Source: SIR
Translated by Baghdadhope
"Christians should not have their own militias." With these words, the auxiliary bishop of Baghdad, Mgr. Shlemon Warduni, comments for SIR the news about some Christian villages in northern Iraq having a militia to defend themselves from attacks by fundamentalists groups affiliated to Al-Qaeda. In particular, on Middle East online web site appeared the piece of news according to which the inhabitants of Tel Asquf, near Nineveh, formed a militia (200 people) with the help of Kurdistan which supplied them with guns and radios, paying even 200 U.S. dollars per month (140 euros) to its components. According to Mgr. Warduni, "this is not the right way. We always work for peace and militias are for war. We are against the use of weapons, the only answer to violence is dialogue and peace. Iraq needs peace and not other weapons." Already in the past the auxiliary bishop of the Iraqi capital had invoked protection for the entire population, not only for Christians, by the central institutions against terrorist attacks from extremists and sectarian violence. As for Christians, Mgr. Warduni, says that " they continue to suffer from violence and abuses even considering the slightly better situation. Stability and security remain the priorities of this country. "