Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Mosul (Agenzia Fides) - A new, fragile hope is coming to thousands of Christian refugees who have fled their hometown in past months, due to attacks, threats, and violence carried out by Islamic fundamentalist groups. The situation of heightened insecurity and intimidation led many Christian families to flee the country, making their way towards Syria (see Fides 27/10/2008), however now many of them are returning home.
Looking after the Christian refugees are other groups and NGOs, the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), which recently made a visit to the Christian families who fled the district of Al Hamdaniya, in east Mosul. There are about 2,000 families who fled the area in early October, for fear of fresh violence. The UNHCR's mission in Mosul is to see to the return to the city and the intentions of the refugees.
The number of people who return varies according to the town, however there are a third of the thousands of families now in the area of Al Hamdaniya. According to the families that have remained on the outskirts, those who return to Mosul do so merely out of fear of losing their job or to attend school. Some have made the trip between Mosul and the towns on the outskirts, no more than 40 km.
The families began returning last week, after their Arab neighbors assured them that the situation in the city had improved, thanks to the presence of Iraqi soldiers. There are now about 35,000 troops (Army and Police Force combined). The number of explosions and deaths has gone down.
The refugees who have still not returned to the city are afraid of the uncertainty and the political instability of the region. The generalized lack of order in the second largest Iraqi city (in surface area) is a serious concern not only for the Christians, but also for the members of other minority groups who have been forced to flee their homes in recent years.
It is difficult to estimate how many Christian families are returning, as their houses are scattered all over the city. The families who return to their homes receive an $800,000 USD bonus, but many do not want to return for the risk entailed or just in case they cannot return permanently.
The UNHCR and its associates are offering aid (blankets, mattresses, kerosene stoves, kitchen kits, clothing, and hygiene kits) to over 1,800 families. Many have been staying in churches and private homes and have been cared for by the local communities that host them.
In the meantime, the campaign for non-Islamic minority rights of the Christian churches in Iraq continues. The leaders of the Catholic and Orthodox communities have manifest their concern at the reduced number of seats assigned to minorities in the elections scheduled for Provincial Councils. Chaldean Auxiliary Bishop Shlemon Warduni of Baghdad says that the government's disposition is “another challenge” for Christians and other religious minorities. (PA) (Agenzia Fides 12/11/2008)
