(Ahlul Bayt News Agency) - In his Friday speech, Sheikh Hassan Saffar condemned the use of violence against civilians and security men. He described Awamiya events as “a rare incident” and refused the “exaggerative” language while dealing with it.Saffar also refused the sectarian and inflammatory campaign against Shia citizens as a result of the incident. He blamed the official decree from the Ministry of Interior of giving a green light for this campaign. “The use of violence is unaccepted from any Shia citizen or leader. The incident could have been employed to strengthen the national unity against any vandalism,” He said.He continued by saying that there have been tons of occasions where security men had been targeted in the recent months across the country, “so is why this particular one given a sectarian dimension?” Saffar refused interpreting the incidents that happen in the Shia territories in a sectarian way and starting “odious” sectarian campaigns.He added that this reaction disturbed the reputation of the country and grabbed the attention of both regional and international media towards questioning and accusing some of the citizens of being loyal to a foreign state.Refusing the criminalizing of Shia citizensSaffar criticized generalizing on all Shia citizens upon any occasion and demanding their leaders to affirm their loyalty to the nation every time. In this matter he wondered, “Why do you deal with Shiites like criminals who have to daily visit the police station?”He also criticized demanding Shiites to condemn every abuse against their Sunni fellows regardless of the abuser’s identity.On the other hand, Saffar condemned the silence of most Sunni clerics and writers when Shia citizens’ civil and religious rights are violated. In this matter, he addressed the complete silence of Sunni elites when the former Imam of Holy Mosque in Mecca publicly described all Shia scholars as infidels. Regarding the religious rights, he criticized Sunnis’ ignorance of banning Shiites from performing their prayer in some Saudi cities, in addition to preventing them from having cemeteries there.Saffar added, “Why are all Muslim funerals allowed into the Prophet’s Mosque except for Shia?”Moreover, he strongly criticized the silence of Sunni citizens regarding denying their Shia fellows some positions in the government. Saffar directed his question to Sunni clerics and media authors “Isn’t there anyone to refuse these violations?”He summarized by rejecting the “sectarian language and double standards” and demanding that events be treated according to their normal size and their correct domain. He also asked the media, the religious speakers and the authors to spread unity among citizens and stand against instigators of sectarian sedition among citizens./129
14 October 2011 - 20:30
News ID: 271885
In his Friday speech, Sheikh Hassan Saffar condemned the use of violence against civilians and security men. He described Awamiya events as “a rare incident” and refused the “exaggerative” language while dealing with it.
