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American Morning
Shiite Celebration
Aired April 22, 2003 - 09:09 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: Heidi, we have been watching some amazing pictures today from south central Iraq. An amazing site, Shiite Muslims in Iraq by the tens of thousands. Celebrating a religious tradition, they were forced to abandon about 25 years ago when Saddam Hussein came into power, 1979 the year to be specific.
The scene in Karbala, Iraq, and Karl Penhaul is watching it all unfold in front of his eyes.
Good afternoon there, Karl.
KARL PENHAUL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning to you there, Bill.
Of course, afternoon here in the city of Karbala. I want you to take a look at this. Some tremendous scenes we're seeing today with the pilgrims. Just listen for a few moments to the sounds, soak up some of that energy.
Many of these pilgrims, Bill, have walked here. Most in fact that I've talked to have walked here not a few miles, not a few hours, but they've been walking for days. One man I spoke to has been walking for 18 days. He set out from home before the regime of Saddam Hussein fell, wishing, hoping that he could get true. That wish has come true for him. He is here today. He's among these people celebrating newfound religious freedom, because under Saddam Hussein, these people weren't allowed to celebrate in this fashion. These people weren't allowed to come to the shrine of the Imam Al Hussein, a revered martyr, and celebrate in this fashion.
And so there's a very, one might say in our terms, in Western terms, some kind of carnival atmosphere here going on, a great joy for these people. At the same time, though, Bill, there's a different message here, a message perhaps to the coalition forces.
These people say, yes, they're very grateful for the U.S. and Britain for helping them get rid of Saddam Hussein. The Shiite majority, of course, feeling oppressed by the regime of Saddam Hussein. But now they say that the coalition forces have done their work and that they should go home. They Shiite Muslims say that they alone want to shape the political future of Iraq. They say that they don't need the United States and Britain to help them even let, influence or impose a new leader upon them.
And in the past few days, in the past few hours, we've seen many of these people walking past, with placards, with banners and calling for some kind of Islamic law. That may, at this point, stop short of calls for the creation of a full-blown Islamic state.
But, nevertheless, they want their faith, the Muslim faith, to be a central tenant of any new state -- Bill.
HEMMER: Karl, is there a message to the Sunni population? The Shiites number well over 60,000 in Iraq. have they expressed any level of concern, watching the celebrations here? Although largely religious, the implications you point out, political, could have a long-lasting effect in the future of Iraq.
PENHAUL: Well, Bill, what the Shiite leaders here have made clear is that although they may be Shiites and indeed the city of Karbala is overwhelmingly Shiite. But they don't envisage a sectarian Muslim state. They want to embrace all branches of Islam. There are signs here as well. There are signs here as well,k calling for the unification of all Muslim faith, and that's been very clear.
Civic leaders here in the city of Karbala have told me that they themselves, without coalition help, have started on the process of reconstruction and reestablishing, and one of their first (UNINTELLIGIBLE), even though they were typical Shiite civic leaders, was to around to some of the Sunni mosques and help them restore power and electricity. So certainly a message of unity for fellow Muslims -- Bill.
HEMMER: Live in Karbala, Karl Penhaul, watching the ceremony go down there, south central Iraq. Many thanks.
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 April 22, 2003 - 09:09 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
HEIDI COLLINS, CNN ANCHOR: Heidi, we have been watching some amazing pictures today from south central Iraq. An amazing site, Shiite Muslims in Iraq by the tens of thousands. Celebrating a religious tradition, they were forced to abandon about 25 years ago when Saddam Hussein came into power, 1979 the year to be specific.
The scene in Karbala, Iraq, and Karl Penhaul is watching it all unfold in front of his eyes.
Good afternoon there, Karl.
KARL PENHAUL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning to you there, Bill.
Of course, afternoon here in the city of Karbala. I want you to take a look at this. Some tremendous scenes we're seeing today with the pilgrims. Just listen for a few moments to the sounds, soak up some of that energy.
Many of these pilgrims, Bill, have walked here. Most in fact that I've talked to have walked here not a few miles, not a few hours, but they've been walking for days. One man I spoke to has been walking for 18 days. He set out from home before the regime of Saddam Hussein fell, wishing, hoping that he could get true. That wish has come true for him. He is here today. He's among these people celebrating newfound religious freedom, because under Saddam Hussein, these people weren't allowed to celebrate in this fashion. These people weren't allowed to come to the shrine of the Imam Al Hussein, a revered martyr, and celebrate in this fashion.
And so there's a very, one might say in our terms, in Western terms, some kind of carnival atmosphere here going on, a great joy for these people. At the same time, though, Bill, there's a different message here, a message perhaps to the coalition forces.
These people say, yes, they're very grateful for the U.S. and Britain for helping them get rid of Saddam Hussein. The Shiite majority, of course, feeling oppressed by the regime of Saddam Hussein. But now they say that the coalition forces have done their work and that they should go home. They Shiite Muslims say that they alone want to shape the political future of Iraq. They say that they don't need the United States and Britain to help them even let, influence or impose a new leader upon them.
And in the past few days, in the past few hours, we've seen many of these people walking past, with placards, with banners and calling for some kind of Islamic law. That may, at this point, stop short of calls for the creation of a full-blown Islamic state.
But, nevertheless, they want their faith, the Muslim faith, to be a central tenant of any new state -- Bill.
HEMMER: Karl, is there a message to the Sunni population? The Shiites number well over 60,000 in Iraq. have they expressed any level of concern, watching the celebrations here? Although largely religious, the implications you point out, political, could have a long-lasting effect in the future of Iraq.
PENHAUL: Well, Bill, what the Shiite leaders here have made clear is that although they may be Shiites and indeed the city of Karbala is overwhelmingly Shiite. But they don't envisage a sectarian Muslim state. They want to embrace all branches of Islam. There are signs here as well. There are signs here as well,k calling for the unification of all Muslim faith, and that's been very clear.
Civic leaders here in the city of Karbala have told me that they themselves, without coalition help, have started on the process of reconstruction and reestablishing, and one of their first (UNINTELLIGIBLE), even though they were typical Shiite civic leaders, was to around to some of the Sunni mosques and help them restore power and electricity. So certainly a message of unity for fellow Muslims -- Bill.
HEMMER: Live in Karbala, Karl Penhaul, watching the ceremony go down there, south central Iraq. Many thanks.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
