Sunnis, Shiites show Unity in Najaf

Karbala journalist Alaa Koli, who writes for several Iraqi media outlets, criticized certain media organizations without naming them, telling Al-Monitor that they “report news about political conflict with sectarian dimensions, and never convey the news on cooperation and solidarity between people from different sects.”

He added, “During Ramadan, people provide large-scale help for the poor and the less fortunate," noting that talk of war and sectarianism is overshadowing Iraqi attitudes of humanitarianism and coexistence.

Babil cleric Abdul Aziz al-Yasiri invited Al-Monitor to visit the shrine of Imam al-Hamza, where an iftar was held with the support of well-off residents and the religious authority.

“Although the majority of this region’s residents are Shiites, as well as the majority of the displaced, there are around 10 Sunni families who were displaced from Anbar in March 2014. They found the same amount of help and support as the Shiite families,” he noted.

Sayf al-Din al-Obeidi, a Sunni from Fallujah who lives with around 50 Sunni and Shiite families in the vacant al-Yamamah elementary school, told Al-Monitor, “In reality, the situation is very different from what media outlets interested in political spats report.”

He added, “You will not find sectarianism here. Sectarianism is found among political elites and armed factions, especially those who came from outside of Iraq, most notably IS.”

Obeidi, who studied sociology at the University of Baghdad and worked as a teacher for two decades, said, “Sectarianism is weak or nonexistent among social classes, but it’s deep-rooted among divided politicians and parties.”