To see Ankawa.com photos report of the Immaculate church attacked today in Mosul click here
15 dicembre 2009
Photos of one of the churches attacked in Mosul
Source: Ankawa.com
To see Ankawa.com photos report of the Immaculate church attacked today in Mosul click here
To see Ankawa.com photos report of the Immaculate church attacked today in Mosul click here
IRAQ: CHIESE COLPITE A MOSUL. CHULLIKAT (NUNZIO), “LE AUTORITÀ INTERVENGANO SUBITO"
Fonte: SIR
“Le Autorità irachene intervengano subito per garantire la necessaria sicurezza alla minoranza cristiana”. A chiederlo è il nunzio apostolico in Iraq e Giordania, mons. Francis Chullikat che al SIR commenta gli attacchi avvenuti questa mattina a Mosul contro due chiese cristiane. “Questa recrudescenza della violenza che ha visto, oggi, due chiese colpite a Mosul – afferma il Nunzio - deve essere affrontata dalle autorità del Paese che hanno sempre ribadito che in casi simili sarebbero intervenute immediatamente per garantire la sicurezza dei cristiani che essendo una minoranza, sono nel diritto di chiedere protezione. E’ urgente che le autorità, nel modo più giusto ed immediato, intervengano per dare garanzie di sicurezza ai cristiani così che possano vivere in pace e sicurezza nel Paese. E ciò vale ancora di più adesso che siamo alla vigilia del Natale, con le chiese piene di fedeli che vogliono celebrare la solennità con entusiasmo”.
“Le Autorità irachene intervengano subito per garantire la necessaria sicurezza alla minoranza cristiana”. A chiederlo è il nunzio apostolico in Iraq e Giordania, mons. Francis Chullikat che al SIR commenta gli attacchi avvenuti questa mattina a Mosul contro due chiese cristiane. “Questa recrudescenza della violenza che ha visto, oggi, due chiese colpite a Mosul – afferma il Nunzio - deve essere affrontata dalle autorità del Paese che hanno sempre ribadito che in casi simili sarebbero intervenute immediatamente per garantire la sicurezza dei cristiani che essendo una minoranza, sono nel diritto di chiedere protezione. E’ urgente che le autorità, nel modo più giusto ed immediato, intervengano per dare garanzie di sicurezza ai cristiani così che possano vivere in pace e sicurezza nel Paese. E ciò vale ancora di più adesso che siamo alla vigilia del Natale, con le chiese piene di fedeli che vogliono celebrare la solennità con entusiasmo”.
Esprimendo la speranza che “tali attacchi non siano collegati alle elezioni del prossimo marzo” mons. Chullikat sottolinea che “i cristiani sono la minoranza più esposta e facile da colpire perché non hanno alcun tipo di protezione, non hanno milizie proprie, strutture di sicurezze da mettere in atto da parte delle chiese. Rispondiamo alla violenza con la speranza ed il bene, questa è la cifra della testimonianza, non solo in Iraq. Resteremo fedeli a questa missione nella consapevolezza di avere al fianco tutta la Chiesa con il papa. Le autorità irachene, così come i fedeli – conclude il nunzio - sanno quanto al Pontefice stia a cuore la sofferenza dell’Iraq e della sua minoranza cristiana”.
MOSUL: DOUBLE BLASTS HIT CHURCH
Source: MISNA
At least four people were killed and 40 wounded in two car-bomb blasts this morning outside a church in the northern Iraqi city of Mosul. According to the Aswat al-Iraq news agency, the blasts occurred near the Virgin Mary Church in al-Shifaa neighborhood, in western Mosul. A police source referred to the Iraqi news agency that the blasts caused slight damage to the church.
Reports are still confusing regarding a double attack against two Christian Churches in the northern Iraqi city of Mosul. The episodes were confirmed to MISNA by the Syrian Catholic Archbishop of Mosul, Monsignor Basile Georges Casmoussa, though he couldn’t provide further details. Based on a first report of the Aswat al-Iraq news agency, at least 4 people were killed and 40 wounded in the blasts, while some international media report 1 dead. Also the different reconstructions remain uncertain. Aswat al-Iraq reports that two churches were targeted: the Virgin Mary Church in al-Shifaa neighborhood, in western Mosul and the Annunciation Church in Chourta, in the northern neighbourhood of al-Mohandiseen, where an IED (Improvised Explosive Device) or some grenades – depending on the sources – were launched against the building, causing damages though without any casualties. The most violent episode occurred outside the Virgin Mary Church, where the two blasts claimed victims also among people in the nearby Christian ‘Al-Ghassanya’ primary school. Also on this detail reports are confusing: according to some sources, some children are among the wounded, while Monsignor Casmoussa said that all the students escaped the blasts unharmed. “The attacks of the past weeks (another 4 Churches were targeted since the start of the month) and killing of Christians is a terrible message for us, a new sentiment of spreading fear. Unfortunately these attacks will keep the faithful away from the Churches at Christmas. The government is weak, six years from the start of the conflict, and is still not able to guarantee our security here in Mosul. There is always a pretext behind these attacks, at least according to observers. Now they are referring to political battles between parties and groups ahead of next year’s elections”, added the Syrian Catholic Archbishop of Mosul.
MOSSOUL: ATTENTATS CONTRE DEUX ÉGLISES, INFORMATIONS CONTRADICTOIRES
Source: MISNA
Les informations en provenance de Mossoul, théâtre mardi matin d'un double attentat contre deux églises chrétiennes, sont encore confuses. Les attaques ont été confirmées à la MISNA par l'archevêque syriaque de Mossoul, Mgr Basile Georges Casmoussa, qui n'a pas été toutefois en mesure de fournir de plus amples détails. Selon les premières informations diffusées par l'agence de presse irakienne Awsat al Iraq, reprenant des sources de police, les attentats de mardi se seraient soldés par quatre morts et 40 blessés minimum. La reconstitution des faits demeure quant à elle incertaine : selon l'agence irakienne, deux églises - l'église de Notre-Dame, située dans le quartier occidental d'Al-Shifaa, et celle de l'Annonciation, à Chourta, dans le secteur nord d'Al-Mohandiseen - auraient été prises pour cible au moyen d'engins explosifs improvisés (Ied) ou de grenades, selon les sources. L'attaque la plus grave se serait vérifiée à l'église de Notre-Dame, où une double explosion aurait causé des victimes et des blessés jusque dans l'école voisine d'Al-Ghassanya, bien que les informations en circulation diffèrent également sur ce dernier point : si certaines sources indiquent que plusieurs enfants de l'établissement figureraient parmi les blessés, Mgr Casmoussa affirme quant à lui que les jeunes élèves seraient tous sains et saufs. "Les attaques qui se produisent depuis plusieurs semaines (quatre autres églises ont été prises pour cible depuis début décembre, Ndlr) et les chrétiens tués sont un mauvais signe pour nous et un nouveau sentiment de peur s'instaure peu à peu. Malheureusement, à l'approche des fêtes de Noël, ces attentats éloigneront les fidèles des églises car ils auront peur de participer aux festivités. Le gouvernement est encore faible six ans après le début de la guerre et il n'est pas encore apte à assurer notre sécurité ici à Mossoul. Il y a toujours un prétexte derrière ces attaques, du moins à ce qu'en disent les observateurs. Cette fois-ci, ils évoquent les luttes politiques entre les partis et les mouvements en prévision des élections de l'an prochain", dit à la MISNA l'archevêque syriaque de Mossoul, commentant les faits survenus mardi matin.
