God, Santa, Fr. Paolo and Syria

Father Paolo Dall'Oglio

After promoting interfaith harmony for 30 years, a Jesuit priest is being asked to leave Syria.

He is Father Paolo Dall’Oglio, an Italian cleric with a Ph.D. in comparative religion and Islamic studies. He championed Christian-Muslim dialogue for three decades in a region where the line between state and religion is often blurred. He did it from his monastery some 80 kilometers north of Damascus. “I have worked to create a monastic community dedicated to the service of harmony between Islam and Christianity,” he says.

Fr. Paolo lives and works officially under the aegis of the Syriac Catholic church in the Monastery of St. Moses the Abyssinian, or Deir Mar Musa al-Habashi. The monastery has stood at the eastern fringes of the Anti-Lebanon Mountains since at least the sixth century. University of Toronto archeologist Robert B. Mason thinks it was built on the remnants of a Roman watchtower. Today it resembles a storybook castle perched on the edge of a steep precipice overlooking the Syrian Desert.

A fortnight ago, Fr. Paolo posted a Christmas message on the monastery’s web site. The message did not go down well in Damascus. According to the Vatican Insider, the Syrian government promptly asked the ecclesiastical authorities to eject Fr. Paolo from the country.

“I suggested to Syrian authorities that I would commit less to politics and culture and more to spiritual matters, to avoid expulsion from the country,” he told Vatican Radio.

What ruffled Damascus’ feathers is Fr. Paolo’s Christmas message, dated November 25 and published on the monastery’s website and by the Society of Jesus’ monthly magazine “Popoli.”

The message is titled “Christmas call 2011.” Here is the essence of what it declares:

…Christ and his family’s sufferings, including persecution and suffering, show us the right way in the current conditions.

Our country is in danger. Some of us have sided with one party, others with another. Let us ask ourselves: where is our duty as a community obeying the Gospel? Is not our role to speak for harmony and reconciliation, now as in the past?

Many predict a rapid end to the current dramatic events through the victory of one side over the other… Others expect a rise in violence and finally a permanent partition of the country...

Whatever the result, we will stay in solidarity with every Syrian, regardless of his or her political, religious, ethnic and native tongue roots. We will stay in solidarity with our neighbors, without discriminating between one neighbor and another, other than in the defense of justice and the oppressed.

It is not the time to apportion blame or judge fellow citizens in conflict. We must tell everyone that we wish to promote reconciliation. There is no way forward other than reconciliation.

In these terrible days full of hope and sadness, fervor and gloom, courage and fear, sacrifice and crime, we don’t know what form our country will finally take. We do not know if the nation will keep its unity, and how. Will citizens gain more freedom, or lose the little they have? Will they achieve a pluralistic, civilian, consensual democracy, where everyone is respected? Or will the opposite happen, with citizens being oppressed by a rigid majority?

We feel our role in this crisis is to encourage dialogue, communication, reconciliation and bridge building… Reconciliation is between enemies, not friends! It can succeed through an agreement that considers the reasonable demands of all sides. This is why we offer, in all humility, our service as Christians, not as a party but as mediators…

Rear banner at Homs demo hails Fr. Paolo's support of justice (via Skynews.com)

But reconciliation requires several fundamental conditions. In their absence, it would be tantamount to submission and surrender. The most important of those conditions are to accept pluralism, freedom of opinion, freedom of speech, and respect of citizens’ dignity and basic rights…

Our salvation will not come from the mantra of plots. It will come by seeking cooperation with every free individual of goodwill in the region and in the world. This can occur only through access to Arab and international media in all their diversity. Truth springs up from media pluralism and independence. We also suggest cooperation with independent humanitarian organizations such as the Red Cross or Red Crescent to help in stopping armed clashes and protecting unarmed civilians.

Dear Christians, the third point comes from the manifesto and teachings of the Oriental Patriarchs, and from the commandments of the Bishops’ Synod for the Middle East, held under the Pope’s direction in 2010. They determine that our existence, side by side with the Muslims in harmony and understanding, is a condition that God wants…

Interfaith collaboration and bridge building is what the six monks and nuns of Deir Mar Musa work for with their assistants. They team up with Muslim leaders to improve opportunities for young people, promote ecological awareness, and arrange theological discussions between religious leaders. And when the call to prayer sounds from the muezzin, a Muslim visiting the monastery’s church, kneels and performs his or her prayers.

