LBCI launches Mosul solidarity initiative

BEIRUT: A local television channel has launched an initiative in solidarity with the Christians in Mosul, as anchor and talk show host, Dima Sadeq, began her broadcast sporting a T-shirt with the letter “N” in Arabic, which has become a mark of solidarity with the minority group.

“From Mosul to Beirut, we are all Noon,” Sadeq said, in the editorial briefing preceding the nightly news hours on LBCI.

“Noon” is the pronunciation of the letter N in Arabic. A picture of a yellow “N” (in Arabic) with a black background circulated on social media earlier this month, with people changing their profile pictures on Facebook with the photograph, expressing solidarity with Christians in Iraq’s northern city.

Pictures from Mosul, which has fallen under the Islamic State’s rule, showed Christians’ houses painted with the letter “N,” the first letter of the word “Nasrani,” used to describe Christians.

The radical Sunni group gave Christians in Mosul the choice to either, convert to Islam, pay a religious tax or face death, forcing thousands of people to immigrate.

“We are all targets to be pointed at with a finger or a sword because we’re different, whether in terms of sex, religion or color of our skin.”

“We are all targets of murder in this insane era. The era of radicals, dictatorships and Israel’s hatred. Only here [in the region,] are children killed on beaches, churches closed down, mosques raided, shrines of prophets destroyed.”

“We are all Noun. Afflicted with occupation and sectarianism, but we will not allow the walls [of occupation and sectarianism] be the place where letters of forced immigration are drawn. Therefore, in solidarity with ourselves as well as Iraq’s Christians and Muslims, LBCI will add the letter Noun to its suffix.”

“In hopes that this initiative would extend to bigger media campaigns.”

Following the opening statement, Sadeq turned to her Lebanese colleague who began an interview with Sunni Iraqi journalist Dalia al-Aqidi who wearing a cross necklace around her neck, defending her country from the actions of radical groups such as IS, formerly known as Islamic State of Iraq and Greater Syria.

Hours following the news bulletin, #lbن gained popularity with many commending the local television channel and condemning ISIS.