MOSUL: DOBLE EXPLOSIÓN FRENTE A UNA IGLESIA, VÍCTIMAS
Source: MISNA
Al menos cuatro personas murieron y otras 40 resultaron heridas esta mañana, después de que dos coches bomba explotaran delante de una iglesia en Mosul, en el norte de Irak. Lo refirió la agencia de prensa iraquí ‘Aswat al Iraq’, citando fuentes policiales, las que precisaron que los vehículos explotaron frente a la iglesia de la Virgen María en el barrio de al-Shifaa, en la zona oeste de Mosul. Según las mismas fuentes, la iglesia habría sufrido daños leves
Al menos cuatro personas murieron y otras 40 resultaron heridas esta mañana, después de que dos coches bomba explotaran delante de una iglesia en Mosul, en el norte de Irak. Lo refirió la agencia de prensa iraquí ‘Aswat al Iraq’, citando fuentes policiales, las que precisaron que los vehículos explotaron frente a la iglesia de la Virgen María en el barrio de al-Shifaa, en la zona oeste de Mosul. Según las mismas fuentes, la iglesia habría sufrido daños leves
Iraq: Chiese colpite Mosul. Casmoussa (Siro cattolico) "Brutto segnale per i cristiani"
Fonte: SIR
Doppio attacco contro chiese cristiane, oggi a Mosul. Secondo quanto riferito al Sir dall’arcivescovo siro-cattolico della città, mons. George Casmoussa, “in pieno giorno due mine sono esplose davanti alla chiesa siro-cattolica dell’Annunciazione. Al momento non risultano vittime ma solo feriti e danni materiali alla struttura. Nei pressi della chiesa c’è una scuola cristiana ma gli alunni sono riusciti a mettersi in salvo. Poco dopo, in pieno centro, altre esplosioni sono avvenute contro la chiesa siro-ortodossa dell’Immacolata, ed è qui si sono verificati i danni maggiori, anche perché nelle vicinanze ci sono negozi, mercati e la stessa chiesa è molto frequentata dai cristiani ma anche da musulmani”. “Questi attacchi – dichiara Casmoussa - sono un brutto segnale per noi cristiani che giunge alla vigilia del Natale, e stanno a dimostrare che lo Stato non è padrone della situazione e che la comunità cristiana è sempre di più vulnerabile ed esposta a molti pericoli. E’ urgente che le minoranze, come i cristiani, siano maggiormente protette dalle istituzioni. Restiamo saldi nella speranza che pace e fraternità siano presto le protagoniste della rinascita irachena basata sulla convivenza pacifica tra la popolazione.
Vedi anche MISNA
Two churches attacked in Mosul
By Baghdadhope*
Msgr. Shleimun Warduni confirmed to Baghdadhope the attacks of this morning against two churches in Mosul, the Syriac-Catholic church of the Annunciation and the Syriac-Orthodox church of the Immaculate Conception.
Different sources from Mosul cite death and injured people in the attacks also among the students of a school near one of the churches but the news must still be officially confirmed.
Auto bomba contro due chiese a Mosul
By Baghdadhope*
Confemati a Baghdadhope da Mons. Shleimun Warduni gli attacchi con auto bomba di questa mattina a Mosul a due chiese cristiane, quella siro cattolica dell'Annunciazione e quella siro-ortodossa dell'Immacolata. Diverse fonti di Mosul citano morti e feriti anche tra gli studenti di una scuola vicina ad una delle chiese ma le notizie devono essere ancora confermate ufficialmente.
14 dicembre 2009
Sinodo vescovi per Medio Oriente: testo lineamenta "prossimo alla stesura finale"
Fonte: SIR
Nei giorni 24- 25 novembre 2009 si è svolta a Roma la seconda riunione del Consiglio presinodale per l’Assemblea speciale per il Medio Oriente del Sinodo dei Vescovi. A renderlo noto è oggi la Sala Stampa della Santa Sede che parla di “un’articolata ed accurata discussione” che “ha permesso di elaborare un testo che ormai è prossimo alla stesura finale”. “I partecipanti all’incontro – si legge ancora nella nota - hanno dedicato ampio spazio anche al tema dell’approfondimento della comunione nella Chiesa Cattolica e, in particolare, nelle e tra le Chiese Patriarcali e il Patriarcato Latino di Gerusalemme, come pure nelle Conferenze episcopali dei Paesi del Medio Oriente. Di grande importanza è favorire sempre più la comunione, reale sebbene ancora non piena, con le altre Chiese e comunità ecclesiali”. Nella sua prolusione, mons. Nikola Eterović, Segretario Generale del Sinodo, ha posto al centro il tema della testimonianza e dell’evangelizzazione.
“Nell'azione evangelizzatrice”, ha spiegato mons. Eterović, “occorre far conoscere alle nuove generazioni il grande patrimonio di fede e di testimonianza delle singole Chiese e questo compito investe tutte le categorie ecclesiali”. I Membri del Consiglio, tra cui i cardinali Nasrallah Pierre Sfeir, Patriarca d’Antiochia dei Maroniti, Emmanuel III Delly, Patriarca di Babilonia dei Caldei, Ivan Dias, Prefetto della Congregazione per l’Evangelizzazione dei Popoli e Leonardo Sandri, Prefetto della Congregazione per le Chiese Orientali, “non hanno tralasciato il tema dei rapporti con ebrei e musulmani, insistendo soprattutto sulla necessità di dialogo e di collaborazione in vari campi di attività sociale e culturale”. Il Sinodo, come è noto, si svolgerà dal 10 al 24 ottobre 2010 su “La Chiesa Cattolica nel Medio Oriente: Comunione e testimonianza. ‘La moltitudine di coloro che erano diventati credenti aveva un cuore solo e un'anima sola’ (At 4, 32)”. Il prossimo incontro è stato fissato per i giorni 23 e 24 aprile 2010.
Synod of bishops for the Middle East: Final draft of lineamenta "to be ready soon"
Source: SIR
The second meeting of the pre-synodal Council for the Special Assembly of the Synod of Bishops for the Middle East was held in Rome on 24-25 November 2009. The news was released today by the Holy See Press Office which spoke of “a detailed and accurate discussion” that led to “the drafting of a text whose final version is to be ready soon”. “Participants at the meeting – reads the statement – have paid great attention to the deepening of communion in the Catholic Church and, in particular, in and between the Patriarchal Churches and the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem, as well as in the Bishops’ Conferences of Middle East countries. It is extremely important to favour communion, which is real although not yet full, with other Churches and ecclesial communities”. In his speech, Mgr. Nikola Eteroviæ, Secretary-General of the Synod, focused on the theme of witness and evangelisation”.
“In our evangelising action”, explained Mgr. Eteroviæ, “we need to pass on to new generations the individual Churches’ great patrimony of faith and witness - a task that is entrusted to every ecclesial category”. The Members of the Council, including Cardinals Nasrallah Pierre Sfeir, Patriarch of Antioch for Maronites, Emmanuel III Delly, Patriarch of Babylon for Chaldeans, Ivan Dias, Prefect of the Congregation for the Evangelisation of Peoples, and Leonardo Sandri, Prefect of the Congregation for the Oriental Churches, “have not omitted to discuss the relationships with Jews and Muslims, stressing above all the need for dialogue and collaboration in various social and cultural activities”. The Synod on “The Catholic Church in the Middle East: Communion and Witness. ‘The community of believers was of one heart and mind’ (Acts 4:32)” is to be held from 10 to 24 October 2010. It was agreed to hold next meeting on 23-24 April 2010.
Natale a Kirkuk, i cristiani messaggeri di pace e speranza
Fonte: Asianews
di Louis Sako*
Cosa si attende l’Iraq dal Natale? Cosa si attende in questo periodo di Avvento? Abbiamo posto questa domanda ad alcuni nostri amici e mons. Louis Sako, arcivescovo di Kirkuk ci ha inviato la risposta che pubblichiamo sotto. Kirkuk, abitata da arabi, curdi e turcomanni, è contesa per le sue immense riserve di petrolio. Durante tutto l’anno non sono mancati nella città rapimenti, uccisioni e violenze contro i cristiani. Secondo lo stesso arcivescovo, i cristiani sono oggetto di violenze perché “vogliono avere un ruolo nella ricostruzione della nazione”.
Quest’anno tutte le attività nella nostra diocesi si concentrano sul messaggio del Natale: pace sulla terra e speranza agli uomini.
In queste settimane di Avvento, i sacerdoti cattolici e quelli delle altre Chiese cristiane si sono radunati insieme per una giornata di riflessione, preparandosi al Natale.
I giovani e le associazioni, da parte loro, hanno molto approfondito le basi della fede col catechismo. Tutti i fedeli si sono messi a disposizione per fare veglie di preghiera, visite agli ammalati, a coloro che sono isolati o disabili.
Nella situazione economica così difficile, i giovani della comunità Emmaus hanno raccolto doni e denaro per aiutare le famiglie povere, senza distinzione fra cristiani e musulmani.
Un giovane dottore mandaico (gnostico) ha ricevuto il battesimo.
