An interview about sectarian identity with former Baghdad resident Hasanen Nawfal Al-Bana

By Mark Wellborn

Hasanen, or Hasan, is a 25-year-old Iraqi computer programmer. He moved to Doha, Qatar, shortly after the United States invaded Iraq in 2003. Much of his family still remains in Baghdad, and Hasan returns to visit them once every two or three months.

Below are excerpts from an interview with Hasan on February 28, 2007, one day before he went to Baghdad to see his family.  This interview was conducted by Mark Wellborn over Skype, the Internet communication technology, which connected Mark in his New York City apartment with Hasan in his house in Doha, Qatar.

What are your feelings about Sunni and Shiite identity?

In the same family, you can find Sunnis, Shiaa and Christians. In my family, I have all those three. There are many differences between the three, but most people in Iraq don’t care.

What are the dangers now in being identified as Sunni or Shiite?

My family is very worried because they are “X” and are living in a district mostly inhabited by “Y.” You can say “X” are Shiaa and “Y” are Sunni. After the war started, we are now worried because of the “Y.” Before the war, we never would’ve worried about “Y!”

Now there are outsiders. Let’s call them “Z.” They are trying to isolate Baghdad.

It is really hard to identify “Z.” It doesn't contain only Wahabis. [Wahhabism is a conservative Sunni movement based in Saudi Arabia.] Also the 'Baathis,' the ones who were controlling Iraq for the last 35 years. [Saddam Hussein and his Sunni-dominated regime ruled Iraq through the Baath Party.]

Now things are becoming very separate. X people are moving to areas where more X people live. And the same for Y.

What factors led to Iraq’s sectarian violence?

The directed media and the stupid occupation. Also the Arabs from Saudi Arabia. They consider Shiaa as infidels, Kurds are intruders, and other such stupid things. They want to rid the Shiaa from Iraq. They would like to keep the U.S. Army always busy in Iraq with more and more troubles.

All the countries around us are trying to keep Iraq as it is now.

Jordan wants to take parts of Iraq. Turkey still considers the north of Iraq as part of their Empire.

Who is carrying out the sectarian violence?

There are many idiots who can get their brains washed in just a few minutes. With a few dollars, you can convert them to whatever you want. Saudi Arabia has been sending money to Iraq to convert people to Wahabi. So many people who were once peaceful, many of them are being used now as killing machines.

Are there conflicts now in families that have both Sunni and Shiite members?

This does not really happen. Only in rare cases. Let me give you an example that will help to clarify. When we left our house we brought Sunni people that were our relatives to live there. My uncles are married to Sunnis. And I knew Sunnis who were doing the same thing.

In the end, we are all Iraqi.