A million and a half of persecuted Christians in Iraq. The appeal: "Let us welcome in Europe
Mario Mauro
www.ilsussidiario.net - It is estimated that since the war in Iraq the middle of the half million Christians living in the country is fled to escape the violence of Islamic origin. The numbers speak for themselves, they constitute a prime target and are certainly more vulnerable than all other minorities in the Middle East.
arrive in the West gears silent Iraqi Christians seeking justice for the persecution they face in their homeland. While every day in the villages of Nineveh Plain is continuing to seek the truth on the killing of the Chaldean archbishop of Mosul, Mgr. Faraj Rahho, also in Holland, Germany and Iraqi expatriates in Canada to the streets with banners and pictures of their martyrs. Meanwhile in the land of two rivers are still those who seem real "targeted killings", intended to terrorize the Christians and cause them to flee. On March 23, Easter Sunday, died in hospital a young Chaldean, Zahar Oshana, hospitalized after being joined by gunshot as he left the parish of St. Elijah in Baghdad.
Other examples include the kidnapping of two Catholic priests, Father Pius Afas and Father Mazen Ishoa, October 14, 2007 in Mosul, the murder of two Assyrian Christians, Zuhair Youssef and Luay Solomon Numan Astavo Kermles, both members of the National Union of Beth Nahrin, in Mosul June 28, 2007, the murder of a Chaldean priest, Fr Ragheed Gani and three deacons who were his assistants, on June 3, 2007 in Mosul. This is only a small part of an already untenable situation. These signals suggest discouraging that there is no time to waste: Europe must now accommodate the thousands of refugees who risk their lives in Iraq because of growing discrimination against minorities is being in that 'area. Would be nothing new: in the past Germany has already offered asylum to refugees from countries plagued by war, in the '70s, such as during the Vietnam War, arrived in Germany, thousands of Vietnamese refugees, while in the 90s was offered help to many refugees who fled from Bosnia.
This would be the first concrete action of a first translation into reality of the resolution that I sponsored and which was approved Nov. 12, 2007 by the European Parliament. In it urged the European Commission, Council and Member States to contribute further to strengthening human rights and the rule of law through the instruments of EU foreign policy, were also asked to pay particular attention to the situation of religious communities, including Christian communities, in countries where they are threatened, when drafting and implementing programs for cooperation and aid development with those countries.
The UN raised the issue, in fact, the Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Religion or Belief draws attention to worrying situations of violation of the freedom to adopt a religion or belief, to change them or waive them, in addition to report many cases of discrimination and violence between different religions, killings and arbitrary arrests for reasons of religion or belief.
The tools are there: now is the task of political and religious leaders at all levels to combat extremism and promote mutual respect. I'm glad he is not alone in this battle, such as for example the repeated appeals of the German Federal Minister of the Interior, Wolfgang Schaeuble.
Let me be clear: the reception is only the first and most urgent need of concrete actions that can help minorities in need. Our history and values \u200b\u200bthat it has given us give us a huge responsibility and relentless against those who are forced to live daily with death, famine and poverty, whether Christian or not Christian. At this time in the world who need our assistance the most are Christians, then it is not the preferred host of Christians as "our brothers", an emergency is imposed on us from the reality of things, the terrible prospect that communities Iraqi Christians are in danger of extinction.
