Source: SIR
by Daniele Rocchi.
Translated and adapted by Baghdadhope
Christians more and more targets of fanatics and islamic extremists: the cry of Mgr. Warduni
“Which human rights, which respect can be invoked in a country where you can be killed, kidnapped, threatened and compelled to flee only because you are a Christian?”
The voice of Mgr. Warduni, Chaldean auxiliary bishop of Baghdad, in a telephonic interview from the Iraqi capital, reveals a deep emotion.
The memory of Father Ragheed Ganni, the priest killed together with three subdeacons after the afternoon mass in his parish church in Mosul on the 3 of June, during the chaldean church synod, is still alive.
“They stopped the car they were in” says Mgr. Warduni “and made they get out of it turning away the wife of one of them. In front of a wall they shot at them while the woman went on screaming and asking to the murderers: “Why are you doing this? What’s their fault?” This is how Father Ragheed was killed. Neither the animals behave in this way. We can only feel the tears burning our cheeks. Iraqi Christians have nothing else.”
And the suffering continues, Father Hani Abdel Ahad, kidnapped in Baghdad on the 6 of June has not yet been released.
Mgr. Warduni, are there any news about Father Ahad’s kidnapping?
The voice of Mgr. Warduni, Chaldean auxiliary bishop of Baghdad, in a telephonic interview from the Iraqi capital, reveals a deep emotion.
The memory of Father Ragheed Ganni, the priest killed together with three subdeacons after the afternoon mass in his parish church in Mosul on the 3 of June, during the chaldean church synod, is still alive.
“They stopped the car they were in” says Mgr. Warduni “and made they get out of it turning away the wife of one of them. In front of a wall they shot at them while the woman went on screaming and asking to the murderers: “Why are you doing this? What’s their fault?” This is how Father Ragheed was killed. Neither the animals behave in this way. We can only feel the tears burning our cheeks. Iraqi Christians have nothing else.”
And the suffering continues, Father Hani Abdel Ahad, kidnapped in Baghdad on the 6 of June has not yet been released.
Mgr. Warduni, are there any news about Father Ahad’s kidnapping?
"Unfortunately no. That’s why we are worried, we know nothing since one week ago. We hope him to be released but the situation is bad. We hope that the words Benedict XVI said during last Sunday Angelus for the releasing of the priests kidnapped all over the world can help us.”
The Chaldean synod has just finished, did you discussed of the persecution of the Christians? And what did you say?
“That it is necessary to speak more about it and let the world know what the Christian minority is suffering every day. Christianity is sleeping in front of this situation, an indifference that is contrary to the evangelical spirit. In front of the evil and the unjustice the Christian is called to speak against, but nothing is happening, only silence. After the killing of Father Ganni and the three subdeacons in Mosul who raised his voice? No one expressed solidarity, neither the humanitarian organizations, nor the charitable ones, nor the christian ones. Not to talk about the Countries, especially the traditionally Christian ones. Only the Pope sent a telegram, and the President of the Republic of Ireland, Mary McAleese, who sent a message in occasion of the mass for the soul of Father Ganni celebrated in the Pontifical Irish College of Rome where he had studied.
We are forgotten by the Christians but not by God. Our faith sustains us but sometimes we lose our patience. What we are suffering is bigger than us.”
Do the Christian try to defend themselves from these attacks?
The Chaldean synod has just finished, did you discussed of the persecution of the Christians? And what did you say?
“That it is necessary to speak more about it and let the world know what the Christian minority is suffering every day. Christianity is sleeping in front of this situation, an indifference that is contrary to the evangelical spirit. In front of the evil and the unjustice the Christian is called to speak against, but nothing is happening, only silence. After the killing of Father Ganni and the three subdeacons in Mosul who raised his voice? No one expressed solidarity, neither the humanitarian organizations, nor the charitable ones, nor the christian ones. Not to talk about the Countries, especially the traditionally Christian ones. Only the Pope sent a telegram, and the President of the Republic of Ireland, Mary McAleese, who sent a message in occasion of the mass for the soul of Father Ganni celebrated in the Pontifical Irish College of Rome where he had studied.
We are forgotten by the Christians but not by God. Our faith sustains us but sometimes we lose our patience. What we are suffering is bigger than us.”
Do the Christian try to defend themselves from these attacks?
"How? I talked to a lady whose husband was kidnapped in front of her eyes. They were trying to run away from Baghdad by car. Someone stopped them, stole the car and kidnapped the man. She has no news of him since forty days ago. A lot of people come to us asking for help and protection, but what can we do? There is not security, the city is full of terrorists, fanatics and savage criminals. How can we live in this way? We are scared more then before. We are told not to go out, to stay at home but the fanatics come to search for us in our houses, come to steal everything.
They also entered the Ministry of Finance to kidnap five English men. There is no security even in the ministerial buildings. We try to convince our faithful to stay but many of them are running away, emigrating. It is not only lack of security but also terrible conditions of life, it is sufficient to think that we have electricity for one hour out of ten."
What are the Institutions doing? Recently the Government issued a declaration against this persecution...
“We don’t know whom to talk to, to whom denounce these acts. Nowadays it takes a moment in Baghdad to become widows, widowers, orphans. The death is just around the corner. A large part of Iraq is controlled by terrorists and fanatics. The Government is not able to cope with this situation, nor the coalition forces are. The coalition forces that damage us because a lot of people in Iraq think that the Christians are their allied. But there is something that sadden us more than the others...”
What?
They also entered the Ministry of Finance to kidnap five English men. There is no security even in the ministerial buildings. We try to convince our faithful to stay but many of them are running away, emigrating. It is not only lack of security but also terrible conditions of life, it is sufficient to think that we have electricity for one hour out of ten."
What are the Institutions doing? Recently the Government issued a declaration against this persecution...
“We don’t know whom to talk to, to whom denounce these acts. Nowadays it takes a moment in Baghdad to become widows, widowers, orphans. The death is just around the corner. A large part of Iraq is controlled by terrorists and fanatics. The Government is not able to cope with this situation, nor the coalition forces are. The coalition forces that damage us because a lot of people in Iraq think that the Christians are their allied. But there is something that sadden us more than the others...”
What?
"Iraqi Christians hearts suffer from seeing the indifference of their Christian brothers in the world. We feel neglected. If such a kind of persecution had hit muslim people in some part of the world the islamic masses would have firmly protested in the streets asking for respect, as it happened for the satirical cartoons some time ago. On the contrary Christian people are doing nothing while we are dying, we are kidnapped, compelled to convert to Islam or to pay for protection, to give our girls to criminals to avoid retaliations or to run away giving up the results of a whole working life.
And from the USA and Europe only silence!”
And from the USA and Europe only silence!”