ASIA/IRAQ - “Here in Iraq things are improving for religious minorities. Everyone looks forward with optimism to the elections and a future of peace” a Chaldean monk told Fides

Wednesday, 24 November 2004

Mosul (Fides Service) - After recent episodes of anti-Christian violence in the capital Baghdad and in the third largest city Mosul, the situation for religious minorities appears to be improving a Chaldean monk in Mosul told Fides. The monk asked not to be named for security reasons.
“The situation is calm. There have been no more attacks or acts of violence. This is encouraging and I think several factors led to this improvement. First of all an order fatwa issued by Ayatollah Al-Sistani, head of the Shiite community asking Shiites not to do anything against people of other faiths because they are citizens, they belong to the Iraqi people. His words had an effect on his followers. Secondly the fact that the US troops attacked and took Falluja showed that the Iraqi government and the international community, are determined to fight terrorism. Now groups of fanatics fighting a Holy War against the West will realise they are isolated, rejected by the people of Iraq who want only peace” the monk told Fides.
When asked how his community sees the future the monk replied: “We look forward with confidence to the elections and a better future. Like the other religions minorities in Iraq, we Christians have always said they want to live in peace with our Muslim brothers and sisters and work together for the development of Iraq. We hope the time of reconciliation will come soon for the good of our country”.
Security, protection of minorities, respect for human rights and religious freedom in Iraq were among the topics discussed at a recent Meeting held in Washington, USA, promoted by the Centre for Religious Freedom and Coalition for the Defence of Human Rights, two American NGOs working to promote respect for religious freedom and human rights in the Middle East. Civil Iraqi leaders and representatives of the religious minorities in Iraq, including the Chaldean Catholic Church were present at the meeting. Remarking on the danger that religious minorities in Iraq could be wiped out (in recent months an estimated 40,000 Christians left Iraq because of pressure by fundamentalist groups), the participants called on the international community to give more attention to the problem expressing the hope that, once peace has been restored, all those who fled fearing attacks by extremists would return home .
(PA)(Agenzia Fides 24/11/2004 lines 33 words 384)


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