Deir Mar Musa (Wikipedia)

Although the monastery’s church was built in 1058 AD, Deir Mar Musa's reputation and restoration is due much to the efforts, resolve and belief of Fr. Paolo. After completing a doctorate in comparative religion and Islamic studies at the Pontificia Università Gregoriana in Rome, he single-handedly restored the site, setting the first stone in 1982.

"I came here as a student of Arabic and lived in Lebanon and Syria beginning from the 1970s. I asked a priest in Damascus if he knew of a place where I could go to study and pray. He suggested I come here, and here I am today," the priest explains. He was awarded the Anna Lindh Euro-Mediterranean award for interfaith dialogue on behalf of Deir Mar Musa in 2006.

The 6th century monastery

The monastery was founded by Mar Musa al-Habashi, or Saint Moses the Abyssinian, who, as legend has it, was the son of an Ethiopian king. Refusing to accept his future as laid out before him, Saint Moses decided to become a Christian monk and later travelled to Syria where he lived as a monk in Qara and then as a hermit in the valley of what is today the monastery. Byzantine soldiers martyred him there. The story says his family took his body, but the thumb of his right hand was separated by a miracle, and was left as a relic, now conserved in the Syrian church of Nebek.

The Deir, on fringes of Anti-Lebanon Mountains

Last July, Fr. Paolo also wrote a think piece titled “A Democracy of Consensus for the Sake of National Unity,” which you can read in full here. In it he offered the idea of a “democracy of consensus.” He said that this, “with prayer and fasting, is my contribution to the constructive dialogue, which is necessary to escape from the cycle of bloodshed and revenge.”

Will Fr. Paolo be made to leave his home in the mountains or will he be granted leave to stay and continue championing national reconciliation and interfaith harmony?

Advent and Burbara herald Christmas

The countdown to Christmas began with the November 27 start of Advent, followed by Eid al-Burbara, or St. Barbara’s Day, on December 4.

 

Many shops and high streets have been in full swing since October though. When living in London, such early start removed all the magic from the season when everything in town went into Christmas mode three months ahead of time.

Santa or Mrs. (Mich) Claus?

December used to be a month I wished I could sleep through to reemerge on January 7. Not only was it the “silly season” of Inebriation and useless spending, but also the time of dark days, when lights had to be switched on as of 2 p.m., and of inclement weather, when you only wanted to hole up.

Luckily in Dubai, the season of spending and gluttony and intoxication is made bearable thanks to the sun and the heat. You can get away with Christmas lunch and then go back to work.

But there are some events in the buildup to Christmas that remain fond memories, such as preparing the Advent calendar and Burbara.

Advent, from the Latin word adventus meaning coming in Latin, is observed in many Christian churches as a time of expectant waiting and preparation for the celebration of the Nativity of Jesus at Christmas. It is the beginning of the Western liturgical year and commences on the fourth Sunday before December 25, which fell on November 27 this year.

The progression of the season is marked, mostly by children, with an Advent calendar. We used to make these at school and take them home just in time to start opening the little windows and see the holy image and story leading up to the Nativity. 

"The Little Town" Advent Calendar first published in 1946

The origin of the Advent Calendar can be traced back to the 19th century, when religious families made a chalk line for every day in December until Christmas Eve. The first known Advent Calendar was handmade in 1851. The first printed ones were made in 1908 by a Swabian parishioner son, Gerhard Lang (1881-1974). He produced little colored pictures that could be affixed on a cardboard each December day.

The Advent Calendar’s popularity started to spread worldwide, but World War II terminated the success of this German tradition. The cardboard was rationed and it was forbidden to produce calendars with pictures. 

Advent Calendar 44 by Richard Sellmer

The first printed calendars after the war were by Richard Sellmer of Stuttgart in 1946. He resurrected the commercial Advent Calendar and is responsible for its widespread popularity. His company, Richard Sellmer Verlag, today maintains a stock of over 1,000,000 calendars worldwide. Advent Calendars filled with chocolate were already available in 1958.