I cristiani devono essere consapevoli della propria missione: i fedeli hanno il dovere di essere messaggeri della Buona Notizia, della pace e della speranza anche in Iraq e a Kirkuk. Affinché il messaggio sia ricevuto e ascoltata, occorre che lo amiamo e ci impegniamo a viverlo in una maniera concreta. L'esempio influisce più delle parole. La gente vede e si commuove.
Anche se nel Paese vi sono difficoltà e mancanza di sicurezza, i cristiani devono avere il coraggio di trasmetterlo senza paura e inquietudine, ma con tanta libertà e entusiasmo. Il cuore è pieno di fiducia in Colui che ci chiama, ci manda e ci accompagna perché è l’Emmanuele il Dio-con-noi.
Noi siamo messaggeri di gioia anche quando ci sono sacrifici e sofferenze e lacrime come in questa nostra terra irachena.
Per assimilare sempre più questo messaggio, è necessario vivere assieme con gli altri nella Chiesa. Il messaggero vero rimane fedele alla Tradizione della Chiesa e con essa rende testimonianza.
La Chiesa è il luogo in cui i fedeli condividono le loro esperienze spirituali e si sostengono gli uni gli altri nel rendere testimonianza.
* Arcivescovo caldeo di Kirkuk
Quest’anno tutte le attività nella nostra diocesi si concentrano sul messaggio del Natale: pace sulla terra e speranza agli uomini.
In queste settimane di Avvento, i sacerdoti cattolici e quelli delle altre Chiese cristiane si sono radunati insieme per una giornata di riflessione, preparandosi al Natale.
I giovani e le associazioni, da parte loro, hanno molto approfondito le basi della fede col catechismo. Tutti i fedeli si sono messi a disposizione per fare veglie di preghiera, visite agli ammalati, a coloro che sono isolati o disabili.
Nella situazione economica così difficile, i giovani della comunità Emmaus hanno raccolto doni e denaro per aiutare le famiglie povere, senza distinzione fra cristiani e musulmani.
Un giovane dottore mandaico (gnostico) ha ricevuto il battesimo.
I cristiani devono essere consapevoli della propria missione: i fedeli hanno il dovere di essere messaggeri della Buona Notizia, della pace e della speranza anche in Iraq e a Kirkuk. Affinché il messaggio sia ricevuto e ascoltata, occorre che lo amiamo e ci impegniamo a viverlo in una maniera concreta. L'esempio influisce più delle parole. La gente vede e si commuove.
Anche se nel Paese vi sono difficoltà e mancanza di sicurezza, i cristiani devono avere il coraggio di trasmetterlo senza paura e inquietudine, ma con tanta libertà e entusiasmo. Il cuore è pieno di fiducia in Colui che ci chiama, ci manda e ci accompagna perché è l’Emmanuele il Dio-con-noi.
Noi siamo messaggeri di gioia anche quando ci sono sacrifici e sofferenze e lacrime come in questa nostra terra irachena.
Per assimilare sempre più questo messaggio, è necessario vivere assieme con gli altri nella Chiesa. Il messaggero vero rimane fedele alla Tradizione della Chiesa e con essa rende testimonianza.
La Chiesa è il luogo in cui i fedeli condividono le loro esperienze spirituali e si sostengono gli uni gli altri nel rendere testimonianza.
* Arcivescovo caldeo di Kirkuk
Christmas in Kirkuk, Christians messengers of peace and hope
Source:Asianews
by Louis Sako*
What is Iraq expecting of Christmas? What does it expect from this time of Advent? We posed this question to some of our friends and Msgr. Louis Sako, archbishop of Kirkuk has sent us the answers that we publish below. Kirkuk, inhabited by Arabs, Kurds and Turkmen, has fought for its immense oil reserves. Throughout the year there have been kidnappings, killings and violence against Christians in the city. According to the same archbishop, Christians are subject to violence because "they want to have a role in rebuilding the nation."
This year all activities in our diocese focus on the message of Christmas: peace on earth and hope to men.
In these weeks of Advent, the Catholic priests and those of other Christian churches have gathered together for a day of reflection, in preparation for Christmas.
Young people and associations, for their part, have deepened the basics of the faith with catechism. All the faithful have made time for prayer vigils, visits to the sick, those who are isolated or disabled.
In the difficult economic situation, the youth of the Emmaus communities have collected gifts and money to help poor families, without distinguishing between Christians and Muslims.
A young Mandaean (gnostic) doctor received baptism.
Christians must be aware of their mission: the faithful have the duty to be messengers of the Good News of peace and hope in Iraq and Kirkuk. For the message to be received and heard, we must love it and strive to live it in a concrete manner. Our example affects more than words. People see this and are moved.
Although there are difficulties in the country and a lack of security, Christians must have the courage to pass on this message without fear and anxiety, instead with great freedom and enthusiasm. The heart is full of confidence in the One who calls us, sends us and accompanies us because he is Emmanuel; God-with-us.
We are messengers of joy even when there are tears and suffering and sacrifices, as in this our land of Iraq.
So this message can increasingly become an integral part of our lives, we must live together with others in the Church. The true messenger remains faithful to the Tradition of the Church and with it bears witness.
The Church is the place where the faithful share their spiritual experiences and support one another in giving testimony.
* Chaldean Archbishop of Kirkuk
This year all activities in our diocese focus on the message of Christmas: peace on earth and hope to men.
In these weeks of Advent, the Catholic priests and those of other Christian churches have gathered together for a day of reflection, in preparation for Christmas.
Young people and associations, for their part, have deepened the basics of the faith with catechism. All the faithful have made time for prayer vigils, visits to the sick, those who are isolated or disabled.
In the difficult economic situation, the youth of the Emmaus communities have collected gifts and money to help poor families, without distinguishing between Christians and Muslims.
A young Mandaean (gnostic) doctor received baptism.
Christians must be aware of their mission: the faithful have the duty to be messengers of the Good News of peace and hope in Iraq and Kirkuk. For the message to be received and heard, we must love it and strive to live it in a concrete manner. Our example affects more than words. People see this and are moved.
Although there are difficulties in the country and a lack of security, Christians must have the courage to pass on this message without fear and anxiety, instead with great freedom and enthusiasm. The heart is full of confidence in the One who calls us, sends us and accompanies us because he is Emmanuel; God-with-us.
We are messengers of joy even when there are tears and suffering and sacrifices, as in this our land of Iraq.
So this message can increasingly become an integral part of our lives, we must live together with others in the Church. The true messenger remains faithful to the Tradition of the Church and with it bears witness.
The Church is the place where the faithful share their spiritual experiences and support one another in giving testimony.
* Chaldean Archbishop of Kirkuk
13 dicembre 2009
Christian Leaders Convene in Baghdad to Determine Their Future in Iraq
Sourc: Christian Solidarity International
BAGHDAD and WASHINGTON -- "Do Christians have a Future in Iraq?" Over 100 Iraqi Christian leaders convened yesterday in Baghdad to address the possible extinction of their ancient community at Iraq's 1st Christian Leadership Conference on Refugees and Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs).
Since the downfall of Saddam Hussein in 2003, nearly half of Iraq's one million Christians have fled for refuge abroad, while many of the remnants live as destitute IDPs. 518 Christians have been killed as a result of politically-inspired violence during the past six years, while 48 churches have been destroyed, according to a report submitted by the Hammurabi Human Rights Organization (HHRO) - a co-sponsor of the Conference.
In her keynote speech, Annette Walder, International President of Christian Solidarity International (CSI) warned that the survival of both the Iraqi state and the Christian community are inextricably linked. She furthermore urged Christian leaders throughout the world to break their "eerie silence" surrounding this crisis of survival.
William Warda, President of the HHRO,* stressed that Iraq's ancient Christian community, together with the indigenous Yezidi and Mandean minorities, constitute the deepest roots of the Iraqi nation. If Iraq's Christian roots are severed, he continued, the Iraqi nation and state will shrivel and die.
Habib Ephrem, President of the Syriac League in Lebanon, urged Western powers to help secure the survival of Christians in Iraq by refraining from the pursuit of economic and strategic interests without due regard for principles of democracy and human rights.
In a written message, Dr. Adel Abdul-Mahdi, Vice-President of Iraq and patron of the Christian Leadership Conference, declared that "those who kill Christians and bomb churches are enemies of Iraq", and pledged that the Iraqi state will "facilitate the return of refugees and provide generous assistance to those who have lost their homes, their jobs and their loved ones."
