RRT ERBIL: THE SILENT IMAMS, DEALING WITH EXTEMIST

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 BAGHDAD 000429

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/17/2024
TAGS: PGOV PRL PHUM PTER SOCI PINR IZ
SUBJECT: RRT ERBIL: THE SILENT IMAMS, DEALING WITH EXTEMIST
MESSAGES IN THE KURDISTAN REGION - RESEND

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Classified By: Regional Coordinator Lucy Tamlyn for reasons 1.4 (b) and
(d).

This is an Erbil Regional Reconstruction Team (RRT) cable.


1. (C) Summary: A number of Muslim leaders in the Kurdistan
region took to the pulpit in December/January to denounce
Israeli actions in the Gaza strip and call for the
destruction of the Israeli state and death to Jews. In
response, the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) banned
these Imams from preaching (while continuing to pay their
salaries.) Kurds generally accept the government,s right to
curb extremist rhetoric. Nonetheless, government
interference in religious messages can sometimes cause
resentment. KRG leadership has asked for U.S. support in
promoting a tolerant, peaceful Islam, particularly through
exchanges (U.S. Muslim visitors to the Kurdistan Region and
vice-versa). End Summary.


2. (SBU) For a four-week period after the Israeli actions
against Gaza commenced, certain religious leaders in the
Kurdistan Region used their Friday sermons to exhort their
congregations to acts of violence against Jews, Israel and
the supporters of Israel. Some examples: On December 5 an
Imam prayed for the Palestinian people and asked God to rain
his anger at the Jewish people and destroy them. On December
5, at another mosque, the congregation was prompted to pray
that God would destroy Israel and kill all the Jewish people.
On January 16 an Imam told his followers &we should pray
that God will destroy all the Jewish people.8 During his
prayer, he asked God to kill the Jews one by one until none
of them was left alive. He also prayed that God would &kill
those who support the country of Israel8 as well.


3. (C) RRT Team Leader (TL) discussed the mosque messages
with Minister of the Interior Karim Sinjari on January 21,
Prime Minister Barzani on January 25 and the Minister of the
Endowment (Religious Affairs) Mohammad Ahmad Saeed Shakaly on
January 28. All three were aware of the issue, concerned by
it and readily listed the action that the Government was
taking to stop the messages. Interior Minister Sinjari
stated that he had employees at every mosque listening to the
sermon and making a report. He also noted that ) while he
had permitted a meeting to denounce the situation in Gaza
organized by the Kurdistan Islamic Group (KIG),he had not
allowed that meeting to turn into a public demonstration.


4. (C) The Minister of the Endowment informed RRT TL that 15
Imams had been banned from preaching. According to him, 90%
of these were affiliated with the KIG or Kurdistan Islamic
Union (KIU). They would continue to draw their government
salary but would not be allowed to return to preaching until
further notice. (The Minister also noted that he personally
attended a different service every week, and if he was
pleased with the sermon, would send a &gift8 to the Imam.)
The Minister of the Endowment commented to RRT TL that his
actions had drawn death threats from Mullah Krekar, the
founder of Kurdistan,s Ansar Al Islam and currently a
political refugee in Norway.


5. (SBU) The government also took the step of ensuring that
these bans were made public. On January 20, Awene newspaper
reported that a preacher in Erbil mosque had been removed
because he &exaggerated concerning the Israeli attacks on
Gaza and praised the Hamas leader.8 According to the same
article, another Imam was removed from his job because he
Qarticle, another Imam was removed from his job because he
called for a collection to be made for Gaza during the
sermon. He was also accused of &terrifying the people of
Kurdistan in the name of Islam8 and &encouraging people to
stand against the national interest.8 The article pointed
out that all of the preachers were receiving a salary from
the government; as employees of the Ministry of the Endowment
they are obliged to comply with the law. The KRG also
disseminated through government media an article written by
the Minister of the Endowment on the importance of separating
religious affairs from political affairs.

Promoting Tolerance
--------------


6. (C) Prime Minister Barzani informed RRT Team Leader that
a conference would be organized on February 15 to bring
together all of the clerics in order to help them understand
that religion and politics do not mix. (Note: The RRT has
been invited to this conference and will attend the opening
ceremony. End note). During the meeting with the Minister
of the Endowment he asked for RRT support in promoting
exchanges with Muslim Americans visiting the Kurdistan Region
(and vice-versa, particularly with those Imams who were,
according to him, getting their &talking points8 from

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extremist sources outside of the country) in order to
encourage mutual understanding and promote a more tolerant
and peaceful Islam.

&Our Israeli Brothers and Sisters8
--------------


7. (C) The Gaza crisis also brought to the fore what must be
a unique sub-current of solidarity with Israel which exists
in the Kurdistan Region, not only as a result of ethnic ties
with Kurds in Israel, but also because of the shared
experience as victims of genocide. In an opinion piece
published in the independent newspaper Roznama, writer
Pishitwan Gulpi apologized to his Kurdish Israeli &brothers
and sisters8 for the actions of KIG leader Ali Bapir (who
had organized the meeting in support of Hamas). Pishitwan
accused Ali Bapir of encouraging actions against Israel
&which might kill even more innocent people(including some
who might be Kurds.8 In his own press release, Ali Bapir
claimed that he held the meeting in support of Hamas in part
to put to rest rumors that Kurdistan supported Israel.

Comment
--------------

8. (C) Most Kurds accept the right of Kurdish leadership to
curb extremist messages and to clamp down on religious
leaders whose words and actions are seen to threaten the
Region,s security. Nonetheless, congregations can resent
the government,s control over religious messages. For
example, when a popular preacher in Suleymaniya (who had
criticized the new Personal Status Law) was replaced with
another Imam (whose Friday message was &pray for rain8),
many disgruntled worshippers pointedly walked out of the
mosque. Given the strong pro-American sentiment in the
Region, visits would be well received and reinforce
government efforts to maintain the Kurdistan Region,s
tradition of moderate and tolerant Islam. End comment.
BUTENIS