Source: SAT2000 TV October 20, 2008
Interview to Father Amer N. Youkhanna, priest from Mosul, the city where life is ever more difficul for Christians.
By Maurizio Di Schino
Interview to Father Amer N. Youkhanna, priest from Mosul, the city where life is ever more difficul for Christians.
By Maurizio Di Schino
Text of the interview transcripted and translated by Baghdadhope
“The hope is the air that every Iraqi breathe to deal with his life because life in Iraq is not easy for everyone.”
The concern of Father Amer is the persecution of Christians in Iraq, particularly those still remaining in Mosul, the northern land of the country where his priestly vocation grew. Father Amer is studying in Rome and every time he talks to his brethren it is a pain for him to know how much the number of Christians killed is growing, and how Mosul is emptying of Christians. Since the beginning of the year at least 34 Christians were killed in Mosul, including a disabled 25 years old boy in his wheelchair, and only in recent days 2400 families have fled Mosul. In these days in the city there are barely 200 Christian families left.
“The priests cry because day by day they see their parishioners leaving, and those who remain in Mosul are those who don’t have another place to go because they are poor.”
“The hope is the air that every Iraqi breathe to deal with his life because life in Iraq is not easy for everyone.”
The concern of Father Amer is the persecution of Christians in Iraq, particularly those still remaining in Mosul, the northern land of the country where his priestly vocation grew. Father Amer is studying in Rome and every time he talks to his brethren it is a pain for him to know how much the number of Christians killed is growing, and how Mosul is emptying of Christians. Since the beginning of the year at least 34 Christians were killed in Mosul, including a disabled 25 years old boy in his wheelchair, and only in recent days 2400 families have fled Mosul. In these days in the city there are barely 200 Christian families left.
“The priests cry because day by day they see their parishioners leaving, and those who remain in Mosul are those who don’t have another place to go because they are poor.”
It is frequent in Mosul to see Islamic gangs killing Christians in cold blood in broad daylight or spreading terror forcing them to live barricaded in their homes without being able to send their children to school. Everyone sees them but no one stops them.
“Christians are persecuted because they profess the faith that does not accept violence” Thinking of persecuted Christians in Iraq Father Amer speaks of a massacre, and in many cases it is also martyrdom because no few Iraqis were killed for their Christian faith.
“We need an international investigation commission with no political interest in Iraq that can tell the truth without fear, to make the world understand who is behind this massacre of Christians.”
“Christians are persecuted because they profess the faith that does not accept violence” Thinking of persecuted Christians in Iraq Father Amer speaks of a massacre, and in many cases it is also martyrdom because no few Iraqis were killed for their Christian faith.
“We need an international investigation commission with no political interest in Iraq that can tell the truth without fear, to make the world understand who is behind this massacre of Christians.”