Chaldean Patriarch says no to religious states in Iraq

Shafaq News / Patriarch Mar Louis Raphael I Sako stressed on Wednesday that there is no "Islamic" or "Christian" state in Iraq, stressing that a civil constitution will pull the rug from under the feet of extremists, partisans, and sectarians.

 The Patriarch of the Chaldeans in Iraq and the world said, in his speech during the "Unity and Constitution" conference sponsored by Kurdistan University-Erbil, “I thank the Kurdistan Region for embracing the displaced,” explaining, “It shows that there are those who think and call for deliberation."

Sako praised "the renewal and accompaniment in the region, the unity and harmony of Kurdistan society, modernity and modernization as an urgent necessity," stressing, "We must change with international laws because there is also interpretation in religion."

"The heavenly message must also be interpreted according to democratic systems," indicating, "in Iraq, there are multinational societies."

On Kurdistan, he said, "there is a strong participation of the female component," adding, "The next change could be on their hands."

 He continued, "Why do we always draw the gun? We must be strong to utter a strong word and not to fire a weapon."

 He stressed, "There must be a civil constitution, even if the constitution is civil at the time, we do not need a quota," noting, "the path before us is a civil constitution that is consistent with the new reality."

 He added, "We in the Church always seek sustainable formation," asserting, "it is necessary to be free from old laws. There must be modernization according to modern foundations."

 "Even democracy in Iraq is an empty decor, divisions for money and power. We must not talk about the minority and the majority because Iraq is for everyone, and in Kurdistan, we are all Kurds."

"The civil constitution will pull the rug from under the feet of extremists, partisans, and sectarians. There is no Christian or Islamic state, but there are Muslim and Christian personalities."

"The state and society have no religion, and the imposed party does not have a religion. Rather, religion is a moral character and not a real character. We cannot call on society or the state under any religious names. The West has overlooked this and isolated the Church, and it is progressing."

"The civil system enacts its laws on citizenship and not on religion. The civil system maintains the unity of society, respects diversity, and establishes belonging and loyalty to the homeland."