Source: Sir
by Simona Mengascini, SIR correspondent in Cyprus
“Christians are not playing a leading role in the political fight, but are trading money for chief protagonists.” This is what Mgr Jean Benjamin Sleiman, Latin Bishop of Baghdad, described in a press conference during the forum organised by the Sant’Egidio community, commenting the difficult situation the Iraqi Christian community, reduced to a half since the beginning of the war, is actually facing. “I am witnessing to people who are suffering and feeling humiliated,” said the bishop, “due to historical problems ‘frozen’ by the regime but also to serious daily problems, such as the price of fuel or gas which has increased by 20 times.” The prelate explained that Christians fleeing from Baghdad and Mosul are not likely to come back. Concerning yesterday’s announcement of US withdrawal by 2011, Mgr Sleiman believes that this will be ineffective if violence continues to be the “language of politics.” When asked whether life under Saddam was actually better for Christians, Mgr Sleiman replied that the regime “had caused the alienation of mind and choices,” but after the war freedom came along with “anarchy.” As for Obama's election, the bishop said in his country there was no enthusiasm, as “from their experience, presidents have changed but not their strategies.”