Rosemary's Thoughts: Attacks on Christians in Iraq continue

Friday, April 25, 2008

Attacks on Christians in Iraq continue

Posted by Rosemary Welch at 4/25/2008 08:46:00 AM Labels: crime, God, ME, open tb

Earlier I wrote to you about the Assyrian/Chaldean Christians who are Iraqis also, and I informed you that they were finding refuge in Kurdistan. Sadly, I have to report that this was the best evidence I had at that time. I have now come to learn why the Kurds were allowing them into their territory, and I must report on the billions of dollars that was sent for these people but never used for their benefit.

This is the report I wrote earlier: Iraqi Christians find safe haven in Kurdistan. I received a comment from a very nice lady who gave me further evidence of this abuse. Yesterday Kenneth R. Timmerman also wrote about this travesty. The title of his article is, "Christians Face Extinction in Northern Iraq." I want to cry.

Please pray for these Christians whose only crime is being a Christian. The next time you think of stating how evil and bad this country is, I want you to think of these people who are losing everything they own. Yes, some of them even their very lives.

This lady's name I am going to keep to myself, because she did not give me permission to use it. However there is a website she directed me that I think may do you some good to read it. You may also keep up with what is happening in Iraq to these dear people. The name of it Iraq Democracy Project. A very important section which you may want to read is Iraq Sustainable Democracy Project. If you could add this website to your blogroll, I would appreciate it very much.

So, you want to know what has happened? Why have I changed my tune? It turns out that the Kurds are stealing their land, mistreating them, impoverishing them, they have none of the necessities that Kurdistan could easily share with them, and they refuse to give them aid. But don't believe me. Let's see what Kenneth Timmerman has to say:

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While they have escaped the Islamic militias who slaughtered family members and burned down their houses and churches in Baghdad and Mosul, now they face a new battle. Today’s enemies are poverty, joblessness, and despair.

Jamal Dinha, mayor of Bartella, a large Christian village east of Mosul, painted a dire picture of the life these persecuted Christians now face in this Kurdish-controlled safe haven.

“The situation in our region is critical. Our young people are unemployed. We have IDPs [internally-displaced people] from everywhere. Our infrastructure is bad. Our cultural and scientific institutions don’t exist. We have no electricity, bad water, broken streets.”

The plight of these Assyrian/Chaldean Christians has been aggravated by the collapse of any central government authority in the Nineveh province, to which they officially belong, and by the actions of the Kurdish Regional Government (KRG), which is seeking to annex this fertile land where Christians have lived for 2,000 years because it is believed to contain rich oil resources.

While the Kurds are providing much-needed security and emergency refugee housing, they also are seeking to manipulate the Christians for political gain though a sophisticated system of patronage, local officials, refugees, and international aid, organizations told Newsmax.

“The goal of the KRG is clearly to get this land under Kurdish control,” said Dr. John Eibner, CEO of Christian Solidarity International. “As Christians are driven out of the Nineveh Plain, this place will become a great museum of churches and cemeteries. And ultimately, the churches will end up as mosques. The Christian community in Iraq is on the verge of extinction.”
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I highly recommend you read the rest of his article, but this should give you a taste of what is happening. Where is our State Dept? For once, they are asking questions. They are checking into this, and they are upset that the Christians are not receiving their aid. (It's about time the state department did anything worthwhile.)

I hope for all the Christians who read this, you do not feel so much despair that you do nothing. These people cannot simply do nothing. They are our brothers and sisters. We must pray for them, and we must speak out for them. You may call your Congressmen and Senators toll-free at 1-866-340-9281. Be polite, please. The State Department's number is 202-647-4000. You may have better luck than I did. Be prepared to answer the question, "How may I help you?" Be careful. You may get the Embassy in Iraq! Have a nice day, and God bless you.

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