Exodus and division: the problems of Iraqi Christians
Patriarch of Baghdad of the Chaldeans, renews his appeal for a common commitment and the creation of a "crisis unit". This initiative will be necessary in order to avoid the crisis caused by division, emigration and the negligent behaviour from the government towards Christians.
Louis Raphael Sako, Caldean Partiach published a letter, primarily addressing the Iraqi faithful. In his letter he gives his views on many problems and their causes, threatening the Christian communities in Iraq.
He writes, that “there is no strategy, security or economic stability” in the country and the lack of sovereignty creates many problems. The institutions are weakened and the overall situation of education, healthcare and services are worsening. On the top of that, the corruption and unemployment are growing rapidly.
The neglectful attitude from the government towards Christian communities – he continues – is one of the main factor why the Christians became marginalized. As an exact example he mentioned the tragedy of the Christian wedding in Qaraqosh last September, which incident had more then hundred victims and that the people responsible for that are remain unpunished.
He also mentioned in the letter that, the division not only between Muslims and Christians but between different Christian churches and political parties contributes to the ever growing problems.
In the last two decades, Christians in Iraq faced many difficulties. The kidnapping, killing, Islamization, forced conversion and the denial of their rights did not disappear with the fall of the ISIS. He says that many of these problems are still present.
Because of the above mentioned reasons the situation of the already marginalized Christians is worsening every year. One of it’s most visible result is the massive emigration of Christians who do not see their future secured in Iraq. The numbers, provided by the Patriarch shows that in the past twenty years from the less than 1,5 million Christians, more than 1 million already fled from Iraq.
As an attempt to solve these problems Card. Sako calls for a united front of the different Christian denominations and Christian political parties. He says,
“the Christian parties and Churches must unite: without unity, the country will be emptied of its indigenous component”.
At the end of his letter he expresses his hopes for the establishment of this “crisis unit” which could protect the Iraqi Christians.
Source: Asia News
Photo: Aid to the Church in Need