Mark Storella, the U.S. Embassy's Senior Coordinator for Refugee and IDP Affairs, reported that the U.S. government had spent $387 million for Iraqi refugees and IDPs in 2009, and cited President Barack Obama's February 2009 Iraq pledge to "provide more assistance and take steps to increase international support for countries already hosting refugees."
Christian refugees and IDPs provided testimony of the violent persecution - including death threats and the murder of loved ones - that forced them to flee their homes. They also highlighted the failure of the Iraqi Government and its international partners to provide the assistance they required for a safe, dignified and sustainable return to their homes. Returning female refugees reported having to wear the Islamic hijab for security on the streets in some Iraqi cities.
The Iraqi Christian Leadership Conference will close today with the presentation of policy recommendations to the Iraqi and American governments, and to the rest of the international community.
BAGHDAD and WASHINGTON -- "Do Christians have a Future in Iraq?" Over 100 Iraqi Christian leaders convened yesterday in Baghdad to address the possible extinction of their ancient community at Iraq's 1st Christian Leadership Conference on Refugees and Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs).
Since the downfall of Saddam Hussein in 2003, nearly half of Iraq's one million Christians have fled for refuge abroad, while many of the remnants live as destitute IDPs. 518 Christians have been killed as a result of politically-inspired violence during the past six years, while 48 churches have been destroyed, according to a report submitted by the Hammurabi Human Rights Organization (HHRO) - a co-sponsor of the Conference.
In her keynote speech, Annette Walder, International President of Christian Solidarity International (CSI) warned that the survival of both the Iraqi state and the Christian community are inextricably linked. She furthermore urged Christian leaders throughout the world to break their "eerie silence" surrounding this crisis of survival.
William Warda, President of the HHRO,* stressed that Iraq's ancient Christian community, together with the indigenous Yezidi and Mandean minorities, constitute the deepest roots of the Iraqi nation. If Iraq's Christian roots are severed, he continued, the Iraqi nation and state will shrivel and die.
Habib Ephrem, President of the Syriac League in Lebanon, urged Western powers to help secure the survival of Christians in Iraq by refraining from the pursuit of economic and strategic interests without due regard for principles of democracy and human rights.
In a written message, Dr. Adel Abdul-Mahdi, Vice-President of Iraq and patron of the Christian Leadership Conference, declared that "those who kill Christians and bomb churches are enemies of Iraq", and pledged that the Iraqi state will "facilitate the return of refugees and provide generous assistance to those who have lost their homes, their jobs and their loved ones."
Mark Storella, the U.S. Embassy's Senior Coordinator for Refugee and IDP Affairs, reported that the U.S. government had spent $387 million for Iraqi refugees and IDPs in 2009, and cited President Barack Obama's February 2009 Iraq pledge to "provide more assistance and take steps to increase international support for countries already hosting refugees."
Christian refugees and IDPs provided testimony of the violent persecution - including death threats and the murder of loved ones - that forced them to flee their homes. They also highlighted the failure of the Iraqi Government and its international partners to provide the assistance they required for a safe, dignified and sustainable return to their homes. Returning female refugees reported having to wear the Islamic hijab for security on the streets in some Iraqi cities.
The Iraqi Christian Leadership Conference will close today with the presentation of policy recommendations to the Iraqi and American governments, and to the rest of the international community.
* Hammorabi Human Rights Organization. Note by Baghdadhope
11 dicembre 2009
2009 Report on Human Rights in the Arab World: Bastion of Impunity, Mirage of Reform
"Embrace diversity, end discrimination"
Human Rights Day 2009
"A man spends his first years learning how to speak and the Arab regimes teach him silence for the rest of his life"
"A man spends his first years learning how to speak and the Arab regimes teach him silence for the rest of his life"
Algerian writer Ahlem Mosteghanemi, Memory in the Flesh
2009 Report on Human Rights in the Arab Region
Press Release
Today the Cairo Institute for Human Rights Studies released its second annual report on the state of human rights in the Arab world for the year 2009. The report, entitled Bastion of Impunity, Mirage of Reform, concludes that the human rights situation in the Arab region has deteriorated throughout the region over the last year.
The report reviews the most significant developments in human rights during 2009 in 12 Arab countries: Egypt, Tunisia, Algeria, Morocco, Sudan, Lebanon, Syria, Palestine, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, and Yemen. It also devotes separate chapters to the Arab League and an analysis of the performance of Arab governments in UN human rights institutions. Another chapter addresses the stance of Arab governments concerning women’s rights, the limited progress made to advance gender equality, and how Arab governments use the issue of women’s rights to burnish their image before the international community while simultaneously evading democratic and human rights reform measures required to ensure dignity and equality for all of their citizens. .
The report observes the grave and ongoing Israeli violations of Palestinian rights, particularly the collective punishment of Palestinians in the Gaza Strip through the ongoing blockade and the brutal invasion of Gaza at the beginning of 2009 which resulted in the killing of more than 1,400 Palestinians, 83 percent of them civilians not taking part in hostilities. The report notes that the plight of the Palestinian people has been exacerbated by the Fatah-Hamas conflict, which has turned universal rights and liberties into favors granted on the basis of political affiliation. Both parties have committed grave abuses against their opponents, including arbitrary detention, lethal torture, and extrajudicial killings.
The deterioration in Yemeni affairs may presage the collapse of what remains of the central state structure due to policies that give priority to the monopolization of power and wealth, corruption that runs rampant, and a regime that continues to deal with opponents using solely military and security means. As such, Yemen is now the site of a war in the northern region of Saada, a bloody crackdown in the south, and social and political unrest throughout the country. Moreover, independent press and human rights defenders who expose abuses in both the north and south are targets of increasingly harsh repression.
In its blatant contempt for justice, the Sudanese regime is the exemplar for impunity and the lack of accountability. President Bashir has refused to appear before the International Criminal Court in connection with war crimes in Darfur. Instead, his regime is hunting down anyone in the country who openly rejects impunity for war crimes, imprisoning and torturing them and shutting down rights organizations. Meanwhile the government’s policy of collective punishment against the population of Darfur continues, as well as its evasion of responsibilities under the Comprehensive Peace Agreement between the north and south, making secession a more likely scenario, which may once again drag the country into a bloody civil war.
In Lebanon, the threat of civil war that loomed last year has receded, but the country still suffers from an entrenched two-tier power structure in which Hizbullah’s superior military capabilities give the opposition an effective veto. As a result, the state’s constitutional institutions have been paralyzed.
In this context it took several months for the clear winner in the parliamentary elections to form a government. Now, even after the formation of a government, the unequal military balance of power between the government and the opposition will prevent serious measures to guarantee all parties accountable before the law, and greatly undermine the possibility of delivering justice for the many crimes and abuses experienced by the Lebanese people over the last several years.
Although Iraq is still the largest arena of violence and civilian deaths, it witnessed a relative improvement in some areas, though these gains remain fragile. The death toll has dropped and threats against journalists are less frequent. In addition, some of the major warring factions have indicated they are prepared to renounce violence and engage in the political process.
In Egypt, as the state of emergency approaches the end of its third decade, the broad immunity given to the security apparatus has resulted in the killing of dozens of undocumented migrants, the use of lethal force in the pursuit of criminal suspects, and routine torture. Other signs of deterioration were visible in 2009: the emergency law was applied broadly to repress freedom of expression, including detaining or abducting bloggers. Moreover, the Egyptian police state is increasingly acquiring certain theocratic features, which have reduced some religious freedoms, and have lead to an unprecedented expansion of sectarian violence within the country.
In Tunisia, the authoritarian police state continued its unrestrained attacks on political activists, journalists, human rights defenders, trade unionists, and others involved in social protest. At the same time, the political stage was prepared for the reelection of President Ben Ali through the introduction of constitutional amendments that disqualified any serious contenders.
In Algeria, the emergency law, the Charter for Peace and National Reconciliation, and the application of counterterrorism measures entrenched policies of impunity, grave police abuses, and the undermining of accountability and freedom of expression. Constitutional amendments paved the way for the installment of President Bouteflika as president for life amid elections that were contested on many levels, despite the lack of real political competition.
