Fears of Sectarian Violence in Detroit

Via the CulturalConnect:

Attacks on Detroit Iraqi Businesses--Revenge By Other Arabs?

New America Media, News Report, Mohamad Ozeir, Posted: Jan 12, 2007

EDITOR'S NOTE: Recent vandalism of Iraqi-owned businesses in Detroit could be a retaliatory act by other Arabs for Iraqi Americans' recent celebration of the hanging of Saddam Hussein. Arab Americans trying to maintain a united front after Sept. 11 are worried the incident could split their community, writes NAM contributor Mohamad Ozeir.

DETROIT -- In what could be retaliation for some Iraqis' open celebration of the execution of Saddam Hussein, several Iraqi American-owned businesses and community offices on Warren Ave. in this city's west side were recently vandalized.

The damage, however, was more than the sum of the broken windows at three Shiite religious centers and nine stores and restaurants. It reveals fissures among groups within an Arab American community that is trying to maintain a united front following the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.

As the news of Saddam’s execution on Dec. 30 was broadcast, hundreds of Iraqi Americans took to the streets here, dancing, chanting and waving the Iraqi flag. They celebrated the death of a dictator who drove them and their families into the desert after the uprising that followed the first American invasion of Iraq in 1991. CNN, Al Jazeera and other TV networks covered the community celebration live.

Most of the Shiite Iraqi community in Detroit originally came from southern Iraq, where the majority was pushed out of their homes by Saddam. They spent a few years in Rafha refugee camp in Saudi Arabia before they were granted visas to the United States.

A week after Saddam’s execution, the Shiite religious centers and businesses near where the celebration on Warren Ave took place, were vandalized. A security camera showed images of unknown persons carrying stones under their coats and smashing windows, according to the owner of one damaged store.

While Detroit police have not made any arrests and the Federal Bureau of Investigation is looking into the incident to determine if it is a federal offense, the nature of the assault is clear to its victims as a retaliatory act carried out by pro-Saddam elements against the Iraqi community.

“Judging from the targeted buildings, the message is clear,” says Ali Zwein, director of Al-Kufa Cultural Forum, one of the damaged religious centers.

The manager of Al-Rafedain restaurant, Sammar Ahmad, told reporters that she received threatening phone calls in both Arabic and English. Employees of other businesses gave similar accounts of prank calls and threats after the celebration.

News of the attacks was a top story for local television and newspapers, with mainstream media simply characterising them as a conflict between pro-Saddam Sunnis and anti-Saddam Shiites. Arab American organizations, however, kept a noticeable silence.

“It is obvious that the leadership of the establishment in the Arab community is lost somewhere between dismissal and denial,” says an Iraqi American activist, who didn’t want his name publicized.

Although Arab Americans have been victims of retaliation and racist attacks since Sept. 11, this incident would be the first reported case of violence within the community, if proved as the act of other Iraqis or Arab Americans.

Osama Siblani, publisher of the Arab American News and head of the Arab American Congress, told reporters, “I don’t believe it’s the Arab community that has done this.” However, he described the celebration of Saddam’s hanging as in “poor taste.”

Imad Hamad, director of the leading Arab American advocacy organization, the Arab American Anti Discrimination Committee (ADC), counseled caution, telling the Detroit Free Press, “I want to believe it’s isolated and it’s an act of ignorance. We don’t want people to panic and take it beyond what it is.”

Emad Alkasid, editor of the weekly Iraq Sun, says these kinds of statements show a double standard in the Arab American establishment. Both Siblani and Hamad are known to oppose the American invasion of Iraq and are very vocal in defending Arab American interests, but Alkasid was disappointed that both leaders did not take a stronger stance against the violence directed at the Iraqi community.

Touring some damaged places, Alkasid says, “No one (from the organizations) came here to show support. They did not even send reporters to cover the story. If this was done to other Arab Americans we all know how the organizations would react, but when it comes to our community, they don’t show any support because they don’t agree with our politics.”

Alkasid warns that “as Arab Americans we have suffered a lot of double standards by politicians and the media in this country and we should know better than doing the same to ourselves.”

The Arab media in the Middle East covered the incident, with an Agence France Press report saying the vandalism was triggering fears of sectarian violence between Sunnis and Shiites in the Detroit Area.

“The real fear in the community is not more violence along religious lines,” Alkasid says. “What we fear is the Arab American establishment considering us a second class community among Arab Americans.”

Arab Reaction to Saddam's execution

This was so good I had to post it.

From the BBC: Arab reaction to Saddam execution

Former Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein has been hanged. His sentence was carried out for the killings of 148 Shias in Dujail in the 1980s following a failed assassination attempt.

People from Iraq and the wider region talk to the BBC about their reaction to the news of his death.

These accounts were translated from Arabic by Redouan Ahmimed of BBCArabic.com.

