The text of the speech of Sayyid Al-Hakeem on 1st Rajab Iraqi Martyr’s Day the official program 5/2/2022 - 1443AH
In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, Most Merciful
Praise be to the lord of worlds, and may Allah’s peace and blessing be upon our Master Mohammed, his pure family, and chosen companions…
Your Excellencies,
Your Eminences,
Dear Ladies and Gentlemen,
May Allah’s Peace, Mercy, and Blessings be upon you
- Each year, we recall the “Iraqi Martyr’s Day” on the 1st of Rajab, which coincides with the Martyrdom of the Mihrab Martyr the immortal Grand Ayatullah Sayyid Mohammed Baqir Al-Hakeem “May Allah’s contentment be upon him”.
The remembrance of the scholars, the great, and those who sacrificed their blood and lives to raise the name of Allah and to defend the religion and the homeland represents represents luminous stations in the maturity and advancement of peoples, the awareness and wealth of nations, and indicates the close connection with the values of sacrifice, altruism, heroism and redemption.
- We are inspired by the martyrs of Iraq on how we live and how we are, how we unite on which path to walk, and to what objective we vow and hold on to.
The immortal Mihrab Martyr was not exclusive to a particular group.
He was a loving and caring father for all. He defended the rights of all Iraqis whether be it Arabs, Kurds, or Turkmen, Christians or Muslims, Yezidis, Sabeans, or Shabaks. With no exceptions.
He “May Allah Sanctify his Soul” greatly trusted Iraqis ability to overcome crises and their commitment to their land and their defense for the national issues.
He always bet on their steadfastness and determination in moving toward establishing a national state capable of serving and taking care of them. A state that can preserve the interest of Iraqis in a government that provides living freely and with dignity.
He held on to his political methodology with the quad (unity, liberty, independence, and justice) and considered them the essential objectives during his continuous long troublesome journey.
He was one of the callers for unity for the Iraqi people with all of their colors and components. He worked on stealing their freedom from the claws of dictatorship and tyranny.
He believed in the independence, the pride, and the dignity of his country in all fields. He called for the building of the modern and just state, in which all its proud people could enjoy.
- These are his high values that we hold on to, work for, call for, and preach on their impact under all conditions.
- The Mihrab Martyr was brave and tough in facing delicate and crucial matters.
- He was humble and compassionate with the issues of his people, their pain, and their needs. He didn’t abandon those issues in spite of the dangers, obstacles, and crises he had faced along with his family,
brothers, and relatives. He had many stops in his life that were filled with crises and issues, jail, torture, prosecution, and accusation. He was targeted financially and morally. Repeated attempts of assassinations led to the loss of family and loved ones. He lived through the horror of the martyrdom of companions of the life and journey. After all of these burdens and pressures, he didn’t falter, give up, back down, or retreat. On the contrary, as he leads an example and role model to follow.
He was active, not passive, an influential, not influenced, a leader, not submissive. He was a converged, not a divider. He had the ability to produce a movement, a national messenger project to match the size of expectations and spelled blood. These were the characteristics that made him the center of focus and the pillar that everyone relied on.
In Al-Hikma National Movement, we renew the covenant and the promise to bear the banner of this great martyr, we will continue his lumines ideology and national approach. We work in accordance to these genuine principles and values.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Our Iraqi scene is going through enormous turns and changes calling us all to double our attention and awareness for all of us to overcome the negative effects and reap the positive for the greater good of our people. Starting from this we must focus on the following:
First: the first of our priorities that we must preserve, save and work to consecrate are our political, social, religious, and cultural freedoms that was achieved thanks to the righteous martyrs of Iraq. We can never accept retreating and going back to tyranny, exclusivity, or soloing under any circumstances nor from any party.
We mean by that the freedom of speech, word and stance. The freedom of movements, proposals, and behavior, and all that gives our country the safe atmosphere for all, with no fear, dangers or warnings except for the constitutional and law exceptions.
Second: After two decades of the democratic experience in Iraq, we must believe that the only way for change, reform and stability is the peaceful transfer of power and the legal application of it. Democracy is the one that ensures participation or opposition or neutrality and exchange of roles and positions easily, safely and smoothly.
Therefore, appealing to the rules of democracy must be an approach that’s binding on all. no party has the right to resort to non-peaceful oppositions, nor another party has the right to exercise its authority to suppress, liquidate, and or marginalize others. Iraq is bigger than all of us and can hold all of us and it doesn’t fall short for any of us no matter what.
The social field is open and available for honest competition in political programs, methods and projects. The choice remains for the first right-holder, the people, to choose what they see fit.
In this regard, we call to support any candidate in the next government to be subject to government programs and the full eligibility for the executive tasks granted by the position to that candidate.
We want a president for the republic to be able to take constitutional decisions and steps away from partisan pressures of any party.
We also want a prime minister that can bear full responsibility in managing the cabinet, implement its approved government program and achieve success away from partisan pressures of any party.
We want a minister and a government official who exercises his legal role in implementing its institution’s programs and choose his team away from political agendas and narrow
individual interests.
We want a free patriotic official for a country with a sovereignty and decision. A government that serves and look after its people. A strong capable state.
Third: rationality and broad vision: our political arena is maturing and progressing, despite the slow process, and it needs additional support that rationalize the political movement and double its capacity to run the state and its institution.
Rationality and broad vision give government the ability to absorb all national energies and competencies (loyal and opposition) to serve the country, it itself gives the opposition the ability to express opinion and constructive criticism to address issues away from personalization, emotions and moods.
