Return to Transcripts main page
CNN Live Saturday
Update On Religious Demonstrations In Iraq
Aired October 11, 2003 - 18:01 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL LIN, CNN ANCHOR: CNN's Jane Arraf is covering a lot today. She joins us live now from Karbala.
Jane, are there still demonstrations in the streets?
JANE ARRAF, CNN BAGHDAD BUREAU CHIEF: Carol, they're more like celebrations, and they've been going on for hours, probably about 12 hours now. Now, hundreds of thousands of Shias have streamed into the city. This is a holy city. And behind me, the mosque where Hussein (ph), the grandson of the prophet Mohammed was buried.
They have come here to pray for the return of a religious leader who disappeared in the ninth century who they believe is still alive. And on his return, the day of judgment will follow.
Now, they haven't been able to celebrate this occasion like this for decades. It's absolutely extraordinary. They have been dancing in the streets, as I say, for hours now. They've been lighting candles, praying at the tombs.
And in the background, there are announcements from one of the main religious clerics, one of the main Shia leaders, a young cleric named (UNINTELLIGIBLE), who has declared that he is forming an independent Islamic state. Now, it's not clear exactly how he's going to (UNINTELLIGIBLE) doing this, but it was certainly a challenge to the coalition authorities, to the Governing Council, and to the status quo in Iraq as it is -- Carol.
LIN: Jane, this declaration for an independent Islamic state, how threatening is that to the work that the U.S. coalition is now trying to do to rebuild Iraq?
ARRAF: It certainly (UNINTELLIGIBLE) to it. Now, we have to point out that, so far, this has all been very peaceful, this demonstration itself, this celebration here. Massive amounts of people, not a soldier in sight.
The Americans have handed it over to the Bulgarians. They've cut far away. And the organization here, the religious organization that's in charge of the mosque and followers of the religious leaders who called for an independent state have done a really good job of actually maintaining security, which is what we've seen in many places, many incidents.
You have to remember that these demonstrations were seen in (UNINTELLIGIBLE) City, named after the man's grandfather, the man who has declared a separate state. (UNINTELLIGIBLE) specific incidents, so far the Shias have gotten along quite well with the coalition authorities. They're among the people who are the happiest to be liberated. It doesn't necessarily mean there have been violent clashes, but certainly it's a huge political problem starting now -- Carol.
LIN: All right. Certainly interesting implications. Thank you very much. Jane Arraf reporting live there from Karbala.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Aired October 11, 2003 - 18:01 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL LIN, CNN ANCHOR: CNN's Jane Arraf is covering a lot today. She joins us live now from Karbala.
Jane, are there still demonstrations in the streets?
JANE ARRAF, CNN BAGHDAD BUREAU CHIEF: Carol, they're more like celebrations, and they've been going on for hours, probably about 12 hours now. Now, hundreds of thousands of Shias have streamed into the city. This is a holy city. And behind me, the mosque where Hussein (ph), the grandson of the prophet Mohammed was buried.
They have come here to pray for the return of a religious leader who disappeared in the ninth century who they believe is still alive. And on his return, the day of judgment will follow.
Now, they haven't been able to celebrate this occasion like this for decades. It's absolutely extraordinary. They have been dancing in the streets, as I say, for hours now. They've been lighting candles, praying at the tombs.
And in the background, there are announcements from one of the main religious clerics, one of the main Shia leaders, a young cleric named (UNINTELLIGIBLE), who has declared that he is forming an independent Islamic state. Now, it's not clear exactly how he's going to (UNINTELLIGIBLE) doing this, but it was certainly a challenge to the coalition authorities, to the Governing Council, and to the status quo in Iraq as it is -- Carol.
LIN: Jane, this declaration for an independent Islamic state, how threatening is that to the work that the U.S. coalition is now trying to do to rebuild Iraq?
ARRAF: It certainly (UNINTELLIGIBLE) to it. Now, we have to point out that, so far, this has all been very peaceful, this demonstration itself, this celebration here. Massive amounts of people, not a soldier in sight.
The Americans have handed it over to the Bulgarians. They've cut far away. And the organization here, the religious organization that's in charge of the mosque and followers of the religious leaders who called for an independent state have done a really good job of actually maintaining security, which is what we've seen in many places, many incidents.
You have to remember that these demonstrations were seen in (UNINTELLIGIBLE) City, named after the man's grandfather, the man who has declared a separate state. (UNINTELLIGIBLE) specific incidents, so far the Shias have gotten along quite well with the coalition authorities. They're among the people who are the happiest to be liberated. It doesn't necessarily mean there have been violent clashes, but certainly it's a huge political problem starting now -- Carol.
LIN: All right. Certainly interesting implications. Thank you very much. Jane Arraf reporting live there from Karbala.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
