Iraq’s top religious leader, Grand Ayatollah Ali Sistani, used his Friday sermon to not just criticize violence against protesters, but to single out the nation’s security forces for failing to protect the demonstrators.
“There is no excuse for shirking that duty,” Sistani’s representative said, adding that the security forces need to not only protect protesters and protest camps, but also identify attackers and rabble rousers.
On Wednesday, followers of Moqtada al-Sadr were accused of attacking and burning the protest camp in Najaf. Protesters called for Sistani to declare a “million-man march” protest in response.
And while this is well short of that, Sistani reiterating that violence against them is unacceptable was still praised by the protesters, who say they are “hopeful again” from Sistani’s support, calling him the most consistent figure on the protest movement.
It isn’t clear, however, that this really changes things. Sistani was already opposing violence very publicly, and just reiterated that, while several groups oppose the protesters, and the security forces show little inclination to stop that.
Is this the same senile Sistani who so years ago said it was okay to have sex with a 5-year-old girl. Time to be rid of these ayatollahs and mullahs–most of whom are phonies.
I can’t find anything to substantiate him saying that.
Strange comment … no evidence of senility visible. Yes I too would prefer non religious leadership, but at least this leader is clear that he’s the spiritual Leader and not political .
Doubtful he said that, otherwise the media in the US would be broadcasting such comments non-stop in an effort to demonize him.
Good message though and bears repeating.
Sistani is a figure head and an excuse. They need to stop pretending he has any power.
who is they? in any case there is no evidence to support your assertion
“They” as in the western society and whoever else schmuck enough to believe this dabble.
Why should Iraqi forces protect protesters? No other country does. In fact, here in the US protesters are almost called terrorists because the US Government has to have it’s way regardless of how the citizens feel so the first move is to degrade and humiliate the protesters. Then they are tossed in a warehouse somewhere with no official incarceration or access to the courts. When those in control decide to release the people they’ll open the gates and let them out but they’ve been dehumanized now and won’t cause much more if any trouble. It’s the same at Congressional hearings. The opposition is not allowed to be heard and if they try to talk over or interrupt the proceedings once again they are taken away and incarcerated without any access to legal proceedings. Seems to me that Aparthied is in more countries than Isreal these days.