Iraq's Patriarch Raphael I Bidawid
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Click here for Full Issue of Fidelio Volume 1, Number 3, Fall 1992 --� I NTERVI EW _.. --- ------------ His Beatitude Raphael I Bidawid, Patriarch, Chaldean Catholic Church in Iraq His Beatitude Raphael I Bidawid is the highest authority of the large Catholic community in Iraq, andfr om this position serves as the spokesman fo r all Christians there. He has been an outspoken critic of the New World Order policy, and has been active in supporting relief effo rts fo r the Iraqi population, starved by the ongoing embargo. Among these effo rts is the Committee to Save the Children in I rag, initiated by Helga Zepp -LaRouchefo r the Schiller Institute. His Beatitude Raphael I Bidawid was a cofounder of the Committee, together with Mrs. LaRouche and Dr. Prof Ha ns Koechler, President of the International Progress Orga nization of Vienna. Muriel Mirak-Weissbach, who has coordinated workfor the Committee since its inception last May 1991, was in Baghdad and met with (/) His Beatitude at the Patriarchate on April 29 and 30, 1992. On that occasion, the z a: Pa triarch had the fo llowing to say. iii Fidelio: Can you tell us something here in Baghdad and eight dioceses, population. Therefore we live peace about the Christian community in Iraq with churches in Al Basrah, Kirkuk, fully together, Christians, Muslims, and its relations to other communities? Sulaymaniyah, Arbil, Mosul, Al Kosh, and even a small community of Jews Patriarch Bidawid: Out of a popula Dora, Amadiyah, and Zakho in Kur (about two hundred fa milies). In addi tion of eighteen million, one million distan. Our relations with others are tion to the Chaldeans, there are a num are Christians; eighty percent of them very good because we are one people; ber of sects, the Mandaeans, faithful of Catholics, and ninety percent of them, some became Christians, some later St. John the Baptist. This small sect, Chaldeans. We have the Patriarchate became Muslims, but we are the same whose members say they are our cous ins because St. John was the cousin of Christ, are the descendants of the Essenes, and live by rivers, because many of their rituals, including bap tism, require ablutions with natural waters. There are even some so-called fire-worshippers, the Zoroastrians, who, because they intermarry, have limited descendants. They are often called "devil worshippers" and wor ship a metal peacock. Fidelio: The Vatican's initiative to lift the embargo against Iraq has been widely publicized. I understand you had an important role in this. Patriarch Bidawid: Yes. This em bargo is being implemented against the population for no reason whatso ever. The war is over; so the embargo should be over as well. On March 23, I was received by His Holiness, Pope John Paul II in Rome, and briefed Committee to Save the Children In Iraq: Committee coordinator Muriel Mirak him on the effects of the embargo. We issbach (right) holds press conference with Iraqi children arriving in the U.S. Following that meeting, he sent Alois fo r medical treatment, April 1992. Wagner with a high level delegation 67 © 1992 Schiller Institute, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without permission strictly prohibited. +'<' oW\ 8\1 SI.\' S to Tl-\YROtD Committee to Save the Children in Iraq demonstrates against the embargo, Los Angeles, June 1991. to Iraq. They saw the situation with years, lived through the whole war. things, I wouldn't dare walk outside." their own eyes, returned to Rome with What Israel did in Lebanon, what it What a disgrace! a report on a Sunday, and on the fo l did in Iraq, was to try to show the lowing Wednesday, the Pope made a world that religious coexistence is im Fidelio: Can the Vatican intervene declaration in his weekly audience. possible. When the president of Leba into the Israeli situation? The situation was so urgent that the non, in the name of all Arabs, gave the Patriarch Bidawid: The Patriarch of Pope did not want to lose time. example of his country as a model fo r Jerusalem told us, at a recent meeting We do the best we can, in political coexistence among Christians, Mus of the Patriarchs, that it is very difficult channels. Contacts with American and lims, and Jews, Israel began the war to imagine how bad the situation of European leaders have continued, but against Lebanon, a war which created the Christians in Israel is. If there were they always run up against a wall. The an abyss between