Schools, churches, mosques confiscated by Saddam Hussein return to legitimate owners
Baghdad (AsiaNews) The Provisional Governing Council decided that schools, churches, mosques and madrassas (Islamic schools) confiscated by Saddam Hussein return to their legitimate owners, while enjoying the freedom to manage their own educational resources. This decision was made last Nov. 5, but was only now made public. AsiaNews received the news via Baghdad's Church officials.
In its Nov. 5 meeting, the Council approved Decision 87 decreeing that "the cancelling of all decisions, laws and rules leading to the confiscation, closure, incorporation and annulling of the power to run colleges, mosques, institutes, and schools".
Concretely, the decision means the complete restitution of and freedom to manage colleges and schools --together with all privileges. The decision was signed by Provisional Council President, Jalal Talabani.
For Christians, Catholics, Shiites and Sunnites this means liberation: the practical result of this decision is the go-ahead for freedom in education.
This decision, above all, will be incorporated into the Constitution and will also guarentee the freedom to teach and run schools autonomously. Educational programs will be set forth at a later time.
Under Saddam Hussein's regime everything was nationalized; now freedom in education is guaranteed. Iraq, together with Jordan, are the only countries with an Islamic majority to have freedom in education.
Saddam Hussein's government abolished free schools on May 22 1974. The confiscation of properties occurred on March 10 1975. At that time there were 80 schools and colleges in existence, 34 of which were Christian. Currently, following the Provisional Government's decision 15 schools and colleges will be returned to Catholics, including one university which once belonging to the Jesuits. (BC)
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14/09/2004