Morocco, unfortunately, has seen a tangible erosion of the human rights gains achieved by Moroccans over the last decade. A fact most clearly seen in the failure if the government to adopt a set of institutional reforms within the security and judicial sectors intended to prevent impunity for crimes. Morocco’s relatively improved status was also undermined by the intolerance shown for freedom of expression, particularly for expression touching on the king or the royal family, or instances of institutional corruption. Protests against the status of the Moroccan-administered Western Sahara region were also repressed and several Sahrawi activists were referred to a military tribunal for the first time in 14 years.
As Syria entered its 47th year of emergency law, it continued to be distinguished by its readiness to destroy all manner of political opposition, even the most limited manifestations of independent expression. The Kurdish minority was kept in check by institutionalized discrimination, and human rights defenders were targets for successive attacks. Muhannad al-Hassani, the president of the Sawasiyah human rights organization, was arrested and tried, and his attorney, Haitham al-Maleh, the former chair of the Syrian Human Rights Association, was referred to a military tribunal. The offices of the Syrian Center for Media and Freedom of Expression were shut down, and Syrian prisons still hold dozens of prisoners of conscience and democracy advocates.
In Bahrain, the systematic discrimination against the Shiite majority was accompanied by more repression of freedom of expression and peaceful assembly. Human rights defenders increasingly became targets for arrest, trial, and smear campaigns. Some human rights defenders were even subjected by government agents to threats and intimidation while in Europe.
In Saudi Arabia, the report notes that the Monarch’s speeches urging religious tolerance and interfaith dialogue abroad have not been applied inside the Kingdom, where the religious police continue to clamp down on personal freedom. Indeed, repression of religious freedoms is endemic, and the Shiite minority continues to face systematic discrimination. Counterterrorism policies were used to justify long-term arbitrary detention, and political activists advocating reform were tortured. These policies also undermined judicial standards, as witnessed by the prosecution of hundreds of people in semi-secret trials over the last year.
In tandem with these grave abuses and the widespread lack of accountability for such crimes within Arab countries, the report notes that various Arab governments and members of the Organization of the Islamic Conference have been working in concert within UN institutions to undermine international mechanisms and standards for the protection of human rights. On this level, Arab governments have sought to undercut provisions that bring governments to account or seriously assess and monitor human rights. This is most clearly illustrated by the broad attack on independent UN human rights experts and NGOs working within the UN, as well as attempts to legalize international restrictions on freedom of expression through the pretext of prohibiting “defamation of religions.”
In the same vein, the Arab League and its summit forums offered ongoing support for the Bashir regime in Sudan despite charges of war crimes, and members of the organization used the principle of national sovereignty as a pretext to remain silent about or even collaborate on grave violations in several Arab states. Little hope should be invested in the Arab League as a protector of human rights regionally. Indeed, the Arab Commission on Human Rights, created by the Arab Charter on Human Rights (a weak document compared to other regional charters), is partially composed of government officials, and the secretariat of the Arab League has begun to take measures to weaken the Commission, including obstructing the inclusion of NGOs in its work, intentionally undermining its ability to engage in independent action, even within the stifling constraints laid out by the charter.
2009 Report on Human Rights in the Arab Region
Press Release
Today the Cairo Institute for Human Rights Studies released its second annual report on the state of human rights in the Arab world for the year 2009. The report, entitled Bastion of Impunity, Mirage of Reform, concludes that the human rights situation in the Arab region has deteriorated throughout the region over the last year.
The report reviews the most significant developments in human rights during 2009 in 12 Arab countries: Egypt, Tunisia, Algeria, Morocco, Sudan, Lebanon, Syria, Palestine, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, and Yemen. It also devotes separate chapters to the Arab League and an analysis of the performance of Arab governments in UN human rights institutions. Another chapter addresses the stance of Arab governments concerning women’s rights, the limited progress made to advance gender equality, and how Arab governments use the issue of women’s rights to burnish their image before the international community while simultaneously evading democratic and human rights reform measures required to ensure dignity and equality for all of their citizens. .
The report observes the grave and ongoing Israeli violations of Palestinian rights, particularly the collective punishment of Palestinians in the Gaza Strip through the ongoing blockade and the brutal invasion of Gaza at the beginning of 2009 which resulted in the killing of more than 1,400 Palestinians, 83 percent of them civilians not taking part in hostilities. The report notes that the plight of the Palestinian people has been exacerbated by the Fatah-Hamas conflict, which has turned universal rights and liberties into favors granted on the basis of political affiliation. Both parties have committed grave abuses against their opponents, including arbitrary detention, lethal torture, and extrajudicial killings.
The deterioration in Yemeni affairs may presage the collapse of what remains of the central state structure due to policies that give priority to the monopolization of power and wealth, corruption that runs rampant, and a regime that continues to deal with opponents using solely military and security means. As such, Yemen is now the site of a war in the northern region of Saada, a bloody crackdown in the south, and social and political unrest throughout the country. Moreover, independent press and human rights defenders who expose abuses in both the north and south are targets of increasingly harsh repression.
In its blatant contempt for justice, the Sudanese regime is the exemplar for impunity and the lack of accountability. President Bashir has refused to appear before the International Criminal Court in connection with war crimes in Darfur. Instead, his regime is hunting down anyone in the country who openly rejects impunity for war crimes, imprisoning and torturing them and shutting down rights organizations. Meanwhile the government’s policy of collective punishment against the population of Darfur continues, as well as its evasion of responsibilities under the Comprehensive Peace Agreement between the north and south, making secession a more likely scenario, which may once again drag the country into a bloody civil war.
In Lebanon, the threat of civil war that loomed last year has receded, but the country still suffers from an entrenched two-tier power structure in which Hizbullah’s superior military capabilities give the opposition an effective veto. As a result, the state’s constitutional institutions have been paralyzed.
In this context it took several months for the clear winner in the parliamentary elections to form a government. Now, even after the formation of a government, the unequal military balance of power between the government and the opposition will prevent serious measures to guarantee all parties accountable before the law, and greatly undermine the possibility of delivering justice for the many crimes and abuses experienced by the Lebanese people over the last several years.
Although Iraq is still the largest arena of violence and civilian deaths, it witnessed a relative improvement in some areas, though these gains remain fragile. The death toll has dropped and threats against journalists are less frequent. In addition, some of the major warring factions have indicated they are prepared to renounce violence and engage in the political process.
In Egypt, as the state of emergency approaches the end of its third decade, the broad immunity given to the security apparatus has resulted in the killing of dozens of undocumented migrants, the use of lethal force in the pursuit of criminal suspects, and routine torture. Other signs of deterioration were visible in 2009: the emergency law was applied broadly to repress freedom of expression, including detaining or abducting bloggers. Moreover, the Egyptian police state is increasingly acquiring certain theocratic features, which have reduced some religious freedoms, and have lead to an unprecedented expansion of sectarian violence within the country.
In Tunisia, the authoritarian police state continued its unrestrained attacks on political activists, journalists, human rights defenders, trade unionists, and others involved in social protest. At the same time, the political stage was prepared for the reelection of President Ben Ali through the introduction of constitutional amendments that disqualified any serious contenders.
In Algeria, the emergency law, the Charter for Peace and National Reconciliation, and the application of counterterrorism measures entrenched policies of impunity, grave police abuses, and the undermining of accountability and freedom of expression. Constitutional amendments paved the way for the installment of President Bouteflika as president for life amid elections that were contested on many levels, despite the lack of real political competition.
Morocco, unfortunately, has seen a tangible erosion of the human rights gains achieved by Moroccans over the last decade. A fact most clearly seen in the failure if the government to adopt a set of institutional reforms within the security and judicial sectors intended to prevent impunity for crimes. Morocco’s relatively improved status was also undermined by the intolerance shown for freedom of expression, particularly for expression touching on the king or the royal family, or instances of institutional corruption. Protests against the status of the Moroccan-administered Western Sahara region were also repressed and several Sahrawi activists were referred to a military tribunal for the first time in 14 years.
As Syria entered its 47th year of emergency law, it continued to be distinguished by its readiness to destroy all manner of political opposition, even the most limited manifestations of independent expression. The Kurdish minority was kept in check by institutionalized discrimination, and human rights defenders were targets for successive attacks. Muhannad al-Hassani, the president of the Sawasiyah human rights organization, was arrested and tried, and his attorney, Haitham al-Maleh, the former chair of the Syrian Human Rights Association, was referred to a military tribunal. The offices of the Syrian Center for Media and Freedom of Expression were shut down, and Syrian prisons still hold dozens of prisoners of conscience and democracy advocates.
