Dheyaa Alwakeel
A lot of writers and analysts avoid discussing this controversy and divergence invoking subject for many reasons; of which the contradiction of news and information about what happened there, as well as the high sensitivity of the political, sectarian, and security dimensions of this difficult issue that raises many questions, most importantly of which being:
Were the vandalism incidents in Al-Adhamiyah preformed by hidden elements and outlaw gangs? Or were they deliberate with previous planning?
It might be too early to determine specific conclusions before the completion of the investigation with the detainees with the security systems, but from diagnosing the primary motives that were sought after by those incidents, we can get a sense of the criminal classification from a certain perspective; as to whether it was deliberate or not.
The primary analysis that is based on the reading of the complex scene and any information available despite its scarcity and diversity of its sources and contradiction, points out that the events of the nights of Wednesday and Thursday the 13th and 14th of this May in Al-Adhamiyah city were aiming for the following:
- Disturb the visit and commit offence to the symbolism and the sanctity of its rituals.
- Terrorize the visitors and provoke a state of panic among the crowds through promoting rumors about explosive belts and containers on suicide bombers in their midst, and several other things.
- Direct a strike at the security system and the procedures taken to secure Baghdad in general and the visit in particular.
- Mix the papers and invoke a political, security, and sectarian crisis in front of the government and which is exactly what happened.
- Deepen the already existing sectarian divide, which helps in raising the sectarian tension, and that factor has internal and external aspects.
- Direct political messages that the game rules and keys are not only in the government’s hands.
- Challenge the security forces and throw rocks at it, to invoke the feeling that it’s incapable of maintaining security and performing its national duties and to insult its prestige and authorities.
Some of the leaked videos throughout the social media websites focus on particular scenes (sectarian terms, naming of specific parties, banners representing known forces) and the goal is to direct accusations to it. And that reflects the existence of conflicts and struggle between different factions.
And among what helps in evaluating the situation, the tools used in execution (fuel and Molotov fuses), electing target (Investment of the Sunni Endowment Building), and the repetition of rumors in many areas to invoke reactions, stampede being the least of them, which causes casualties and fills the atmosphere with more psychological and emotional tension and worries among the visitors’ families especially since they travelled from different governorates.
Al-Adhamiyah neighborhood photos
These assumed goals and primary photos of Al-Adhamiyah events might help in determining the compass towards the direction of determining the nearest probability to the “deliberate or spontaneous action” assumption.
So, what are the government’s responses?
Despite the criticism that some politicians directed at the security systems saying it didn’t act quickly at the beginning of the events, we say that this criticism is hasty and unfair, because what saved the security situation from collapsing were the security facilities and their leaders which managed the crisis with professionalism and were present on the field to surround the sparks that were intended to start out of a fire that would’ve been hard to put out, and no one would’ve been able to predict its catastrophic fallouts on all levels. And we shouldn’t forget that the security facilities were main targets as we mentioned before. And of course the performance of these facilities is connected with the political will, which is represented in the Prime Minister Doctor Haider Al-Abadi who passed the test and pulled through this challenge with strict procedures and responsible reactions where he oversaw the situation and wasted the opportunity from these stalkers, and from those who tried to provoke chaos, and away from all parties.
The Adhamiyah events 2
It hasn’t ended there, and dealing with the situation requires the following:
Surpass the emotional and political reactions and go further, as the danger is imminent and threatens the security and stability and the cohesion of the home front.
Start the compensation procedures for those affected and hurry up with it.
Study the security situation and learn from it to be able to face similar challenges and more dangerous possibilities is the future.
Lighten the intensity of speeches, incitements, and reactions to calm the street down.
Use the values of the holy rituals for the martyrdom of Imam Musa Al-Kadhim – peace be upon him – in reviving the meanings of tolerance, love, forgiveness, and anger control that he has martyred for.
At last we say that any attempt to provoke sedition and chaos from any party is a stab in the backs of our fighters in the warfronts against ISIS and a shameless insult to the blood of the martyrs who sacrificed their lives in defense of the unity and safety of Iraq, it is also a disruption of the clarity and sanctity of the visit and what it symbolizes for all Muslims. These intentional accidents serve no one but ISIS and its hostile purposes. Oh Allah, protect Iraq and its patient people from the evils of sedition, whether it’s shown to us or not.