The second fond memory I have leading up to Christmas is of Eid al-Burbara, or Saint Barbara's Day. It is celebrated on December 4 in Lebanon, Syria, Jordan and Palestine to honor Saint Barbara, who disguised herself in many different characters to elude the Romans who were persecuting her. Thus children wear masks and go around the neighborhood, much as in Halloween, and are offered a porridge-like delicacy called Burbara.

Burbara awakens all the senses with the smell of spices and smooth hot texture. It is made of boiled wheat grains, pomegranate seeds, raisins, anise and sugar and is offered to the children. It gives off a wonderful warm smell that I still remember.

Eid al-Burbara signals the countdown to Christmas. And although Advent is a period of fasting, Burbara is something that can be eaten during this lent period because it doesn’t include dairy or meat products.

The Eid al-Burbara story tells how Barbara supposedly ran through a freshly planted wheat field, which grew instantly to magically cover her path. 

St. Barbara (Wikipedia)

Accounts place St. Barbara in the 3rd century. As one of the Fourteen Holy Helpers, she continues to be recognized as the patron saint of artillerymen, military engineers, miners and others who work with explosives because of her old legend's association with lightning. Many of the 13 miracles in a 15th-century French version of her story hinges on the security she offered her devotees, who would not die without making confession and receiving extreme unction.

Various versions differ on the location of St. Barbara’s martyrdom, which is given as Tuscany, Rome, Antioch, Baalbek, and Nicomedia.

According to tradition, Barbara was the daughter of the pagan Dioscurus. On discovering that she became a Christian, her father tried to kill her, but she was miraculously transported out of his reach. Dioscurus denounced her to the authorities. Despite being tortured, she refused to denounce her faith. Her father beheaded her and was immediately struck by lightning and reduced to ashes. As a result of her father's fate, St. Barbara's prayers are especially sought as protection against thunderstorms and fire. 

If you would like to try your hand at Burbara, I found my Mom, Vicky’s recipe. We used to make a lot to share with all the neighbors, so I have cut the ingredients to make a large bowl or six-eight generous servings.

Burbara (photo)

Ingredients:

• 250g crushed peeled or shelled wheat
• 250g dried apricots
• 250g raisins
• 1 teaspoon of ground nutmeg
• 1 teaspoon of cloves
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 2 teaspoons fennel seeds, ground
• 2 teaspoons anise seeds, ground
• 10 tablespoons sugar (or to taste)
• 100g crushed walnuts
• 100g almonds (peeled, halved, soaked in hot water)
• 1 pomegranate, seeded

Cooking:

• Wash wheat and soak overnight. Drain, place in a pot and cover it with cold water just above the wheat. Bring to a boil until the wheat is tender. Drain the wheat and boil again in clean water.
• When it boils, reduce the heat and add the spices -- cinnamon, fennel, anise and sugar.
• Wash raisins, dice apricots and add to the boiling mix. Boil for another 10 minutes or until the wheat and raisins puff up.
• Serve hot with almonds and crushed walnuts and pomegranate seeds on top.

There’s still time to make your own Advent Calendar, if you don’t have one already. And once you’ve tried Burbara, the countdown to Christmas Day is truly on.

Related posts:

Lebanese and Halloween by Elie Fares – October 31, 2011

Happy 40th to the UAE

My accolade goes to the Dubai Civil Defense

It is the sixth year I celebrate UAE National Day in Dubai.
 

In the current times of social, political and economic turmoil in the region and the world at large, it is a breath of fresh air to see a country happy, united and supportive of its leaders.

As one of the tens of thousands of expatriates who were lucky to land on the sunny, blissful and safe shores of the United Arab Emirates, I wish the country, its leaders and its people a Happy National Day.

Friday, December 2, marks the formal independence of the UAE from the United Kingdom and the 1971 unification of its seven component emirates – namely, Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Sharjah, Ajman, Umm Al Quwain, Ras Al Khaimah and Al Fujairah.