In Bahrain, the systematic discrimination against the Shiite majority was accompanied by more repression of freedom of expression and peaceful assembly. Human rights defenders increasingly became targets for arrest, trial, and smear campaigns. Some human rights defenders were even subjected by government agents to threats and intimidation while in Europe.
In Saudi Arabia, the report notes that the Monarch’s speeches urging religious tolerance and interfaith dialogue abroad have not been applied inside the Kingdom, where the religious police continue to clamp down on personal freedom. Indeed, repression of religious freedoms is endemic, and the Shiite minority continues to face systematic discrimination. Counterterrorism policies were used to justify long-term arbitrary detention, and political activists advocating reform were tortured. These policies also undermined judicial standards, as witnessed by the prosecution of hundreds of people in semi-secret trials over the last year.
In tandem with these grave abuses and the widespread lack of accountability for such crimes within Arab countries, the report notes that various Arab governments and members of the Organization of the Islamic Conference have been working in concert within UN institutions to undermine international mechanisms and standards for the protection of human rights. On this level, Arab governments have sought to undercut provisions that bring governments to account or seriously assess and monitor human rights. This is most clearly illustrated by the broad attack on independent UN human rights experts and NGOs working within the UN, as well as attempts to legalize international restrictions on freedom of expression through the pretext of prohibiting “defamation of religions.”
In the same vein, the Arab League and its summit forums offered ongoing support for the Bashir regime in Sudan despite charges of war crimes, and members of the organization used the principle of national sovereignty as a pretext to remain silent about or even collaborate on grave violations in several Arab states. Little hope should be invested in the Arab League as a protector of human rights regionally. Indeed, the Arab Commission on Human Rights, created by the Arab Charter on Human Rights (a weak document compared to other regional charters), is partially composed of government officials, and the secretariat of the Arab League has begun to take measures to weaken the Commission, including obstructing the inclusion of NGOs in its work, intentionally undermining its ability to engage in independent action, even within the stifling constraints laid out by the charter.
by Bahey Eldin Hassan, General Director of the Cairo Institute for Human Rights studies
Pdf file: Report Summary: English
Pdf file: Annual Report: Arabic
10 dicembre 2009
La paura si diffonde tra i cristiani di Mosul
Source: Ankawa.com
By Baghdadhope*
I corpi di due fratelli cristiani sono stati ritrovati a Mosul dalle forze di polizia. Franco e Raymond Najib (27 e 35 anni) erano originari di Batnaya, un villaggio a nord di Mosul, e si erano recati nel capoluogo per alcune riparazioni necessarie alla loro auto. Secondo le fonti di polizia i due sono stati uccisi con colpi di pistola alla testa. L'assassinio dei due fratelli ha riportato il terrore tra gli abitanti cristiani della capitale del governoratorato di Ninive che si sono appellati al Governatore Atheel Alnajafi perchè vengano aumentate le misure di sicurezza specialmente in vista delle previste elzioni del marzo 2010.
Fear spreads among the Christians of Mosul
Source: Ankawa.com
By Baghdadhope*
The bodies of two Christian brothers have been found in Mosul by local police forces. Franco and Raymond Najib (27 and 35 years) were from Batnaya, a village north of Mosul, and they had gone to the city to make repair their car. According to police sources the men were shot in their heads. The killing of the two brothers spread fear again among the Christian inhabitants of the capital of Niniveh Governatorate who appealed to the Governor, Atheel Alnajafi, to increase security measures especiallly in the run-up of the elections on next March.
By Baghdadhope*
The bodies of two Christian brothers have been found in Mosul by local police forces. Franco and Raymond Najib (27 and 35 years) were from Batnaya, a village north of Mosul, and they had gone to the city to make repair their car. According to police sources the men were shot in their heads. The killing of the two brothers spread fear again among the Christian inhabitants of the capital of Niniveh Governatorate who appealed to the Governor, Atheel Alnajafi, to increase security measures especiallly in the run-up of the elections on next March.
Patriarcado caldeo también fue afectado por brutales atentados en Irak
Source: Aciprensa
El Obispo Auxiliar de Bagdad, Mons. Shlemon Warduni, dio a conocer que la sede del Patriarcado caldeo (católico) ubicado en esta ciudad, también fue uno de los puntos afectados por los atentados que ayer golpearon duramente a la capital de Irak dejando 127 muertos y unos 500 heridos.
El Prelado indicó a la agencia italiana SIR que "afortunadamente se trata solo de daños materiales, las hermanas y el Patriarca no se encontraban en casa al momento de la explosión. Habían salido para celebrar la fiesta de la Inmaculada. Han volado en el inmueble puertas, ventanas, vidrios y hay diversos daños en los muros".
Sobre los responsables de estos atentados, Mons. Warduni comenta que "la población está convencida de que están ligados a los intereses del mundo político, en vista a la votación, fijada para el 7 de marzo de 2010. Queda ahora la gran desesperación, el dolor y el sufrimiento por la muerte que persigue a todo nuestro pueblo".
9 dicembre 2009
Negli attentati di ieri danni anche al patriarcato caldeo
Fonte: SIR
Nel corso degli attentati che ieri hanno sconvolto Baghdad, provocando 127 morti e 500 feriti, è rimasta danneggiata anche la sede del Patriarcato caldeo. A dichiararlo al Sir è mons. Shlemon Warduni, vicario patriarcale della capitale irachena: “fortunatamente si tratta solo di danni materiali, le suore ed il patriarca non erano in casa al momento delle esplosioni. Erano usciti per celebrare la festa dell’Immacolata. Sono volate via porte, finestre, vetri e danni anche ai muri”. Il patriarcato si trova nei pressi del complesso giudiziario dove ha sede la Corte d’Appello, colpita dalle autobomba insieme ad altri edifici governativi come il ministero del Lavoro e degli Affari Sociali. Per le modalità attuate gli attacchi di ieri ricordano quelle degli attentati del 19 agosto e del 25 ottobre scorso, a Baghdad, che provocarono, anche allora centinaia di morti. Sui colpevoli di questa nuova ondata di attentati mons. Warduni non si sbilancia anche se, afferma, “la popolazione è convinta che siano legati ad interessi del mondo politico, in vista del voto, fissato per il 7 marzo 2010. Restano ancora la grande disperazione, il dolore e lo sconforto per la morte che perseguita tutto il nostro popolo”.
In yesterday's attacks the Chaldean Patriarchate damaged too
Source: SIR
During the attacks that upset Baghdad yesterday, killing 127 people and wounding 500, the premises of the Chaldean Patriarchate have been damaged too. It was stated to SIR by mgr. Shlemon Warduni, patriarchal vicar to the Iraqi capital: “luckily it is only material damage, the nuns and the Patriarch were not at home when the bombs exploded. They had gone out to celebrate the Immaculate Conception. Doors, windows, glass were blown out and even the walls have been damaged”. The Patriarchate is located near the Courts of Law which accommodate the Court of Appeal, hit by the car bombs along with some government offices such as the Labour Ministry and the Welfare Ministry. The ways the yesterday’s attacks have been carried out resemble those of the attacks of 19th August and 25th October in Baghdad, which killed hundreds of people even then. Mgr. Warduni does not want to tell too much about the people who might have committed this new wave of attacks, even if he states: “the population believes they have to do with political interests in the run-up to the election of 7th March 2010. What remains are the great desperation, pain and dejection for the death that still persecutes all our people”.
Vescovo di Baghdad: la strage, risposta “incivile e incosciente” all’accordo sulle elezioni
Fonte: Asia News
Una risposta “incivile e incosciente” al recente accordo sulla legge elettorale, che ha colpito “civili innocenti, fra cui donne e bambini” vittime di “interessi di partiti, etnie e nemici esterni” davanti ai quali “proviamo un senso di impotenza”. È quanto afferma ad AsiaNews mons. Shlemon Warduni, vescovo ausiliare di Baghdad, all’indomani dei cinque attentati che hanno insanguinato le strade della capitale irakena.
