Iraqi Christians pray for peace on sombre Christmas

BADHDAD, Dec 23: Iraqi Christians won’t be celebrating Christmas this year. Midnight mass, the centrepiece of Christmas festivities in Iraq, has been cancelled because of night-time curfews.

Few will be showing up to Church on Christmas morning, scared that insurgents who have bombed churches, Mosques and Muslim religious festivals, will strike again.

"We usually go to midnight mass and then a celebration and then we go home where the family gathers for dinner," said Bushra Gorjis, 31, a cleaner. "This year we are not going to Church because everyone is scared of the terrorists."

While Iraq’s Christian minority, some three percent of the population, had little power under Saddam Hussein, they were free to worship without the threat of sectarian violence.

With Iraq’s Government struggling to stop the bombings, murders and kidnappings that have left nothing sacred, Christians say the size of their community makes them feel particularly vulnerable.

A guard armed with an assault rifle rocks back and forth on his chair outside the imposing gateway of our lady of salvation Syrian Catholic Church in Baghdad’s Karrada district.

The building is ringed with barbed wire and concrete blocks to stop cars from parking too close. They were set up after Aug 1, when the Church was one of five in Baghdad and the northern city of Mosul hit in coordinated attacks which killed 12 people.

The bombs detonated during early evening prayers when pews were packed, clearly intended to inflict maximum casualties.

Bombings of Churches, like attacks on Mosques and Muslim shrines, have been nothing unusual in Iraq since.

Five Baghdad Churches were bombed on the Oct 16 start of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan. Eight were killed in two Church bombings on Nov 8. A car bomb exploded near police guarding the hospital where the wounded had been taken.

Once Avid Churchgoers, only the most devout of Iraq’s 650,000 Christians, now venture to mass, even on Sunday.

The seventh day adventist Church in Baghdad has not opened its doors to worshippers since a bomb shattered its stained glass windows and set part of the building ablaze in September.

The Church, its huge arched windows still boarded up, will remain closed on Christmas day. The pastor will instead visit parishioners in their homes to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ in Bethlehem some 2,000 years ago.

At Baghdad’s virgin Mary Church, hundreds of worshippers used to spill into staircases and aisles during midnight mass and Christmas day rites. This year the mood will be more sombre.

"Christian Churches are not officially celebrating Christmas this year," said father Boutros Haddad. "All we will have are morning prayers in which we will ask the heavens to return to Iraq the peace the Angels brought to earth when Jesus was born."

No one is booking restaurants, hotels and clubs for traditional Christmas parties this year.

Iraqi Christians, most from the early Assyrian and Chaldean Churches, say they will celebrate at home. Even there, trees festooned with coloured lights and dancing Santa Claus dolls sit well away from windows. No one wants to invite trouble.

"We feel like there is no Christmas this year. We cannot go anywhere. We haven’t prepared any special food," said Raad, who was too scared to give his second name.

"Why would anyone want to take Christmas away from children who look forward to it all year. Who are these people who attack ordinary Iraqis?".

Iraqi Christians have always kept a low political profile, aware of the precariousness of their position in a country dominated by Sunni and Shi’ite Muslim Arabs and Kurds.

Even before Churches became targets, attacks on liquor stores, music shops and hairdressers were common.

Women were increasingly harassed in the street for exposing their hair or skin, raising Christian fears they would be singled out by Islamic extremists who have gained influence since last year’s US -led war toppled the secular Baathist Government.

The chaos has left Iraqis of all religions feeling scared.

But some Christians, proud of their roots in Iraq which long pre-date the seventh century arrival of Islam, feel especially vulnerable because of the perception that their religion gives them something in common with the Americans occupying Iraq.

William Warda, spokesman for the Assyrian democratic movement, said both Muslims and Christians were targets.

"When they kill a professor or hit an oil pipeline they are hitting all of Iraq it is a conspiracy to divide the country. But Christians are a weak link as we have no power, militias and tribal structure," Warda said.

"We hope people vote because with an elected Government they will no longer be able to complain about occupation."

Elections are not until Jan 30 and shops selling artificial Christmas trees, sparkly baubles and golden bells say business was never so bad. No one is in the mood to celebrate.

"Usually, I would have run out of decorations by now, but this year no one is buying," said Setta, whose Silva flowers shop is lined with red poinsettias and decorated trees.

"We are living in Iraq, the land of war, not New York. We even played down our own decorations this year in case someone comes and blows us up." (AGENCIES)

Palestinians vote in litmus test local poll

RAMALLAH, WEST BANK, Dec 23: Palestinians voted today in the first municipal elections in the West Bank in nearly three decades, a dress rehearsal for a Presidential ballot next month to choose Yasser Arafat’s successor.

The elections were expected to be a test of strength between the dominant Fatah movement and Islamists sworn to destroying Israel.

"This is democracy and freedom, and God willing we will choose the right people who will serve our needs," said Rahma Hamed, a school principal who voted in a village near Ramallah.

In the West Bank, roughly 1,000 candidates were competing for about 300 seats on 26 local councils, mostly in villages, during the first phase of the elections. A similar poll in the Gaza Strip was delayed because violence prevented registration.

Long lines formed in front of polling stations for what was also the first Palestinian ballot since Arafat was elected President in 1996.

"This is a very important election because it prepares the way for the Presidential election," said Firas Yaghi, head of the Municipal Electoral Commission.

