IRAQ: HUGE CROWDS OF SHI'ITES SURGE THROUGH HOLY CITY WINDING UP PILGRIMAGE SIGNALLING TO WASHINGTON THAT THEY WILL BE A POWERFUL FORCE IN NEW IRAQ

Record ID: 649116

  • Title: IRAQ: HUGE CROWDS OF SHI'ITES SURGE THROUGH HOLY CITY WINDING UP PILGRIMAGE SIGNALLING TO WASHINGTON THAT THEY WILL BE A POWERFUL FORCE IN NEW IRAQ
  • Date: 25th April 2003
  • Summary: (U2) KERBALA, IRAQ (APRIL 23, 2003) (REUTERS) FOR DETAILED SHOTLIST ITEMS 1 - 29 SEE PROD 5884/03 1. WIDE VIEW PROCESSION OF SHI'ITE MUSLIMS 2. PILGRIMS STRIKING THEMSELVES WITH SWORDS 3. MAN WITH HEAD WOUND AND BLOOD STAINED CLOTHING IN PROCESSION 4. ANOTHER MAN WITH BLOOD STAINED CLOTHING CHANTING AND DANCING IN STREET 5. MORE OF PROCESSION / MEN HOLDING SWORDS 6. CLOSE UP OF TWO SWORDS WITH BLOOD STAINS 7. MAN COVERED IN BLOOD HAVING HIS HEAD WOUND ATTENDED TO 8. BACK VIEW OF MAN WITH BLEEDING HEAD WOUND 9. BACK VIEW OF CROWD CHANTING 10. MAN HOLDING BABY ABOVE THE CROWD 11. WIDE VIEW PROCESSION 12. MAN WITH BLOOD STAINED SHIRT SLAPPING HIS HEAD WITH HIS HANDS 13. ANOTHER MAN BEATING HIS CHEST WITH HIS HANDS (U3) KERBALA, IRAQ (APRIL 23, 2003) (REUTERS) 14. WIDE VIEW CROWD OUTSIDE AL-HUSSEIN MOSQUE 15. MORE OF CROWD HOLDING FLAGS 16. VARIOUS SHI'ITE MUSLIMS PRAYING 17. WIDE VIEW SHI'ITE MUSLIMS WHIPPING THEMSELVES WITH CHAINS 18. MAN WHIPPING HIMSELF WITH CHAINS 19. WIDE VIEW SHI'ITE MUSLIMS IN PROCESSION WHIPPING THEMSELVES WITH CHAINS IN UNISON 20. PILGRIMS CLAPPING AGAINST THEIR CHESTS IN UNISON 21. MORE OF PILGRIMS CLAPPING 22. PILGRIMS HOLDING PICTURES OF IMAM HUSSEIN AMONGST CROWD 23. WIDE VIEW CROWD OUTSIDE MAIN AL-HUSSEIN MOSQUE 24. VARIOUS SHI'ITE MUSLIMS ENTERING MAIN AL-HUSSEIN MOSQUE IN FRENZY 25. PILGRIMS KISSING DOOR OF AL-HUSSEIN MOSQUE 26. EXTERIOR / WIDE VIEW PILGRIMS 27. VARIOUS OF ANTI-UNITED STATES DEMONSTRATION 28. MAN HOLDING BANNER, READING: "Yes to any national democratic government elected by the people." 29. MORE OF ANTI-UNITED STATES DEMONSTRATION 2.50 (EU) KERBALA, IRAQ (APRIL 23, 2003) (REUTERS) 30. MV ABDELAZIZ HAKIM, DEPUTY HEAD OF THE SUPREME COUNCIL FOR THE ISLAMIC REVOLUTION IN IRAQ (SCIRI), ENTERS PRESS CONFERENCE; MV MEDIA (2 SHOTS) 2.58 31. (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) ABDELAZIZ HAKIM, DEPUTY HEAD OF THE SUPREME COUNCIL FOR THE ISLAMIC REVOLUTION IN IRAQ (SCIRI), SAYING "We have a clear idea about our future and these ideas were discussed at a conference held by Iraqi opposition and attended by more than 400 representatives from all over Iraq in London. We can work together in order to build a new stable Iraqi national government." 3.37 32. SLV PRESS CONFERENCE 3.42 33. (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) HAKIM, SAYING "There is no need and its not important for Mr. Garner (Jay Garner) to stay here. These issues should have been handed over to the Iraqis because the Iraqis can administer and govern Iraq by themselves. The Iraqis should be able to choose their own government and the appropriate leaders for it." 4.22 34. MV MEDIA; WIDE VIEW PRESS CONFERENCE 4.31 Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
  • Embargoed: 10th May 2003 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: KERBALA, IRAQ
  • Country: Iraq
  • Reuters ID: LVA4CK0MUFRT7HJKIZ8EO6DBTZUW
  • Story Text: Huge crowds of ecstatic Shi'ites have surged through
    the holy city of Kerbala, winding up a pilgrimage that
    signalled to Washington they will be a powerful force in the
    new Iraq.