Ieri mattina, alle 10.25 ora locale, una serie di esplosioni hanno sventrato interi quartieri della capitale. Il bilancio aggiornato è di almeno 127 morti e oltre 500 feriti. Cinque diverse autobombe hanno colpito, a distanza di pochi minuti l’una dall’altra, in diversi punti della città. Nel mirino dei terroristi la zona di Nahda, che ospita alcuni edifici del Ministero degli interni; un’altra poco distante dall’università di Mustansiriya, nelle vicinanze degli ingressi del Ministero del lavoro e degli affari sociali. Danneggiata anche la sede del Patriarcato cattolico caldeo: l’onda d’urto provocata dall’esplosione ha distrutto porte e finestre dell’edificio.
“Gli irakeni sono provati – spiega mons. Warduni – da una serie di attacchi incivili e incoscienti, che hanno ucciso, mutilato, ferito anche vittime innocenti, come donne e bambini”. La Chiesa è “preoccupata” per la deriva di violenze e terrore che insanguina l’Iraq; “la mancanza di sicurezza spinge le persone a fuggire” e fra la gente serpeggia un clima di “demoralizzazione, paura, sfiducia”.
L’ausiliare di Baghdad aggiunge che “il governo non ha la forza per assicurare la pace”, la legge non viene rispettata e “i molto nemici esterni del Paese contribuiscono a complicare ancora di più il quadro”. “In Iraq vi è un grave problema politico e di interessi – spiega – che riguarda l’intera comunità internazionale. I poveri, la popolazione è chiusa in una trappola da cui non riesce a uscire”.
Gli attentati all’indomani dell’accordo sulla legge elettorale, prosegue il prelato, sono la dimostrazione degli “interessi di partiti ed etnie” che perseguono la logica della violenza piuttosto che lo scontro politico. “Il mondo si allontana da Dio e va per conto suo – conclude mons. Warduni – e anche i cristiani sono deboli. Bisogna avere più ardore nella fede cristiana. Pregare per la pace”.
Il 7 dicembre, nelle ore successive all’accordo sulla legge elettorale, una fonte di AsiaNews a Baghdad aveva precisato che si trattava solo di una “tregua”, ma la tensione rimaneva “elevata”. “Colpire il Ministero dell’interno – ribadisce oggi la fonte, che chiede l’anonimato – è un chiaro messaggio politico. Il cammino elettorale è già bloccato ancor prima di cominciare, perché la classe dirigente non è in grado di garantire la sicurezza”.
Funzionari di governo puntano il dito contro al Qaeda ed ex affiliati al partito Baath, dell’ex rais Saddam Hussein. “In realtà – spiega la fonte – all’origine delle violenze vi sono conflitti interni fra etnie e gruppi politici. È una lotta per il potere” fra sunniti, sciiti e curdi".(DS)
Ieri mattina, alle 10.25 ora locale, una serie di esplosioni hanno sventrato interi quartieri della capitale. Il bilancio aggiornato è di almeno 127 morti e oltre 500 feriti. Cinque diverse autobombe hanno colpito, a distanza di pochi minuti l’una dall’altra, in diversi punti della città. Nel mirino dei terroristi la zona di Nahda, che ospita alcuni edifici del Ministero degli interni; un’altra poco distante dall’università di Mustansiriya, nelle vicinanze degli ingressi del Ministero del lavoro e degli affari sociali. Danneggiata anche la sede del Patriarcato cattolico caldeo: l’onda d’urto provocata dall’esplosione ha distrutto porte e finestre dell’edificio.
“Gli irakeni sono provati – spiega mons. Warduni – da una serie di attacchi incivili e incoscienti, che hanno ucciso, mutilato, ferito anche vittime innocenti, come donne e bambini”. La Chiesa è “preoccupata” per la deriva di violenze e terrore che insanguina l’Iraq; “la mancanza di sicurezza spinge le persone a fuggire” e fra la gente serpeggia un clima di “demoralizzazione, paura, sfiducia”.
L’ausiliare di Baghdad aggiunge che “il governo non ha la forza per assicurare la pace”, la legge non viene rispettata e “i molto nemici esterni del Paese contribuiscono a complicare ancora di più il quadro”. “In Iraq vi è un grave problema politico e di interessi – spiega – che riguarda l’intera comunità internazionale. I poveri, la popolazione è chiusa in una trappola da cui non riesce a uscire”.
Gli attentati all’indomani dell’accordo sulla legge elettorale, prosegue il prelato, sono la dimostrazione degli “interessi di partiti ed etnie” che perseguono la logica della violenza piuttosto che lo scontro politico. “Il mondo si allontana da Dio e va per conto suo – conclude mons. Warduni – e anche i cristiani sono deboli. Bisogna avere più ardore nella fede cristiana. Pregare per la pace”.
Il 7 dicembre, nelle ore successive all’accordo sulla legge elettorale, una fonte di AsiaNews a Baghdad aveva precisato che si trattava solo di una “tregua”, ma la tensione rimaneva “elevata”. “Colpire il Ministero dell’interno – ribadisce oggi la fonte, che chiede l’anonimato – è un chiaro messaggio politico. Il cammino elettorale è già bloccato ancor prima di cominciare, perché la classe dirigente non è in grado di garantire la sicurezza”.
Funzionari di governo puntano il dito contro al Qaeda ed ex affiliati al partito Baath, dell’ex rais Saddam Hussein. “In realtà – spiega la fonte – all’origine delle violenze vi sono conflitti interni fra etnie e gruppi politici. È una lotta per il potere” fra sunniti, sciiti e curdi".(DS)
Baghdad massacre “barbaric and reckless” response to election deal, bishop says
Source: Asia News
A day after five attacks left scores of people dead and injured in the streets of the Iraqi capital, Mgr Shlemon Warduni, auxiliary bishop of Baghdad, spoke to AsiaNews, saying that these acts of violence were a “barbaric and reckless” response to the recent deal on the election law. It struck “innocent civilians, including women and children,” who are victims of “party, ethnic and foreign interests” before which “we feel a sense of impotence.”
Yesterday at 10.25 am local time, a series of explosions gutted whole areas of the capital. According to the latest tally, 127 people were killed and more than 500 were wounded. Five car bombs tore through various parts of the city in quick succession a few minutes from another.
Terrorists targeted Nahda, where the Interior Ministry has some offices, and Mustansiriya University, which is not too far from the Labour and Social Affairs Ministry. The headquarters of the Catholic Chaldean Patriarchate were also damaged. The shockwave blew out the building’s windows and doors.
“Iraqis are sick of this series of barbaric and reckless attacks,” Mgr Warduni said, “which have killed, maimed and wounded innocent civilians, including women and children.”
The Church is concerned by the drift towards violence and terror that is leaving its bloody traces across Iraq. “The lack of security is driving people to flee,” and an atmosphere of “demoralization, fear and suspicion” is setting in.
For the auxiliary bishop of Baghdad, the “government does not have the means to enforce peace.” The law is not respected and “many foreign enemies of the country are making matters worse.”
“Iraq faces a serious political problem,” he explained, because of a clash of “interests that involves the entire international community. The poor and the population are caught in a trap that they cannot escape.”
The attacks the day after the deal on the election law are a sign that “party and ethnic interests” pursue violence rather politics, the prelate said.
“The world is moving away from God and is going its own way,” Mgr Warduni said. “Christians are weak. We must show greater Christian faith and pray for peace.”
On Monday, a few hours after the deal on the electoral law was reached, a source told AsiaNews that the latter was only a “truce”, and that tensions remained high.
“Hitting the Interior Ministry sent a clear political message,” the anonymous source said. “The path towards elections is already blocked even before it is cleared because political leaders are unable to ensure security.”
Government officials blame al-Qaeda and Baa‘th party members of former President Saddam Hussein for the attacks
“In reality, the violence is due to internal conflicts between ethnic and political groups,” the source said. It is a power struggle “between Sunnis, Shias and Kurds.” (DS)
Yesterday at 10.25 am local time, a series of explosions gutted whole areas of the capital. According to the latest tally, 127 people were killed and more than 500 were wounded. Five car bombs tore through various parts of the city in quick succession a few minutes from another.
Terrorists targeted Nahda, where the Interior Ministry has some offices, and Mustansiriya University, which is not too far from the Labour and Social Affairs Ministry. The headquarters of the Catholic Chaldean Patriarchate were also damaged. The shockwave blew out the building’s windows and doors.