On Jan 9., Palestinians will choose a successor to Arafat, whose death in a Paris hospital from an undisclosed illness last month has revived hopes for Israeli-Palestinian peacemaking and triggered a wave of diplomatic initiatives.

Almost certain to win that election is Fatah candidate Mahmoud Abbas, a US-favoured moderate who opposes armed struggle and is expected to try and revive negotiations.

But Fatah, which wants a state on land captured by Israel in 1967, faces a tougher challenge in the municipal ballot from Islamist groups standing in Palestinian elections for the first time — though still boycotting the Presidential vote.

"It will be a challenge between Fatah and Hamas. It shows Palestinians are thirsty for democracy and I can assure you fatah will win," said Hussein Sheikh, a senior Fatah leader.

A good showing for supporters of Hamas militants in the municipal elections could make it tougher for Abbas when it comes to getting fighters to disarm or accept a ceasefire after the Presidential election.

Fatah could take comfort from polls since Arafat’s death. One from the Jerusalem media and communication center showed Fatah with a nearly 42 percent trust rating compared to 26 percent in June. Hamas had slipped to 20 percent from 22 percent.

Violence has continued despite the new optimism, especially in the occupied Gaza Strip where militants want to portray a planned Israeli pullout next year as a victory. Israel vows to smash them before its plan to "disengage" from conflict.

Four Palestinians and one Israeli were killed in separate shootings on Wednesday.

Three of the Palestinians were gunmen killed in battles with Israeli soldiers who raided Khan Younis refugee camp in Gaza in response to mortar attacks on Jewish settlements. The troops withdrew from the camp late on Wednesday.

Voting began at 0700 hours local time 0500 gmt and ends at 1900 hours 1700 gmt. Results are expected later today. (AGENCIES)

Insurgency in Iraq is "very serious": Powell

WASHINGTON, Dec 23: Describing the insurgency in Iraq as "very serious", US Secretary of State Colin Powell has said the insurgents can be defeated by raising Iraqi forces soon and providing them with logistical and other support.

"If we can build up the Iraqi forces fast enough to take over from us, and if we can support them with logistics as well as may be some continued presence, then there is no reason this isn’t defeatable," Powell, a former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, told `Paris match’ in an interview released by the State Department today.

Vietnam "was a case where we didn’t have a clear enough strategy," he said, adding US has a clear strategy in Iraq.

Powell revealed for the first time that he strongly recommended to President George W Bush to go to war against the taliban in afghanistan first before going to war against Saddam Hussein’s Iraq while others were urging that he move against Iraq first. He claimed "most of the time" Bush listened to his advice.

Asked whether it is not frustrating to go all the way to the top as Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and resign, and go ahead all the way to the top as the Secretary of State and resign again, Powell responded: "No, this is life."

"I don’t need to go higher," said Powell. "I just need to have work that is satisfying and that is contributing. I did not lobby to become national security advisor. I did not lobby to become Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and I did not ask to become Secretary of State."

Powell said he has no desire to run for elective office. (PTI)

Annan for tough measures to end fighting in Darfur

UNITED NATIONS, Dec 23: The UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan has called for tougher measures by the Security Council to end fighting between Government-backed forces and rebels in western Darfur region of Sudan saying quite frankly our approach (so far) has not worked.

Both Annan and the council yesterday condemned the repeated violations of ceasefire by Sudan Government and rebel forces. While the council threatened to consider a full range of options if the fighting does not stop, Annan was more forthright asking it to put more pressure on the parties to cease fighting and hold individuals responsible for atrocities accountable.

The council has so far adopted two resolutions threatening sanctions but has been unable to take any strong action mainly because of opposition from China which imports oil from Sudan. But Chinese Ambassador Wang Guangya said Beijing was prepared to consider further action if both sides are targeted.

However, the Council has not scheduled any meeting in the remaining days of the current year.

Annan also called on the Council to work with African Union to speed up deployment of more of AU forces on the ground which would deter fighting. So far AU has deployed only 900 troops of 4000 in a region. Among the reason for slow deployment is financial constraint.

Some 70,000 people have died in Darfur in about two years fighting and 1.8 million have been rendered homeless and have become either internally displaced persons or have fled to neighbouring chad where they are having problem with local population because of scarce resources.

About US Deputy Ambassador Stuart Hollidays suggestion that he pay another visit to Sudan in view of deteriorating situation in Darfur, Annan did not rule out the trip but asserted that it is necessary for the organization to urgently reassess the situation as the current approach is not working.

Stressing on the need for further measures to stop fighting, he said that exercise has first to be done at the United Nations headquarters and not by a trip. Obviously, they are not mutually exclusive and whenever a trip will be helpful, he would be ready to go.

The humanitarian organizations continue to report that conditions of insecurity prevail at several places and that is hindering their work to provide urgent relief to the needy and some areas are still inaccessible.

The trouble in Darfur started almost 22 months ago when two African groups revolted alleging discrimination and Government sought help of Arab janjaweed militia to suppress the rebellion.

But the militia now stands accused to killing, raping, destroying houses and crops Africans residents of the area which the human rights organizations have described variously as ethnic cleansing and genocide. (PTI)

N Korean defectors leave Canada’s Beijing mission

OTTAWA, Dec 23: A group of 44 North Korean asylum seekers who scaled the walls of Canada’s embassy in Beijing in September have now all left the mission, a Canadian official said.

The official would not tell reuters where the group had gone. In the past, North Koreans who manage to gain entry into foreign missions in beijing eventually make their way to South Korea. (AGENCIES)

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