Al-Hady and Al-Askari and other sacred places is a criminal act the perpetrators of which knew would ignite the flame of sectarian strife among Iraqis. We ask of the rational elements to control themselves and realize the ramifications of such acts. We call on the clerics and politicians of both sects to allow the opportunity of civil war to pass and to contain the sectarian conflict. God will fight those who ignite sectarian conflict." -- Ahmed Abdul Rahman Al-Kous wrote in the moderate daily Al-Watan under the title "With what brain and which religion does one burn mosques and copies of the Quraan": "He who thinks a Muslim agrees to attacking a mosque is mistaken, Islam forbids attacking, killing, and vandalizing of all kinds. Sadly, the reaction to the attack on the shrine was irrational because until now the perpetrators have not been identified. Let us be cautious as the country may be on the brink of a civil war that will destroy everything. There are many questions surrounding this heinous crime, such as how did the perpetrators get past the American forces, the Iraqi National Guard, the Maghawir security forces, and the Ministry of Interior's forces? In my opinion the perpetrators are the enemies of Iraq who want to distract the American forces and the Iraqi people. How can more than 300 Sunni mosques be burnt in retaliation for an attack on a Shiite mosque, aren't mosques the houses of God and how can 1500 copies of the Quran be burnt and desecrated? What will we as Muslims say to the world? Do we agree to the desecration of the Quran in Guantanamo and the caricatures that offend our prophet in Denmark? It was the clerics' responsibility to not enrage the Iraqis and call on them to demonstrate and move on mosques and burn them. With which brain and under which religion do they tolerate the burning of God's houses and the holy scriptures? How can the innocent Imams be killed? The rational ones among the Sunnis and Shiites should realize that only Iraqi unity and the Iraqi people stand to lose and the beneficiary is the occupying enemy who will prolong his stay in Iraq a few more years." ¶6. Monday, 27 February 2006 -- Dr. Shafiq Nazim Al-Ghabra wrote in the moderate daily Al-Rai Al-Aam under the title "Civil war in Iraq... where to?": "Violence against the Shiites and their sacred placed and violence against the Sunnis and their mosques and death everywhere, that is the situation in Iraq. We cannot forget the history behind all of this. It was the Sunnis who controlled Iraq under Saddam's regime which committed horrific repression against the Shiites, the Kurds, and other Iraqis who opposed it. This created a reaction and a feeling among Shiites and Kurds of hatred and resentment. The end of Saddam's regime and the beginning of a new era created the basis for the problem of mistrust between the Sunnis and Shiites into a greater problem. The Sunnis did not accept the change and the Shiites did not overcome what happened to them for years therefore the issue of mistrust remained. Matters became more complicated with the general feeling throughout the Arab world that Iraqi Shiites are but an extension of Iran and its influence. We find that the nature of the role played by Iran, being the most influential country in Iraq after the United States, adds to the complication of the problem, its contradictions, and the fear it produces. The attack on the shrine reflects the views and hostility of some fundamentalist Sunnis towards the Shiites and their wish for civil war to break out in Iraq so that the United States and the new government can fail." ********************************************* * For more reporting from Embassy Kuwait, visit: http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/nea/kuwait/?cable s Visit Kuwait's Classified Website: http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/nea/kuwait/ ********************************************* * LEBARON