The seven fellow members of the Federal Supreme Council

The “Spirit of the Union” is derived from the vision and leadership of the father of the nation, the late Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan. It now lives on through UAE President His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, UAE Vice President and Prime Minister and ruler of Dubai Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, and their five fellow members of the Federal Supreme Council – Sheikh Sultan bin Mohammad Al Qasimi (ruler Sharjah), Sheikh Hamad bin Mohammad Al Sharqi (ruler of Al Fujairah), Sheikh Saud bin Saqr Al Qasimi (ruler of Ras Al Khaimah), Sheikh Saud bin Rashid Al Mualla (ruler of Umm Al Quwain), and Sheikh Humaid bin Rashid Al Nuaimi (ruler of Ajman).

Preparations for this year’s National Day got underway on October 24 and culminated on December 2, when celebratory events across the seven emirates marked the 40th milestone.

My friend Yahya Almarzooqi at National Day celebrations

Villas, apartments, offices, gardens, parks, public roads, cars… practically everything is decked out in the colors of the UAE national flag, under the slogan “Spirit of the Nation.”

An Emirati businesswoman went as far as to customize and decorate her BMW X6 with 150,000 individual Swarovski crystals. She had to get special permission from the RTA (Road Transport Authority to drive it. And she also customized her abaya (full story and pictures in 7Days, 28 November 2011).

The Al Manara Civil Defense Station

My accolade on this 40th National Day goes to the Dubai Civil Defense. I wish to thank them for all they will be doing to keep the city and its residents safe as they celebrate the occasion.

I pass the Al Manara Dubai Civil Defense Station on my way home every night. The sight there of the yellow fire engines and rescue cars, always ready to move, is a great comfort. I couldn’t help but notice the proud display of a giant UAE flag and decorations on the center, all through the countdown to December 2.

Lights all over the Station...

... in the colors of the UAE flag

The Al Manara Civil Defense Station, headed by Air Force Major Othman Mohammad Ahli, was inaugurated by HH Sheikh Mansoor bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum in November 2010, when Civil Defense teams performed field parades highlighting their readiness to intervene in emergency situations.

The Civil Defense fleet at the ready

Corporal Youssef Hussein shows me the equipment

I was welcomed and given the run of the Civil Defense Station by Corporal Youssef Hussein who spoke with pride of the courage and dedication of the Civil Defense team and its preparedness to answer the dangerous calls it gets. He was also proud to show me the fire engines and other rescue and support vehicles, all fitted with the latest equipment and technology made in the Emirates. (Join me at the Al Manara Civil Defense Station in photos here).

Corporal Hussein says the Station is always pleased to welcome guests, families, children, schools and anyone interested to learn more about the Dubai Civil Defense and its operations. 

The Operations Center van...

... equipped with the latest technology

Among the functions of Civil Defense are to search for victims, rescue and deliver casualties and provide needed help; participate in the rehabilitation of afflicted areas and the resumption of public utilities services; supervise implementation of industrial safety measures in industrial and commercial establishments; and oversee fire preventive measures in private and public institutions.

Happy National Day to the enlightened UAE leadership, to the brave people at Civil Defense and to all my Emirati friends.

16 Days against gender violence

The 16 Days Campaign calling for the eradication of all forms of violence against women starts today, November 25.

The 16 Days of Activism Against Gender Violence is an international campaign emanating from the first Women's Global Leadership Institute (WGLI) sponsored by Rutgers University Schools of Arts and Sciences’ Center for Women's Global Leadership (CWGL) in 1991.

I am surprised not to see any activities planned in the region, where reports about gender violence abound. Or maybe there are activities in the pipeline of which I am unaware.

I was happily brought up in a family without violence, where females were loved, respected and treated on a par with males. I was fortunate to enroll at university, although my academic pursuits were cut short by civil war. I was also lucky to realize a childhood dream by landing a career in journalism and falling on an editor who believed in gender equality. 

It was not easy for a woman to be accepted as a full-fledged journalist in the early Seventies in the Middle East. On the job, my female colleagues and I were often derided, looked down upon and mocked. We repeatedly came back to our magazine workplace in tears because of the way we were treated. But we persisted and rapidly earned the respect of our readers and of the people of public interest we were writing about and interviewing.