    Shi'ites beat their chests, slashed their scalps with
    swords and whipped themselves with chains as they marked one
    of the most sacred festivals of their calendar in Kerbala, 70
    miles (110 km) south of Baghdad, on Wednesday (April 23, 2003).

    Huge crowds of Shi'ites, many bleeding from self inflicted
    wounds were celebrating the end of the pilgrimage long banned
    by Saddam Hussein. It was the first time the pilgrimage,
    which was ruthlessly suppressed by Saddam, had been held in
    nearly three decades.

    Pilgrims flagellate themselves during the festival to show
    their pain for the death of Hussein and to atone for the guilt
    of their forefathers in allowing him to be killed.

    Shi'ite leaders said they expected a million or more people
    to attend the Arbaiin pilgrimage to the tomb of Imam Hussein,
    a grandson of the Prophet Mohammad, who was killed there 13
    centuries ago.

    The Shi'ites, who make up about 60 percent of Iraq's
    population, also marked the occasion with anti-American
    sentiment and despite their joy at Saddam's overthrow, many of
    the Shi'ites demanded U.S. troops get out of Iraq.

    Some pilgrims erupted in chants praising Islam and
    condemning Israel and the United States, an ominous signal for
    General Jay Garner, the U.S. civilian administrator charged
    with rebuilding Iraq.

    U.S. helicopters flew over the city but American troops on
    the outskirts kept their distance, hoping to avoid friction.

    The event has so far passed off without major incident.

    The ability of Shi'ite clerics to smoothly organise the
    pilgrimage by hundreds of thousands of people has underscored
    their influence and strength in postwar Iraq and suggests they
    may be better organised than previously thought.

    This has also heightened debate over how the clerics will
    use their power and whether they will try to establish an
    Islamic fundamentalist government.

    In U.S. eyes, this would mean the replacement of one
    dangerous leadership by another.

    Abdelaziz Hakim, deputy head of the Supreme Council for
    the Islamic Revolution in Iraq (SCIRI), told a news conference
    on Wednesday, "We have a clear idea about our future and these
    ideas were discussed at a conference held by Iraqi opposition
    and attended by more than 400 representatives from all over
    Iraq in London. We can work together in order to build a new
    stable Iraqi national government".

    Referring to the retired U.S. general who is to lead an
    interim administration to oversee the rebuilding of Iraq,
    Hakim said, "There is no need and its not important for Mr.

    Garner (Jay Garner) to stay here. These issues should have
    been handed over to the Iraqis because the Iraqis can
    administer and govern Iraq by themselves. The Iraqis should be
    able to choose their own government and the appropriate
    leaders for it".

    Bush has shown little concern about Shi'ite demands for an
    Islamic state in Iraq, according to an article in Newsweek.

    "I love the stories about people saying 'Isn't it
    wonderful to be able to express our religion, the Shia
    religion, on a pilgrimage this weekend.' It made my day to
    read that," Newsweek quoted Bush as saying in an interview.

    The Washington Post quoted U.S. officials as saying they
    had underestimated the organisational strength of the
    Shi'ites, who share their faith with Washington's old
    adversary Iran, and were ill-prepared to stop Iraq becoming
    another theocracy.


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