One Baghdad taxi driver hopes that “politicians wake up from a period of national hibernation and pay attention to the people who have suffered from injustice, persecution and poverty in former times, and now suffer and die, and that they reach solutions to the crises.” A young professional notes her expectations, saying “All we want from them is to stop the shedding of Iraqis’ blood, to stop the explosions that target the children of the people, and to provide basic services.” A wage-earner from Baghdad is more pessimistic: “The conference won’t solve the problems, because politicians have had many conferences and have not ended up with any root solutions to solve the problems of the relationships between them. All we want is safety and stability and the building of our country like the countries surrounding us.”

These are the feelings of a few Iraqis, as reported by a local news source, surrounding the anxiously awaited National Conference set to convene in just a few weeks. Notables attending the conference are President Jalāl Ṭālibānī, Prime Minister Nūrī al-Mālikī, and Kurdish Regional Government President Mass’aūd Barzānī, among others. They will attempt to set to rest some of the country’s political impasses and plan for greater stability. The exact time and location of the conference, itself a point of dispute, is yet to be decided or publicized.

On January 13^th, the Deputy of the Virtue Block, Susan S’ad, invited leaders to hold the conference in #Basra. She pointed out the region’s stability and political diversity as environmental factors that make it ideal for holding the National Conference. Only a day later, on January 14^th, an attack in Basra killed over fifty people. The tragedy has underlined the importance of planning for security improvements. Some believe that current political impasses are contributing to heightened levels of violence. The Deputy of the Kurdish Coalition, Maḥmā Khalīl, has announced that he sees the conference as a means of exiting the current crisis and solving political problems. The recent withdrawal of U.S. forces highlights this as a key transition period for Iraqi leaders to map out a plan for a better future.

The current instability has a profound effect on Iraqi families’ everyday lives, and some choose to leave the country in search of a better life. In interviews with Iraqi Christians in autumn 2011, SAT-7 editor S’aīd found that many felt they were forced to leave their country, which they loved so much. Other Christians cope with the difficulty of their lifestyle in different ways. One church member reflects on the history that the Christian community has had in Iraq over thousands of years. She urges Christians tempted to immigrate to think of this history and says, “We are Iraqis, and we will remain Iraqis.” Another church member tells S’aīd that she wears her cross everywhere she goes. She says that she does this without fear because of her strong belief in God, and as long as He is with her no one can overcome her.

Last September, SAT-7 conducted an in-depth interview with a Christian woman in Baghdad, Lina Dawud. Lina described life in Iraq after the war, how people do not go out for parties or picnics or social activities anymore because they fear violence. Having made this transition, Lina faces her feelings about the violence and how she should react as a Christian. Her belief is that “Forgiveness is the best thing in our lives. Of course, it’s not easy; when you miss someone you love, how can you forgive the person who killed them? So we pray to God for the strength to do it.”

While the National Conference has the potential to improve safety and lifestyle for Iraqis, it may or may not actually accomplish this end. Christians like Lina have chosen a faith that will sustain them regardless of the outcome. At SAT-7, we continue to pray for safety and prosperity for those living in Iraq. As Scripture says about planning, “In his heart a man plans his course, but the Lord determines his steps.” We also pray that God would guide the country’s leaders and give them a discerning vision for a better future. 

Written by Melissa Brown