SA'AD HASHIM, 34, NASSYRIA, IRAQ

The execution of Saddam was an unavoidable necessity. My feelings are mixed: I am neither happy nor sad because the execution itself will not change anything.

However, I think there is a wide sense of relief among Iraqis that justice has at last been delivered.

I believe there will be no retaliatory acts despite all the reported security and military measures taken by the Iraqi government. The situation will not be worse than it is now.

Regarding the impact of Saddam's execution upon Arab public opinion, the problem is that Arabs tend to view Saddam as the longed-for nationalist hero of the Arab nation.

Arabs view things only from an ideological perspective. I hope the execution of Saddam will help end this state of affairs.

SHEELAN TALIBANI, 34, KURD CURRENTLY RESIDING IN THE UK

Filming his execution and airing it is inhuman

Although I am Kurdish, I do not approve of Saddam Hussein's execution in this way.

Filming his execution and airing it is inhuman. There is no difference between those who are behind his execution and those who kill hostages and air the images.

Punishments and revenge are not important. What is important is hearing the truth about other cases, such as in Halabja and the crimes committed by Mohammed Amza Zubeidi. Despite my deep sympathy with the victims of Dujail, these other slaughters are as significant.

By executing Saddam in this way, the United States wanted to say that she has achieved a symbolic victory after it had failed to achieve a real victory.

I don't believe the situation in Iraq will change by executing Saddam. At the beginning, the scale of violence might increase but people will forget very quickly.

Some regimes may now contemplate their positions following the execution of Saddam. Many leaders are like him - the only difference was that he was given the opportunity to commit the crimes he did.

ALI AL HAIDARI, 38, DUJAIL, IRAQ

I am extremely happy that Saddam Hussein has been executed - not out of revenge but for the sake of delivering justice.

I was a witness for the prosecution in the Dujail trial and so I feel that I have contributed to the delivery of justice.

To those who argue that Saddam is a human being and an old man - what about the rights of his victims?

The execution of Saddam is, in itself, a protection of human rights.

For me, the case is closed now as I was able to fulfil my promise to the martyrs killed by Saddam. As a people, Iraqis don't know revenge.

Regarding Arab peoples, they know quite well that Saddam was a dictator. We may witness some demonstrations but they will be very limited in scope as they don't reflect the main trends of the Arab public opinion.

ABDEL RAHMAN OMAR SAMEER, 24, EGYPT

The execution of Saddam will not help improve things at all.

I am very sad at the execution of Saddam Hussein at the hands of the Americans - despite all his wrongdoings.

It is true that Arabs are suffering terribly at the hands of their rulers. But the Americans have not come to Iraq to spread justice and democracy - but rather to serve their own interests.

Arabs and Muslims should remember that the execution of Saddam is not just the execution of a single person but rather the execution of an Arab and Muslim exemplary figure.

The execution of Saddam will not help improve things at all. There is strong probability that this will make matters worse.

Arab people may feel sad but this feeling will be a short-lived one. I don't think the end of Saddam will stir things up.

I had hoped that the execution would have upheld the position of those advocating reforms and democracy in the Arab countries. But the Arabs have a short memory.

MOHAMMED MAHDI ALI, 35, IRAQI RESIDING IN LONDON

A victory of the oppressed people of Iraq

Like any Iraqi who has been subjected to oppression, deprivation and killing, I feel the execution of Saddam is a victory for the will of the oppressed people of Iraq.

The execution of Saddam is a fulfilment of the wishes of honest and patriotic Iraqis.

Saddam has condemned hundreds of thousands of Iraqis to death and destroyed Iraq.

Saddam should not have received a fair trial in the first place because he denied thousands of Iraqis killed by his regime the opportunity to defend themselves.

I expect serious negative repercussions for Iraq as the supporters of Saddam will resort to indiscriminate killing.

However, the execution will be the beginning of the end for his suppoerters who pretend to be devout Muslims and freedom fighters.

The fate met by Saddam Hussein will help Arab public opinion rid itself of the illusion that he was an Arab nationalist leader.

The problem is that most Arabs are emotional and don't think realistically. I believe the execution of Saddam will shock them. I expect demonstrations and marches in some Arab countries.

I support the execution as he was a tyrant and destroyed the lives of many people.

AHMED WIT WIT, 27, IRAQ

It is an indescribable feeling of joy

I burst into tears when I heard the news. It is an indescribable feeling of joy. The execution of Saddam will be a beautiful memory and a message to those like him.

It is a just ending, albeit too late in coming. I will carry my bag that was worn out by long travels and return to my country.

I was a sad lonely man living with my remaining papers in my drawer. I was waiting for this day so that I could return to my county like a bird who fly freely.

The end of Saddam will have a positive impact on the political and social life in Iraq as well as security situation and democracy.

His execution will put an end to the acts of killing, violence and the widespread administrative corruption.

The current government should resume the reconstruction efforts and bring security to Iraq.

The execution will deprive the Iraqi government of excuses for poor performance.

