Babel College: story of a requisition and an agreement. Interview with Msgr. Shleimun Warduni, Auxiliary of the Chaldean Patriarch.

By Baghdadhope

Other particulars of the story of Babel College, the only Christian theological faculty in Iraq belonging to the Chaldean church, that in mid-November has been "returned" by the American Army that had occupied it on March 2007 come out.
The same use of the verb “to return” done by this blog in reporting the piece of news on November 14 is imprecise according to Msgr. Shleimun Warduni, Auxiliary of the Chaldean Patriarch who dealt with the matter with the Americans.

This is what he told to Baghdadhope:
"To return something, and in our case we are talking about institutional buildings, presupposes a request for a loan or for its use. A request that was never done. The Patriarchate of Babylon for the Chaldeans never granted the use of the buildings of Babel College or the Chaldean Major Seminary of St. Peter to the American army. So how can they return something that was never requested? "
What were the stages of the story from the perspective of the negotiations with the U.S. army?

"Since the building became an American base I went there at least 15 times, alone and twice accompanied by the rector of Babel College, Msgr. Jacques Isaac. From the very first time I explained to the American soldiers that what they had done occupying the Babel College that, it must be recalled, has a chapel inside, was to transform in a place of war what was instead a place of peace, prayer and study. Our requests to regain possession of the building were not accepted and the college became an operational military base."
The agreement now reached with the U.S. Army that in the meantime has moved out from it, is that it will restore what has been damaged ..

"At the beginning of November I was contacted by telephone by the American command that said to be ready to return the college to the Chaldean Church. My answer to that call was that the Patriarchate would not accept any handover if not preceded by the restoration of the college, of the major seminary, and of the churches of St. Peter and Paul and St. James. This position gave way to a sort of tug-of-war. The Americans said they were ready in any case to move out from the college and the Patriarchate stressed how such a case would have certainly found wide echo in the media who had already reported on its fate. After a few days the Americans said to be ready to make the restoration. With Msgr.Isaac I went to the Babel College where we delivered to the Americans a list of everything that was in the buildings, and where it was confirmed that the buildings, damaged by use and carelessness, must be given back as they were through the restoration by the U.S. army or through funds that the church would use for this purpose. After a few more days, finally, we were assured that the buildings will be restored."

The American soldiers occupied the Babel College, which responsibility do they have towards the seminar and the two churches you mentioned?

"Even if the Seminar did not house American soldiers it was culpably neglected and looted with impunity under their eyes. When I asked them to intervene to stop the thieves, or at least those who used to carry their animals to graze on its lawn entering a passage through the external wall, they replied that it was not their task. And this although they had knocked down its doors to check and clear it leaving them open for months. The thefts finished only when the members of Sahwa began to defend it closing the passage through the wall."
What was stolen from the Seminar?

"Everything, in practice. Including electronic equipment and the kitchen. What was not stolen was destroyed. On a conditioner someone had even written "This is booked." Probably the thief had had not time to steal it but he wanted to secure it declaring himself as its new owner. Thanks God, however, the library was not touched, maybe the books were not interesting ... "
So the Americans bound themselves to restore the seminar implicitly admitting not to have preserved it. And what about the churches? Did they occupy also the churches?

"No, but they took the benches from the church of St. Peter and Paul and they were returned in very bad conditions, surely not as they had been found .."
Did they take something from the church of St. James too? Why did they promise to restore it?

"The church of St. James is not in the area of the College, the seminary and the church of St. Peter and Paul, and if it needs to be restored it is because it was burned in a terrorist attack on October 2004. The Americans have nothing to do with it but during one of my meetings with them I went there with an Iraqi general and an American one who, at that time, promised to restore it. Every time I went to the Babel College the Americans used to ask me when the Christians would go back to Dora, and I always answered them that it would be difficult to see them going back en masse if they had no churches to pray into."
Now, after the U.S. commitment, how are the works proceeding?

"The restoration works are divided between those in Babel College and those i the seminar and the two churches. They will be supervised by an engineer appointed by us. Before my leaving Iraq the Americans told me that as for the restoration works in the Babel College they will be given out by contract to an Iraqi company the owner of which personally assured me that he will do a good job. In any case in a few days I will be back in Baghdad and I will check how the works are proceeding."
Do you think that if the Americans did not occupy the buildings that the Chaldean church had to leave on January 2007 because of the danger of the area, the sadly famous district of Dora, damages could have been worse?

"I can say that before the arrival of the American there were guards appointed by the church and that the occupation by the United States Army may have been interpreted by some fringes of terrorism as a sign of an agreement between it and the church. An agreement that, I repeat, was never signed. In any case I do not like the use of conditional and I can only speak of the reality of today."
And how could you describe this reality?

"The situation in Iraq changes very quickly and is different from area to area. Thus, for example, on November 15 we celebrated a Mass to remember the reopening which occurred exactly one year before of the church of St. John the Baptist in Dora. A good piece of news then. But the day after the explosion of a car in central Baghdad damaged the Apostolic Nunciature although, thanks God, no one was injured, and on November 24 a bomb exploded in front of the Armenian church in central Kirkuk damaging it. I could define the situation as one of ups and downs, but certainly far from making Iraq a pacified country."

Vandalism at the Chaldean Seminar A room of the Chaldean Seminar