We are in dire need of political roles integration away from accusations, imposing opinions, tyranny when it comes to opinions and approaches. We mustn’t forget the larger objectives gives its owners wisdom, openness, and a broad horizon away from isolation, exclusivity and stubbornness.
Fourth: Restoring the people’s confidence in the state: let us be frank and clear with ourselves that our decent people are tired of narrow partisan disagreements and
disputes. They await actions not words, change not rotation, bearing responsibility not neglecting it and disposing of it, movement not stagnation, and fulfillment of wishes not Its suspension, stability, service and construction, not allegations, excuses and justifications.
All of this needs the next government to bear full responsibility for its management of the state, just as the opposition bears full responsibility for observation, follow-up, and constructive criticism of the work of the government and its institutions, away from conflict and personalization. In the hope that the state and the politically active forces will restore their normal relationship with the people.
And let us always remember that nearly two-thirds of the voters did not participate in the last elections
There is a silent majority waiting to see the outcomes and the variables, to decide whether their choices are positive or negative.
In this context, I call on the new government to listen to all segments of society and give them the opportunity to participate in writing the government program, so that it is a comprehensive program acceptable to all, and responsive to the aspirations of our people, their concerns and priorities.
Fifth: Justice: Decisions and procedures at the state and government level must be just and fruitful.
And that the equitable distribution of wealth, opportunities and capabilities is the slogan of the next phase.
Today I will talk about the social and demographic majority whose governorates in the central and southern Euphrates complain of neglect, marginalization,
poverty and lack of services, which cannot be accepted in the next stage.
The existing relative stability, closes the door to the obstacles, compliments, and previous controversies.
Let us create a successful model in the central and southern Euphrates, extricate it from its bitter reality, and save Baghdad and the western and northern provinces from neglect, poverty and marginalization.
We want fair planning, financing and implementation for all regions, especially the centrally deprived and marginalized.
Basra, Dhi Qar, Maysan, and Wasit must take their full oil and financial rights.
Sixth: We call on the new government to empower national, independent and youth competencies in its ranks. The youth of Iraq, who made way for early elections and empowered the current parliament with its sacrifices and protests, deserves to have a tangible presence in state institutions and senior positions.
Seventh: The great economic challenges that we are facing today, and the indicators that show the possibility of their exacerbation in the coming years, require taking deterrent measures to prevent this.
Infrastructure needs attention.
Strategic projects need to be launched.
Agriculture, industry and investment mechanisms need to be developed and activated.
The population is increasing exponentially, and unemployment rates among young people are on a dangerous increase.
What is the value of our political work if it does not produce practical and realistic solutions to confront the political and economic challenges that threaten our
country, our people, and the future of our generations…
What is the value of our regular meetings and visits if they are not within a unified vision and a solid will to prioritize and confront crises…
Yes, there are achievements, there are successful projects, and there are qualitative initiatives. But they are not cumulative and suffer from political zeroing with each new government, as if every government curses the one
that preceded it. and here lies the danger.
Therefore, facing the economic crisis is our first priority in the next stage. which requires a government with a clear economic program defined by time ceilings implemented by a courageous government that is capable of identifying solutions and moving towards them. Enough with the policy of describing the disease without treatment and throwing accusations and responsibility in the courts of others.
In this context, I call to double the attention to the files of electricity, health and education, combating unemployment, poverty and drugs, and following up on strategic files, including the Chinese agreement, the Silk Road and the port of Faw.
Eighth: On the regional and international relations file: We believe that Iraq has taken an
important stride in restoring its relations with its neighborhood, its Arab and Islamic surroundings and its international relations, with a balanced, neutral and effective policy, and we need to accumulate and continue this policy.
Biasing any party at the expense of other parties, or antagonizing certain parties in favor of other parties, is a policy that has proven to be a failure and has dire consequences.
So that Iraq remains independent, free in its sovereignty, balanced and effective in its relations with all on the basis of mutual respect and common interests.
While emphasizing the rejection of any policies calling for the normalization of relations with the Zionist entity, under any pretext or flimsy justifications. Palestine will remain our central Arab and Islamic cause, and Iraq will remain a defender of the rights of the Palestinian people.
Ninth: Security, peace, and internal stability are sacred goals that require increased solidarity and unity from all security forces, especially with the signs of a renewed movement of the dark terrorist forces and the activation of their sleeper cells.
Strengthening the army, the police, the counter-terrorism, the Popular Mobilisation Forces and the Peshmerga with the necessary training, armament, and capabilities have become necessary for the continuation of counter-terrorism operations, security control and the restoration of full sovereignty.
Tenth: We condemn all security violations that target civilian facilities, state institutions, or foreign missions, and consider them unacceptable violations. We warn against agendas that want to set up state institutions and throw accusations arbitrarily at some, foremost of which is the Popular Mobilisation Forces.
The policy of dialogue, understanding, and acknowledgment of the others is one of the main adoptions of all heavenly religions and human customs. Our true Islamic religion has
emphasized it in the Almighty’s saying in the Holy Quran: “O mankind, we have created you male and female, and appointed you races and tribes, that you may know one another…” with a clear invitation to the wisdom and good advice of Allah Almighty “Call to the way of your Lord with wisdom and good instruction, and argue with them in a way that is the best indeed…”
In conjunction with the World Interfaith Harmony Week, which was approved by the United Nations General Assembly. and it becoming an occasion to promote harmony among all people regardless of their religions. We stress the importance of dialogue and understanding on the basis of human commonalities, and through dialogue and understanding. With dialogue, peoples advance and countries get prosper.
May Allah protect all countries and peoples... And May Allah protect Iraq and its people... May Allah’s peace, mercy, and blessings be upon you
