Czech Newspaper Interviews Sayyed Ammar Al-Hakim

 The Czech newspaper Mlada Vronta (dens) conducted an interview with His Eminence Sayyed Ammar Al-Hakim deputy head of the Supreme Islamic Council of Iraq, in its issue of Oct 14, 2008 on the sidelines of his visit to the Czech Republic.

 The newspaper has initiated its edition by the introduction that:

 He gives you an impression that he is an intellectual with a soft nature rather than the strong man who knows how to bring the order to the Iraqi arena that is filled with wounds.

 However, Ammar Abdul Aziz al-Hakim, who fled with his family to Iran to escape the oppression of former Iraqi regime (Saddam Hussein's regime) in 1979, he takes part in the political process and works on that Iraq should get the security after five years of war.

 And he who says that from his position as deputy head of the Supreme Islamic Council of Iraq and the possessor of the heavy word in Iraq says: "Our security forces are still not strong to the extent that we can not achieve the full security without the help of foreign forces, but the government's experts say that in 2011 the appropriate moment could be ripe for the exit of American forces."

 

The Interview:

The paper: What do you explain that Iraq which had been filled with violence, since a time not far from now, has now calmed down?

Mr. Ammar al-Hakim: We (in Iraq), a civil war has not taken place, but the war had been against the people, a war against citizens in neighborhoods and avenues, this war was waged by extremists, who disguised themselves with Islam, and perhaps some of them have thought they were fighting on behalf of it and for it, but they extremely have gone wrong.

 

The newspaper: But the number of those who had been erred was not few.

 

Sayyed Ammar al-Hakim: At the outset, our citizens had not a unified position; some of the Iraqis had secured the protection for Al Qaeda organization and other extremists, but afterwards, Iraqis have realized and agreed that our real enemy is those extremists, and this led to major changes.

 

  The paper: here in Europe, we say that the United States' surge in its forces in Iraq has reduced the violence?

 

Sayyed Ammar al-Hakim: certainly, the allied forces had an important role, some ex-combatants (of the awakening) were receiving wages from Americans in return for guarding the streets and maintaining the calm, so it had been a very important thing.

 

The paper: What will happen if these wages is stopped?

 

Sayyed Ammar al-Hakim: There are some groups no longer receive such material support from the Americans, and each member is approved by the Iraqi government could enter the Iraqi army, while the others may find their place in the civilian life.

 

The newspaper: Your party has historical ties with Iran, and from Iran specifically the terrorists have obtained support - this is what the Americans were always emphasizing at least - Is this matter true?

 

Sayyed Ammar al-Hakim: It is often circulated matters of a political background, the terrorists enter Iraq from every direction, and our borders are very long and it is not possible to control it entirely, and there is no one nation can say that it combated the terrorism effectively.

 

The newspaper: Americans assert that the Iranian intelligence supports the insurgents in Iraq?

 

Sayyed Ammar al-Hakim: When we had heard a matter such as this, we talked with the other side, and asked them not to interfere in the internal Iraqi issues.

 

  The newspaper: the phrase "the other side" do you mean it is Iran?

 

Sayyed Ammar al-Hakim: It is not only Iran, it is said that there are other states to allow to the terrorists to enter Iraq across their borders, and we have been talking secretly with these countries as we did not want to reach these talks to the media.

 

  The newspaper: Can you give us an example of your protest about Iran because it was allowing the entry of terrorists?

 

Sayyed Ammar Al-Hakim: Our friends always tell us that they do not want to interfere in our internal issues, and we asked them to be more effective, and as you know we are as any another government, we have to abide by the rules of international dialogue, But why are you interested in Iran to this extent?

 

The newspaper: Because Tehran is in the eyes of Europeans and the United States, causing instability in the Middle East, and that your party has historic ties with Iran.

 

Sayyed Ammar Al-Hakim: I tell you we want to be agreeable, not to conflict with the others, therefore, we always called for setting up a dialogue between the U.S. and Iran, and this thing is what is securing non-involvement of Iraq in the conflict continuing in our region, we want to be friends of all parties in the region.

 

The newspaper: But do they want to be friends for you, I mean for the new democratic Iraq?

 

Sayyed Ammar Al-Hakim: If Iraq became a united strong state, then the others would rush to be our friends.

 

The paper: What is the biggest obstacle to the reconciliation between Sunnis and Shiites?

 

Sayyed Ammar Al-Hakim: the peace is progressing in the right direction, and I personally was in Tikrit last week, the hometown of Saddam Hussein, and we have been received by Sunnis nicely, and since not long time, such this visit had not been possible.

 

  Paper: You must have talked with them about what you would do later, is the extremist Shiite leader Moqtada al-Sadr the biggest obstacle?

Sayyed Ammar Al-Hakim: No, he is no longer an obstacle; we all want to turn the page of past and start a new life.

 

  The paper: I hope that you do not anger from me, I did not understand that, even before the last year, Iraq was immersed in bloodshed and the sectarian wars were everywhere, and suddenly you embrace each other and want a new life?

 

Sayyed Ammar Al-Hakim: But I had told you that what happened in Iraq was not a civil war, but the world is thought that merely, see to the other states where there had been internal wars, it was found that the existence of large movements or an organization administered by the government worked on incitement and sowing the hatred, This thing did not happen in Iraq, because the murderers were followers of  specific organizations, and when we destroyed them, these groups collapsed, and the life became normal.

 

The newspaper: You yourself, have you spent all the years of war in Iraq?

 

Sayyed Ammar al-Hakim: Yes, since the fall of Saddam Hussein's regime in 2003 I returned to Iraq. I lived for four years in Najaf, and now I live in Baghdad since the last year, and now I visit various countries around the world for a period of ten days and this is the longest period I have spent outside Iraq since 2003.

 

The newspaper: During the time of war, have you ever suffered from frustration – had it been for once? - that this country would not return to the normal life?

 

Sayyed Ammar Al-Hakim: I have never lost the hope, not even for one day, the most difficult moments had been the moment of assassination of my uncle Ayatollah Mohammed Baqir al-Hakim on August 2003 in Najaf at the Imam Ali shrine, in this terrorist act about a hundred civilians were killed.

 

The paper: What is the role which must be played by the religious scholars like you in the political life of Iraq?

 

Sayyed Ammar al-Hakim: The people were in dire need of support of the clergy in critical moments where the bombs were exploding in everywhere, as well as their assistance was necessary when the new constitution for the country was being written, but I think that the clergy ought not to involve in the daily affairs of citizens, because this is the work of the political parties.

 

  The paper: Is this applicable to you? Will you withdraw from the political life?

 

Sayyed Ammar al-Hakim: our doctrine entitles us to practice two matters together, the religious life and the political life.

 

  The paper: Is the form of ruling system of the Iranian regime, where major authority for the clergy, a model can be used in Iraq?

 

Sayyed Ammar Al-Hakim: I certainly say it can not be, because Iraq is different from Iran, and we are an Arabian country, and we also have many religious minorities, as well as we do not force anyone to abide by the religion, we tell the people what they ought to do, but every person is to decide what he wants, but what is the basis and the most important thing, is that the free elections, it is which specifies our policy in Iraq.