Source: Radiovaticana
Translated by Baghdadhope
'The situation of Christian population in Iraq is that of a community that has lost faith in its country. Therefore emigration has turned into an exodus, in a flight. Fear dominates every aspect of life and every episode of violence becomes a mortal threat''.
These are the words of Mgr. Jean Benjamin Sleiman, Latin Archbishop of Baghdad in an interview to the magazine "Holy Land" of the Franciscan Custody of the Holy Land, published on the eve of the Pope's appeal during yesterday Angelus, when once again he called for peace in Iraq. "We must also add- said the bishop - the economical difficulties. The fundamentalist threats of revenge for anyone working for the allies or even for the government of for foreign companies made many people loose their jobs. Many others were obliged to leave it by the dominant factions. Finally it must be said that the exodus to the north means greater security, but not necessarily employment. Christian villages in the north lack infrastructure, craft, industrial or commercial companies''.
As for the role that Christians can have for the future of the country, Mgr. Sleiman stressed that ''unfortunately the new Iraq, even though its Constitution mentions Christians, seems to ignore minorities. The country would be divided among three large majorities: Sunni, Shiite and Kurdish. In this context there is an important space for the Western Christian churches that may have a positive role at this stage. Western Christian communities - said the Latin Archbishop of Baghdad - may remind everyone, especially their leaders, that Christian East exists, and can have a positive role in the service of peace, coexistence and cultural relations. The Christian presence in the Islamic-Arabic countries should be protected for the good of the same Arabic-Islamic societies: it helps them not to isolate themselves in narcissistically violent fundamentalisms''.