The 16 Days Campaign participants chose November 25 (International Day Against Violence Against Women), and December 10 (International Human Rights Day) to symbolically link violence against women and human rights and to emphasize that such violence is a violation of human rights.

This 16-day period also highlights other significant dates, including November 29, International Women Human Rights Defenders Day; December 1, World AIDS Day; and December 6, which marks the Anniversary of the Montreal Massacre. 

The 16 Days Campaign calls for the elimination of all forms of violence against women by:

• Raising awareness about gender-based violence as a human rights issue at the local, national, regional and international levels
• Strengthening local work around violence against women
• Establishing a clear link between local and international work to end violence against women
• Providing a forum where organizers can develop and share new and effective strategies
• Demonstrating the solidarity of women around the world organizing against violence against women
• Creating tools to pressure governments to implement promises made to eliminate violence against women.

Since 1991, over 3,700 organizations in approximately 164 countries have participated in the 16 Days Campaign.

Patricia, Maria Teresa and Minerva Mirabal*

International Day Against Violence Against Women was first declared in 1981 by the first Feminist Encuentro for Latin America and the Caribbean to commemorate the violent assassination, by the dictatorship of Rafael Trujillo in the Dominican Republic, of the Mirabal sisters on that date in 1960. 

As a result of extensive marshaling by women’s rights organizations, the UN General Assembly officially designated November 25 as International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women [A/RES/54/134] in 1999. 

The theme for 2011 is: From Peace in the Home to Peace in the World: Let's Challenge Militarism and End Violence Against Women!

To explore some of the deeper social structures that promote and perpetuate violence against women and girls, the CWGL last year launched a multi-annual campaign theme on the intersections of militarism and violence against women. While there are many different ways to define militarism, “our working definition outlines militarism as an ideology that creates a culture of fear and supports the use of violence, aggression, or military interventions for settling disputes and enforcing economic and political interests,” says the CWGL.

“Current world events -- including military interventions, femicides, attacks on civilians participating in political change, ongoing conflicts etc. -- exemplify the distinctive way in which militarism influences how we see our neighbors, our families, our public life, and other people in the world,” it adds.

This year’s 16 Days Campaign will delve further into five priority issues for those working on the intersections of violence against women and militarism:

1. Bringing together women, peace, and human rights movements to challenge militarism: There are many international tools and mechanisms that can help hold governments accountable for protecting and respecting rights (e.g. the Beijing Platform for Action, CEDAW, international humanitarian law, the Human Rights Council, and Security Council Resolutions 1325, 1820, 1888, 1889, 1960 on Women, Peace, and Security, and more). These approaches and tools provide entry points for social movements to reframe security as a human rights issue instead of a military issue.
2. Proliferation of small arms and their role in domestic violence: Domestic violence is a reality in every country of the world. According to the International Action Network on Small Arms (IANSA) Women’s Network, women are three times more likely to die violently if there is a gun in the house. Consequently, this year the 16-Day Campaign will also look at the sale, trade, proliferation, and misuse of small firearms.
3. Sexual violence in and after conflict: Rape is often used as a tactic of war to drive fear and to humiliate or punish women and their communities.
4. Political violence against women, including pre/during/post-election violence: The use of violence to achieve political goals has specific gendered implications. Governments that use force against their own civilians, suspend rule of law in an “emergency” period or use “anti-terrorism” laws to suppress pro-democracy movements or to silence human rights defenders also employ militaristic ideologies that attempt to pass off violence as “security” measures.
5. Sexual and gender-based violence committed by state agents, particularly the police or military: Even in places where there is no recognized conflict, militarized violence against civilians by uniformed personnel takes place.

The 2011 16 Days Campaign is an opportunity for reflection and conversation about what the global women’s rights movement can do to challenge structures that allow violence against women to continue at all levels. It is also a crucial time to reach out to and involve more men, boys, faith-based and traditional leaders, and other key partners in this work towards building a more just and peaceful world.

A crucial aspect of the 16 Days Campaign involves listening to the stories of women around the world and standing in solidarity with one another, but it also underscores the value of working locally to transform violent or militaristic mindsets.

