Iraqi Christian leaders urge legal separation of religion, politics

Published: 2005-07-18

LONDON (CNS) -- Nine Iraqi Christian leaders have written their country's interim officials and the head of the United Nations to urge a constitutional separation of religion from politics. The leaders said they feared discrimination if the draft Iraq Constitution, due to be completed by Aug. 15, enshrines Shariah, or Islamic law. "If there is a move toward the confirmation of the role of the Islamic religion in Iraqi society, then it is only natural to confirm the role of other religions that have been historically established in Iraq," the Christian leaders said in a letter to Iraqi Interim President Jalal Talabani, Prime Minister Ibrahim Jaafari and U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan. The letter was dated June 24 but was sent from Baghdad, Iraq, in mid-July. "We are only asking for ... equality, freedom and equal opportunities and (prevention of) racial, religious and denominational discrimination," they added. The pressure for a Shariah-based constitution is coming mainly from Iraq's Shiite Muslims, who make up 62 percent of the country's population.

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