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American Morning
Thousands of Shiite Muslims Celebrating Tradition They Were Forced to Abandon
Aired April 22, 2003 - 07:38 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.
HEIDI COLLINS, CNN ANCHOR: And more now on the amazing sight of thousands of Shiite Muslims in Iraq celebrating a religious tradition they were forced to abandon years ago. You can see the live shot there of this enormous crowd.
We have Karl Penhaul. He is following it all from Karbala in Iraq -- good afternoon to you, Karl.
KARL PENHAUL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Heidi.
I wanted to bring you down here to the streets of Karbala. We've moved off our position off the hotel roof. These pictures are really too amazing down here on the streets. I want you to just soak up a little for just a few moments the energy of these people, the tremendous sound, the tremendous fervor of these people.
They've walked for miles to get here, Heidi. Some of them that I've spoken to have been walking for more than a week. One man told me he'd been walking for 18 days. Some have come barefoot. Others have crawled here. Others have been beating themselves with chains in signs of penance. Others have been slashing their heads in reverence to one man, the martyr, Imam Al-Hussein, who's revered by Shiite Muslims across Iraq and worldwide.
This kind of procession would not have been tolerated under Saddam Hussein. He restricted this procession to just a very small gathering, only allowed people to travel in buses and trucks.
But as I say, these people have walked here and they're excited to be here. It's not so much just a religious procession. This is a celebration, a celebration of newfound religious freedoms. And they're enjoying this celebration. They've been coming through the day, through the night. They continue to come through the morning. Just listen to some of these sounds, Heidi.
In addition to the message that they found new religious freedom, there's another message here. That message is to the coalition forces. They're telling the coalition forces thank you for your help in ridding us of Saddam Hussein, but they're also telling the coalition forces please leave now, please go and let the Iraqi people decide their own future. Let Iraqi people put their own government and their own governors in place -- Heidi.
COLLINS: Karl, in fact, the chanting that we heard the other day actually along this pilgrimage was very political. In fact, some of those chants, I believe turned into "Death To America!," "Death to Israel!."
What do you make of that? This is not just about religion, is it?
PENHAUL: You're correct. Yesterday the chants were "No To America!," "No To Israel!" "No To the Devil!" By this morning, some of those chants had changed to "Death To America!"
There are two strands here. One strand is the grassroots, the people themselves, many of their signs they've been calling for an Islamic state, for the Islamic law to be installed here in Iraq. The second level is their clerics, the senior leaders. They've said that they don't want a central political role, but have said that they do want to exert a central influence on social and civil matters. That many of us would equate to political power from the grassroots up.
So certainly the clerics here looking to have an influence. The people themselves very keen for some kind of Islamic law. Many of them also have expressed great solidarity with Iran, with their brothers in Iran, and, indeed, some of the posters of Ayatollah Khomeini -- yes, that old enemy of the United States -- his photo has been on sale in some of the street stands here -- Heidi.
COLLINS: All right, I understand that those crowds could reach millions by tomorrow.
Karl Penhaul coming to us from Karbala, Iraq this morning.
Thanks, Karl.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Were Forced to Abandon>
Aired April 22, 2003 - 07:38 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
HEIDI COLLINS, CNN ANCHOR: And more now on the amazing sight of thousands of Shiite Muslims in Iraq celebrating a religious tradition they were forced to abandon years ago. You can see the live shot there of this enormous crowd.
We have Karl Penhaul. He is following it all from Karbala in Iraq -- good afternoon to you, Karl.
KARL PENHAUL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Heidi.
I wanted to bring you down here to the streets of Karbala. We've moved off our position off the hotel roof. These pictures are really too amazing down here on the streets. I want you to just soak up a little for just a few moments the energy of these people, the tremendous sound, the tremendous fervor of these people.
They've walked for miles to get here, Heidi. Some of them that I've spoken to have been walking for more than a week. One man told me he'd been walking for 18 days. Some have come barefoot. Others have crawled here. Others have been beating themselves with chains in signs of penance. Others have been slashing their heads in reverence to one man, the martyr, Imam Al-Hussein, who's revered by Shiite Muslims across Iraq and worldwide.
This kind of procession would not have been tolerated under Saddam Hussein. He restricted this procession to just a very small gathering, only allowed people to travel in buses and trucks.
But as I say, these people have walked here and they're excited to be here. It's not so much just a religious procession. This is a celebration, a celebration of newfound religious freedoms. And they're enjoying this celebration. They've been coming through the day, through the night. They continue to come through the morning. Just listen to some of these sounds, Heidi.
In addition to the message that they found new religious freedom, there's another message here. That message is to the coalition forces. They're telling the coalition forces thank you for your help in ridding us of Saddam Hussein, but they're also telling the coalition forces please leave now, please go and let the Iraqi people decide their own future. Let Iraqi people put their own government and their own governors in place -- Heidi.
COLLINS: Karl, in fact, the chanting that we heard the other day actually along this pilgrimage was very political. In fact, some of those chants, I believe turned into "Death To America!," "Death to Israel!."
What do you make of that? This is not just about religion, is it?
PENHAUL: You're correct. Yesterday the chants were "No To America!," "No To Israel!" "No To the Devil!" By this morning, some of those chants had changed to "Death To America!"
There are two strands here. One strand is the grassroots, the people themselves, many of their signs they've been calling for an Islamic state, for the Islamic law to be installed here in Iraq. The second level is their clerics, the senior leaders. They've said that they don't want a central political role, but have said that they do want to exert a central influence on social and civil matters. That many of us would equate to political power from the grassroots up.
So certainly the clerics here looking to have an influence. The people themselves very keen for some kind of Islamic law. Many of them also have expressed great solidarity with Iran, with their brothers in Iran, and, indeed, some of the posters of Ayatollah Khomeini -- yes, that old enemy of the United States -- his photo has been on sale in some of the street stands here -- Heidi.
COLLINS: All right, I understand that those crowds could reach millions by tomorrow.
Karl Penhaul coming to us from Karbala, Iraq this morning.
Thanks, Karl.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Were Forced to Abandon>
