Iraqi Christians attend an Easter Mass at Chaldean
Catholic church in Amman,
April 15, 2012. Thousands of Iraqi Christians fled
to neighboring Jordan
following a spate of bombings that targeted churches in
Iraqi cities in the
past few years. (photo by REUTERS/Ali Jarekji)
|
Everyone
knows that Iraqi Christians, along with other groups, make up the essence and roots of Iraq that extend deep into history.
They established this country, lived in it and enjoyed its wealth. They
witnessed both good times and hardships since the devastating eras until the
United States occupation in 2003.
On
another note, the former regime, which lasted from 1979 to 2003, enjoyed wars
and taking risks. Saddam Hussein’s regime dragged the country into a dark
tunnel since 1980, a year that witnessed the start of the eight-year war with
Iran and was followed by the 1990 invasion of Kuwait.
The war
on Kuwait led to the international coalition war against Iraq in 1991, and as a
result both the United States and the former regime decided to impose an unjust
siege on the country.
The Iraqi
people, including the Christians, were forced to pay the high price of hunger,
disease and death while the world’s conscience took a vacation.
The
greatest catastrophe befell the Iraqi people in 2003 when the US and Britain
invaded Mesopotamia. The barbaric US invasion of Iraq in 2003 had violated all
sanctity by destroying the nation and killing its people. US bombs, which are
banned under international law, targeted all Iraqis and did not discriminate
between Muslims and Christians. Furthermore, the sectarian war that rose after
the occupation of Iraq targeted everyone, including Christians mainly in
Baghdad and Mosul.
According
to 2005 statistics, Christians comprise about 2% of the total population of
Iraq, which amounts to 33 million. For a long time, they have been residing in
major cities, such as Baghdad, Basra, Mosul, Kirkuk, Irbil, Al-Halla, and
others.
The
tragedies of Iraqi Muslims and Christians started to further unfold in 2003
with the arrival of the US invasion army that destroyed the structural system
of the nation. It created a new regime that it would never desire for itself,
characterized by political, economic and military systems from the Middle Ages,
present amid a system of rule dominated by the influence of sects and
ethnicities.
This
regime — or, rather, the absence of a regime — has created massive security
vacuum that paved the way for the outbreak of chaos in the country. This was
followed by the drafting of a distorted constitution that led to dividing the
Iraqi people into three groups based on ethnic and sectarian affiliations,
while leaving the fate of other key social components — namely Christians, Turkmens, the Sabeans and others — up in the air.
The
devastation of the Iraqi economy by the US war machine resulted in failed
industrial and agricultural sectors, which were looted by gangs supported by
the invading forces. What added insult to injury was the decision made by the
US ruler in Baghdad, Paul Bremer, to dissolve the Iraqi army.
His
decision was supported by Iraqi politicians who supported the US occupation.
The dissolution of the army created so much chaos and allowed the emergence and
revival of militias, extremists and organized criminal gangs. It also led to
the formation of incompetent police services and army.
The
aforementioned catastrophic transformations turned the situation into total
chaos. National laws were completely abandoned by the occupation. The love for
the nation had been devastated by the former regime while the occupation army
pounded the last nail in its coffin. The law of the jungle was governing Iraq,
in which those who supported America, and the parties and militias that were
working for its troops, were freely wreaking havoc in Iraq.
Back
then, the absence of laws paved the way for a civil war. Following this heinous
war that took place between 2006 and 2008, Iraqi society was torn into pieces
as many innocent civilians were killed. The aftermath of this war allowed the
spread of organized crime and kidnap operations targeting Shiites and Sunnis.
Those kidnap operations also targeted weak minorities, such as the Christians,
Turkmens, Sabeans, Yezidis and others, who lacked power to defend themselves.
