Another Wall!!!!

In the New York Times this morning, "U.S. Erects Baghdad Wall to keep Sects Apart," by Edward Wong and David S. Cloud.   What?   Another wall!   This is supposedly a stragegy to keep the Sunni and Shiite neighborhoods apart to stop the violence between them.  Here are some quotes from that article.

Soldiers in the Adhamiya district of northern Baghdad, a Sunni Arab stronghold, began construction of the wall last week and expect to finish it within a month. Iraqi Army soldiers would then control movement through a few checkpoints. The wall has already drawn intense criticism from residents of the neighborhood, who say that it will increase sectarian tensions and that it is part of a plan by the Shiite-led Iraqi government to box in the minority Sunnis.

A doctor in Adhamiya, Abu Hassan, said the wall would transform the residents into caged animals.

“It’s unbelievable that they treat us in such an inhumane manner,” he said in a telephone interview. “They’re trying to isolate us from other parts of Baghdad. The hatred will be much greater between the two sects.”

The American military said in a written statement that “the wall is one of the centerpieces of a new strategy by coalition and Iraqi forces to break the cycle of sectarian violence.”

"One of the centerpieces," a wall?   A centerpiece for me means something that adds or helps me focus on a table or event.   So I suppose that everytime a Shiite or a Sunni sees the wall, it will add to their frustration, hate, anxiety, and sense of hopelessness.   

In diversity training and anti-racism workshops, the desmanteling of walls is the beginning of understanding and appreciation for the other.     Now we have a "fence" at our borders, a wall in the Gaza, Gated communities to keep out those who don't belong, faiths that determine who belongs, individuals who build walls that there is no hope for escape from pain, loneliness, illness... If we can't work to break down walls, how can peace, reconciliation and wholeness come about? 

This is the  hard question.   It is much easer to build a wall.  We all do it!  It is too difficult  to deal with the systemic issues of war, violence, and dysfunctional decisonmaking.   We could start individually with ourselves.   When I speak to folks on relational matters and ask, "Have you shared this with your partner?"  The answer is "No, because he/she wouldn't understand" or "No, he/she should have known better."  The building of walls to protect our own minds, hearts and souls is commonplace so why should countries be any different.     The only way I know to tear down these walls is to commmunicate and work really hard at appreciating and understanding the other.  This really sound like too much work!   So it's probably better we build a wall!   

I pray that those who build walls in their own lives, in neighborhoods, communities, and countries remember that God requires them to "seek justice, love mercy and walk humbly with our God."
Pray with me!

Comments

[lauren]

Amen.