During these 16 days and beyond, let’s focus on how “peace in the home” extends and relates to “peace in the world.” Every nonviolent value can influence family, friends, communities and governments. Let’s now put our shoulders to the wheel.

[* Original images of the Mirabal Sisters owned by the Mirabal Family] 

Related post:
Rest in Peace, Myriam Achkar -- at Nadine Moawad's blog "What if I get Free?" -- November 25, 2011

Wise up, reckless drivers!

Most of us know at least one Road Traffic Victim… I wish this weren’t so!

Today, November 20, is World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), road traffic crashes kill nearly 1.3 million people every year and injure or disable as many as 50 million more. They are the leading cause of death among people aged 10-24 years.

Dad Esa -- Jeddah, 1950

It is a day I didn’t know was commemorated. It is very dear to my heart as I lost my dad, Esa, to a drink driving accident in December 1973. He was 65. Dad had just retired from a long spell as a civil servant and had embarked on a new life in his preferred profession of being a lawyer in Bahrain when he was hit one night by a young man driving under the influence of alcohol.

To be robbed of a husband and father because of a drunk driver, in Bahrain out of all places, is beyond words or words that can appear in print.

Reckless and drink driving is something that happens on the roads all over the world. But I was shocked at the speed of driving and recklessness and disregard for all highway codes in Dubai since I have been in Dubai.

Why don’t drivers signal? Why do they blind you with their headlights (I had one accident because of that)? Why do they drive so fast? Don’t they have families? Why? Why? And why do drivers have to use their mobiles on the road? What is so urgent? 

In October 2005, the UN General Assembly adopted a resolution calling on governments to mark the third Sunday in November as World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims. The day was created to give recognition to victims of road traffic crashes and the plight of their relatives who must cope with the emotional and practical consequences of their unexpected and tragic loss.

WHO and the UN Road Safety Collaboration encourage governments and NGOs around the world to commemorate this day to draw the public’s attention to road traffic crashes, their consequences and costs, and the precautionary measures liable to prevent them.

In May 2011, the international community marked the start of the Decade of Action for Road Safety 2011-2020. Governments acknowledged the threat of road traffic deaths to health and development, and committed themselves to the Decade goal of saving five million lives and preventing 50 million injuries. Some used this occasion to release national Decade plans and new road safety legislation targeted at drinking and driving, speeding and using helmets, seat-belts and child car seats.

WHO says 3000 people die on the world’s roads every day and several million are injured or disabled each year. About 124 people are dying every hour and hundreds are severely disabled and injured. It notes the Middle East and North Africa have above average road accident rates.

In Dubai, I found that the Suraya Foundation, a non-profit road safety organization, has partnered with educators, the media, the creative community and families who have been affected by tragic accidents to help spread the awareness of safe driving and educating the community on how safe driving can save lives.

Founder Mohd Shahnawaz knows first-hand what it is like to lose a loved one due to a reckless driving accident. His younger sister Suraya (read her story) was killed in a hit and run accident in March 2009. In honor of her memory, he has made it his goal to spread awareness on the dangers of reckless driving. 

By spreading emotionally compelling messages through awareness campaigns and mass media, the Suraya Foundation is hoping to change the attitudes of rash drivers and get them to drive safely.

One of the Suraya Foundation campaigns is “Take the Oath,” a project where you take a vow to be a safer driver on the road using a checklist as a guide.

WHO says UAE residents are seven times more likely to die in a car accident compared to UK inhabitants. Road accidents are the second major cause of deaths in the UAE, where car accident deaths have been increasing every year (except in 2009 when fatalities dropped 10 percent).

Most car accidents in the UAE, it says, are due to heedless driving. Experts suggest educating drivers and teaching them traffic safety and courteous driving rules could change this.

Indeed, last week I read about another accident, this time involving a cyclist… It was the case of another family robbed of a loved one.

An article in Daily Tech quotes UAE Police as saying traffic accidents dropped 40 percent in Abu Dhabi and 20 percent in Dubai in October, when millions of BlackBerry users around the world were disconnected for about four days.

On this day of remembrance, maybe it’s a good time to take the oath and be a safe driver. Please drive carefully and responsibly and be safe.