We must confront sectarian incitement

Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki Baghdad - Jaafar Al Nasrawi Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki has vowed to confront sectarian incitement after identifying it as one of the biggest dangers facing his country. In an exclusive interview with Arab Today, Maliki admitted that the shadow of a regional intervention was hanging over Iraq, and explained that his government was planning to reshuffle political and military ranks to begin a new chapter in the Middle Eastern state's history. On Saturday, Maliki attended a central ceremony in Baghdad to celebrate the withdrawal of Iraq from Chapter VII of the UN Security Council. Afterwards the prime minister told Arab Today that Iraq had been involved in an ongoing battle with militias and criminal gangs. He described this internal strife as "worse than all wars," claiming that every time the Iraqi people unite under national reconciliation to end terrorism, militias and sectarians start causing division. "Our country is heading out, to new horizons of good relations, discussing cooperation and national reconciliation. We don't interfere in others' affairs and will not accept others interfering in our affairs. "What we are witnessing is a return to some countries interfering in other countries affairs in the region and the world, which causes confusion and security instability, in addition to conflict between people from the same country," he added. Maliki identified sectarian incitement as the one of the biggest dangers his country must overcome, adding it leads to political tension, atonement and polarisation. He urged Iraqi scientists and scholars, politicians, intellectuals and media professionals to stand up to takfirist speech and fatwas (Islamic rulings) of murder and incitement which aim to "destroy the fabric of our society and implant strife." Maliki claimed that tolerating such rulings is not the way forward. "Our religion and our national identity advocates the rejection of policies which weaken our country, in the interest of one regional or international party against another," he explained. "Iraq will precede with an open door policy for the sake of Iraq and find common ground with others," he added. The prime minister argued that the Iraqi people's ability to see off the legacy of the former regime is proof that Iraq intends to be a model for the whole world, especially the neighbouring Arab countries. He added that this model is based on a strong policy which starts from the inside by consolidating the democratic process and the federal regime. Maliki urged citizens to come together under the umbrella of national identity, to overcome marginalisation, ignorance or sectarian, doctrinal or racial discrimination.