Obviously,
churches, as well as mosques and Hussainiyat [Shiite funeral homes] were targeted
by the arbitrary terrorist operations that did not discriminate between
religions, or between innocent and guilty individuals. The Christian community
could not exercise their religious rituals that are accepted in principle by
the Holy Quran and the followers of Prophet Mohammad, peace and prayers be upon
him.
As a
result, many churches closed their doors to the public and only a few remained;
those that did resembled military bases due to the tight security amid threats of
acts of terrorism.
Fear
became the dominant force in society, which united Christians and their Muslim
brothers. Unfortunately, local media outlets along with the politicians
increased tensions in society.
On the
other hand, the militias, some parties and the organized criminal gangs were
concerned with collecting illegal money. They were kidnapping, killing or
imprisoning individuals and then blackmailing the families of victims to pay
thousands of dollars in return — regardless of the identity of the persons.
Christians paid the price dearly due to this dirty business.
Gangs and
those affiliated with them were widely targeting the Christian community, for
it did not have a militia or an army defending it and solely relied on the
government to protect it, at a time when the government was incapable of even
protecting itself.
For
example, the gangs and militias used political intimidation and terrorism
against the Christians residing in Al-Dawrah city, one of the suburbs of
Baghdad, by threatening to blow up their houses if they do not promptly abandon
them. These families were forced to sell their houses at the cheapest prices to
the gangs and militias that had threatened them. Then, these criminals sold the
same houses for ridiculously high prices allowing them to gain illegal money
after usurping the property of others.
This
disgusting business was widely practiced in Al-Karradah, Karadat Mariam and
other Iraqi cities.
Attempts
aimed at ridding Iraq of its original Christian population by local forces and
some European countries would never solve the problem, on the contrary, it will
aggravate it. They will also deepen sectarianism and intolerance, allowing racists, militias,
criminal gangs and the corrupt to sabotage the country and impose the law of
force, instead of enforcing the rule of law.
According
to Louis Sako, the Archbishop of Kirkuk, foreign countries, including
neighboring ones, should leave Iraq alone without interfering in its internal
affairs. He adds if they want to help Iraq they should help all Iraqis without
discrimination between sects and religions. He says further it is necessary
that we isolate religions from the political polarization and protect them from
being used by the politicians to achieve their selfish goals.
We will
be capable of succeeding if Christians and Muslims join ranks.
Archbishop
Sako discussed the struggle over power, money and government positions between
the Sunnis and Shiites and between the Arabs and Kurds that led to
booby-trapped cars, suicide attacks and blind terrorist operations. He then
wondered why forces entrenched the Christian community in their struggle especially
since they were not competing with anyone over power and did not have militias
carrying out kidnap operations and looting money. Sako went on to say the
Christian community is not threatening anyone and seeks to live in peace and
harmony.
From a
political point of view, it is important for those who have a vision for Iraq
to realize that Christians cannot be considered minorities, especially since
these are people who love this country and would do anything to defend it.
Political majority and minority have nothing to do with religion, sect, ethnicity or gender.
This is
because politics is established and led by civil parties united or divided due
to a certain political, economic and social programs, and then are chosen by
the people to be in the majority or the minority with disregard to gender or
sect — namely Shiite, Sunni, Christian, Sabean — or ethnicity — namely Arab,
Kurd and Turkmen.
In
conclusion, history showed that a group of Iraqi Muslim leaders heading secular
and Islamist parties have been paving the way for the US occupiers since the
1990s to invade their country and then stood behind their tanks. Also, history
showed us that there is not a single Christian leader who collaborated with the
US occupiers or aided them in their criminal mission to tear down the country.
About this Article
Summary:
The author describes the role of Iraqi Christians in Iraq’s history, the persecution of the community under Saddam Hussein and by Islamist gangs, and the need for Christians to play a role in Iraq’s future.
Publisher: Azzaman (Iraq)
Original Title: Iraq’s Christians Author: Nassif al-Jabouri Published on: Tue, Nov 6, 2012 Translated on: Sat, Nov 10, 2012 Translated by: Nola Abboud |
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