The Arab homeland notion is a big lie coined by Arab rulers to deceive Arab people. Such nationalistic notions will die with the execution of the biggest liar.

The end of Saddam is the beginning of an end to similar governments in the Arab world.

MOHAMED MAHMOUD, 22, EGYPT

He was responsible for the destruction of his country

My feelings are mixed, ranging from sympathy to relief following the news that Saddam has been executed.

I may have sympathy for him as a human being, but I am more inclined to develop a sense of relief, as he deserved what happened to him.

He was president of Iraq, responsible for the destruction of his country and the invasion of Kuwait.

This is the end of every oppressor. He not only inflicted oppression and injustice and brought poverty to Iraqi people but to the entire Arab nation as he squandered the resources of an Arab country.

I believe Saddam supporters are responsible for some acts of violence perpetrated in Iraq in revenge for what happened to him. However, the majority of Iraqis will have a sense of relief at his execution.

For Arabs, some people may sympathise with him as he is an old man executed by the occupation. The problem is that the occupation has participated in his trial.

I expect Saddam's fate will serve to encourage reformists and advocates of democracy in Arab countries.

SAFAA AL AYACHI, 29, BAGHDAD

Saddam unleashed criminals upon Iraqis

The execution of Saddam Hussein is a way to restore the dignity of his victims.

This man has launched three wars, and killed at least a million Iraqis including scholars, researchers and students. He killed them only from suspicion.

Though he ruled one of the richest countries in the world, he impoverished his own people.

Saddam unleashed a band of criminals to inflict pain upon Iraqis. Now we have started putting our feet on the right path towards justice.

Some Iraqis feared that Saddam may escape from his prison or that he may make a deal with the Americans. Many Iraqis used to believe that he is the only one capable of bringing security to the country.

I believe the scale of violence will considerably decrease. Arabs, leaders and politicians should learn from this important, significant lesson and put the interests of their people above anything else. The execution of Saddam will strengthen the will of Arab people for democracy, change and reform.

"A Martyr of Mythical Proportions"

Last week I watched the cellphone footage of Sadaam Hussein's hanging, and it was jarring to say the least. It was also much more eventful than the official sanitized version, giving us access to all the celebratory shouts and prayers from witnesses. While the genius behind the Black Folk Network is juxtoposing two images--a headshot of Saddam with a black protester holding a sign that reads "No Iraqis Left Me On A Roof To Die" during an anti-war demonstration--to create some imaginary narrative of Saddam rallying with black people against White American (made clear in his MySpace bulletins and comments), others are giving the matter serious, well informed consideration.

From Muslim WakeUp!, Tarek Fatah says:

The fact is that far from fostering democracy in Iraq, the execution of the Iraqi dictator has turned a murdering monster into a martyr of mythical proportions for the Arab people.
Saddam's stature will grow across the Arab world as each day passes and his crimes against his own people will be largely forgotten as new generations of Arab youth will see in him a rare Arab who stared death in the face and did not blink.
The man responsible for the death, torture and imprisonment of tens of thousands, should have been remembered for those crimes. Instead, because of the great American folly in Iraq, future generations of people in the Middle East will embrace his memory as an epitome of courage and resistance.

A Speedy Hanging

At a party last night, I learned via text message that Saddam Hussein had been hung. I turned to the other partygoers and happily told them the news. Tonight, scouring the internet for just a few moments, I notice numerous bloggers and myspace friends lamenting how horrible it is that he received his death sentance (and usually there is no more explanation than that). My question is, aside from a possible opposition to the death penalty on principle, what is so horrible about Saddam Hussein being hung for his crimes? Is it more or less horrible than other deaths via death penalty?

I think that oftentimes people conflate issues, or don't understand issues very well, but make judgements on events and people based on their relations to other issues said people are familiar with. Maybe some people follow the line of reasoning that says "the enemy of my enemy is my friend." Many people don't know the history (for those interested, I found a good retrospective of Saddam's rule here). I remember a speaker at AMWAJ (Arab Movement of Women Arising for Justice) 2006 decrying the magazine cover photo of Saddam in his underwear. We are familiar with seeing our men emasculated, we are familiar with what it means to be saved from them by white men. But let us not be blind to the real transgressions that "our" men commit against us. Let's not conflate Saddam's plight with the plight of the average Iraqi citizen, because they are not both victims.

Will Saddam's death change anything for the people of Iraq? No. Did he deserve to pay for his crimes against the peoples of Iraq? Yes. Is the death penalty justified in this case? Is the death penalty justified in any case? Which cases? What do you think?

Edit: An article to the Arab reaction to the hanging here: No Arab Euphoria and another article about the Arab American celebration in Dearborn last night. Can there be celebration while Iraq is in ruins and large numbers of people are dying every day? But I understand the impulse to celebrate, as I felt happy when I heard the news. I had also not considered the fact that he was executed during Eid, which even as an athiest I consider highly disrespectful to Muslim culture.