Baghdad, Jun. 28 (CWNews.com) - Iraq's religious
leaders must contribute to the process of restoring peace to that country,
according to a Chaldean Catholic bishop.
Bishop Shelmon Warduni, a Baghdad auxiliary, told a Vatican Radio audience:
"It will be difficult to re-establish security with the participation of
everyone." He continued: "I hope that religious leaders-- and all the
leaders of the nation-- will do everything possible to influence the
population" toward peace.
Speaking on June 28, after the new provisional government of Iraq took power
two days ahead of schedule, the Chaldean bishop admitted that the future of Iraq
remains highly uncertain. He said that the continued presence of coalition
troops is necessary, as the provisional government struggles to establish
control and organize elections.
Bishop Warduni conceded that he has some concerns about whether the Iraqi
population will accept the new government. "We don't know anything about
them, for good or for evil," he said. But he urged: "Let's work with
them, give them a little support, so that they can do something for the
country."
Iraq's new Prime Minister Iyad Allaoui announced that he would inaugurate a
series of emergency measures immediately after taking power, to help restore
security in a country that has been badly shaking by recent bombings, guerrilla
raids, and the grisly execution of foreign hostages. Some members of the
provisional government raised the prospect of declaring martial law, or imposing
a curfew in particularly troubled regions.