Christians and Mus 100,000 before the war, now there are only authority which remained close lims. Israel says, "it's a chimera to about 20,000 Christians there, and they to Iraq was the Vatican. Even the Arab think the religions can live together in are persecuted, degraded-not by countries-with the exception of Jor peace." But Lebanon lived fo r fo rty weapons, but otherwise. It is possible dan-did not move. Jordan was the years in religious peace. that one day there may be no Chris only one to show a noble attitude, that Here in Iraq, the same thing. I am tians left on the land where Christ of King Hussein, who made a fa mous a Christian, but my lawyer is a Mus was. The Patriarch is not well liked in speech, for which he was threatened. lim, fo r example. Israel has a policy of Israel-he lives in Jerusalem-but he Syria betrayed us, for understandable encouraging emigration, and the Jew has a lot of courage. The West does reasons. The Vatican was the only au ish people who left our country, not want to hear this. thority which defended us against the claimed they were persecuted-be war and against the embargo. cause if they did not say so, they would Fidelio: But there are "peace negotia What I did was simply my duty, as not have been accepted. But they did tions" going on, at least officialiy. head of the Christians in Iraq, to try not leave because they were perse Patriarch Bidawid: Israel will never to defend the population, and I mean cuted. Why do Italians leave fo r the accept Christians at the same level, but the entire population, Christian and United States? Because they are perse will continue to treat them as second Muslim alike. They are all my broth cuted? No, because they are seeking a class citizens. All these negotiations are ers, a Muslim baby is like my baby. I better life or jobs. There is a world idle chatter. What sense does it make tried to explain this to people recently wide propaganda campaign waged to negotiate, while Israel is continuing in Germany, but they are full of pre against Iraq, organized by Zionist in with new settlements? This is the New conceived notions. The Muslim versus stitutions. The world does not under World Order of George Bush: Arabs Christian conflict which they have stand this. I was in the United States, are living there, then a Russian immi fixed in their minds, does not exist. I and said these things. One person grant arrives, and the Arab is thrown told them: there is no religious conflict. asked me, "Aren't you afraid of speak off the land. I lived in Lebanon for twenty-three ing out against Israel? If I said these Sad dam Hussein said he would 68 'Saddam Hussein said he would withdraw from Kuwait, on condition that Palestine, Lebanon, the entire region, were discussed all together. But Baker said no linkage, and that led to the war. Now the world has to admit the injustice done to Iraq.' Committee airlift brings children to Germany fo r medical treatment, fuly 1991. withdraw from Kuwait, on condition reminds me of a proverb we have, freedom to do good, not evil. In the that Palestine, Lebanon, the entire re "You can't tell the lion that his breath West, there is no democracy, only the gion with all its problems, were dis smells." Why? Because he would de most abject slavery. One is ashamed to cussed together. But Baker said "no vour you. No one dares tell the lion. walk through the streets of Rome, to linkage," and that led to the war. Now So, what are the perspectives? The see the scenes one sees. I know an the world has to admit the injustice Lord needs our help. We cannot do ambassador in Rome who fe ars for the done to Iraq. The United States was anything, if Europe remains passive. well-being of his children, who may the only one calling the shots; the As for the U.S., the problem is one of see such things. I have a nephew, who U.S.S.R. no longer existed, and no one moral degeneracy. When I was in the wanted to go to Paris to study at the else even raised a finger. In Bonn, U.S., I saw a marriage performed on Sorbonne. I said, that was crazy: he when I expressed this, a fo rmer ambas television, between two men! What should study in Beirut, get a law de sador told me, "Beatitude, I accept can one expect from that kind of a gree, then, when he was older, mar what you say completely, but, you world, where such perversion is legal ried, he could go to Paris! know, I cannot say this, because others ized? It's like the Roman Empire in would say that I was going against the its collapsing phase.