“Iraqis are sick of this series of barbaric and reckless attacks,” Mgr Warduni said, “which have killed, maimed and wounded innocent civilians, including women and children.”
The Church is concerned by the drift towards violence and terror that is leaving its bloody traces across Iraq. “The lack of security is driving people to flee,” and an atmosphere of “demoralization, fear and suspicion” is setting in.
For the auxiliary bishop of Baghdad, the “government does not have the means to enforce peace.” The law is not respected and “many foreign enemies of the country are making matters worse.”
“Iraq faces a serious political problem,” he explained, because of a clash of “interests that involves the entire international community. The poor and the population are caught in a trap that they cannot escape.”
The attacks the day after the deal on the election law are a sign that “party and ethnic interests” pursue violence rather politics, the prelate said.
“The world is moving away from God and is going its own way,” Mgr Warduni said. “Christians are weak. We must show greater Christian faith and pray for peace.”
On Monday, a few hours after the deal on the electoral law was reached, a source told AsiaNews that the latter was only a “truce”, and that tensions remained high.
“Hitting the Interior Ministry sent a clear political message,” the anonymous source said. “The path towards elections is already blocked even before it is cleared because political leaders are unable to ensure security.”
Government officials blame al-Qaeda and Baa‘th party members of former President Saddam Hussein for the attacks
“In reality, the violence is due to internal conflicts between ethnic and political groups,” the source said. It is a power struggle “between Sunnis, Shias and Kurds.” (DS)
Religious sisters to distribute Christmas parcels in impoverished northern Iraq
Source: Catholic News Agency
Baghdad, Iraq, Dec 7, 2009
Chaldean Catholic religious sisters will distribute Christmas food parcels to impoverished people in the northern Iraq town of Zakho near the Syrian/Turkish border, the Catholic charity Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) says.
The sisters will use a van packed full of cheese, tinned meat, powdered milk, cooking oil, salt, sugar, soap and other urgent items as part of their outreach in and around Zakho, ACN exlpains.
Immense hardship and poverty have been reported in the Kurdish north of Iraq.
ACN provided about $37,000 for the Christmas mercy mission as part of its own effort to support persecuted and suffering Christians. It is the third aid package of its kind since the initiative began last Christmas. It is expected to benefit thousands of people, especially the elderly, the disabled and others with special needs.
ACN Iraq projects coordinator Marie-Ange Siebrecht recently returned from a visit to the region. She reported that the sisters are “very much appreciated for their work.”
“What they are doing will give many people a real boost this Christmas and remind them that they are not alone – that their brothers and sisters in faith elsewhere are thinking about them and trying to help,” she commented.
The aid is part of ACN’s commitment to the ancient Christian community in a region whose Christian population has dropped from one million in 2003 to less than 350,000 today.
The exiled Christian population is also in need of aid. In the spring, the charity gave about $30,000 to Iraqi Christians in Syria who are desperate for help. They are living in very basic accommodations, mostly in and around the capital Damascus.
Other ACN projects support refugees in Jordan and Turkey.
The sisters will use a van packed full of cheese, tinned meat, powdered milk, cooking oil, salt, sugar, soap and other urgent items as part of their outreach in and around Zakho, ACN exlpains.
Immense hardship and poverty have been reported in the Kurdish north of Iraq.
ACN provided about $37,000 for the Christmas mercy mission as part of its own effort to support persecuted and suffering Christians. It is the third aid package of its kind since the initiative began last Christmas. It is expected to benefit thousands of people, especially the elderly, the disabled and others with special needs.
ACN Iraq projects coordinator Marie-Ange Siebrecht recently returned from a visit to the region. She reported that the sisters are “very much appreciated for their work.”
“What they are doing will give many people a real boost this Christmas and remind them that they are not alone – that their brothers and sisters in faith elsewhere are thinking about them and trying to help,” she commented.
The aid is part of ACN’s commitment to the ancient Christian community in a region whose Christian population has dropped from one million in 2003 to less than 350,000 today.
The exiled Christian population is also in need of aid. In the spring, the charity gave about $30,000 to Iraqi Christians in Syria who are desperate for help. They are living in very basic accommodations, mostly in and around the capital Damascus.
Other ACN projects support refugees in Jordan and Turkey.
8 dicembre 2009
Jesus Day, Baghdad
Source: New York Times At War Blog
By Marc Santora, December 7, 2009
BAGHDAD -- On the banks of the Tigris, Santa Claus -- wearing a tatty red robe, stringy white beard, and frightening caucasian mask -- was being mauled by children as he tried to pass out some trinkets. Poets on a nearby stage recited odes to Jesus, beneath a massive banner emblazoned with Christ's image.
Watching over the artists were hundreds of heavily armed security officers, lining the closed street around the park and dotting the rooftops of nearby buildings.
This is what is known as "Jesus Day" (officially the "Master of Souls" festival) in Baghdad.
It was the second annual festival but the first to feature Christian imagery so prominently. Like other religious minorities, Christians in Iraq have found themselves the targets of militants in recent years. There were groups from eight churches in Baghdad invited to the festivities and they were brought there on buses for their own safety.
The event was sponsored by the Ministry of the Interior and while the stated objective was to promote tolerance and understanding, there was an obvious political calculation. The head of the ministry, Jawad al-Bolani, is one of the candidates challenging Prime Minister Nuri Kamal al-Maliki in the upcoming national elections and the event provided him an opportunity to burnish his credentials among secularists.
He arrived at the four hour festival with Ahmed Abu Risha, the Sunni leader who helped turn the tribes in Anbar province against Al Qaeda in Mesopotamia.
There were dozens of reporters on hand as well, but few actual Iraqi residents, despite a closing performance by Iraq's National Symphony Orchestra.
The relatively small attendance might have been as much about the security precautions as the theme of the festival. However, it was a chance to hear the orchestra, which, against great odds, has continued to perform in Iraq.
The stage was set up in front of Mohammed Ghani Hikmat's famous statue of Sheherazade -- the fictional narrator of the tales of 'A Thousand and One Nights' -- so Karim Wasfi, the symphony's chief conductor, decided to open the performance with Rimsky-Korsakov's piece dedicated to the Arabian storyteller.
As he took the stage, baton in hand, he had to wait a moment before beginning as two American Blackhawk helicopters flew overhead.
When his 85-member orchestra did play, it was possible to forget for a moment that one was in Iraq. The setting sun cast a red glow over the violin section, palm trees swaying gently in the background. The orchestra, in black formal wear, did not let a poor sound system or the whir of more helicopters overhead throw them off-stride.
It was beautiful, a phrase often hard to use in Iraq these last few years.
But a quick glance up to the gunners on the roofs, down to the trash-strewn ground, right to the armored vehicles lining the road, or left to the receding banks of the river, and the reality of Iraq was present again.
Mr. Wasfi is hopeful that in the future events like Wednesday's festival will be able to be held in a genuinely open way.
But even as he holds onto his faith in Iraq, he continues to be challenged by some of the more extreme elements of society that hold sway in parts of the country.
The orchestra was scheduled to play its first ever concert in the Shiite holy city of Karbala this past weekend. Despite securing the support of key religious figures in the city, one prominent cleric denounced the planned concert as sacrilege. It was canceled for safety reasons.
"Music is not a threat to any religious ideology," said Mr Wasfi.
7 dicembre 2009
Mons. Sleiman (Baghdad) "Grazie ai giovani prossimo voto forse più laico"
Fonte: SIR
“La popolazione riesce a vivere grazie agli aiuti alimentari, altrimenti morirebbe di fame. C’è una grave emergenza lavoro, mancanza di infrastrutture, molti lavori di ricostruzione sono stati avviati e poi lasciati, le strade piene di buche. L’elettricità erogata a singhiozzo”. A fare il punto al SIR sulla situazione irachena, a poche ore dall’approvazione della nuova legge elettorale, è l’arcivescovo latino di Baghdad, mons. Jean B. Sleiman. Nel nuovo parlamento ci saranno 325 seggi, di cui 15 per le minoranze. L’accordo sulla maggiore rappresentanza delle componenti curde, cristiane e sunnite ha evitato l’apertura di una crisi politica e dato il via libera alle seconde elezioni dalla caduta di Saddam Hussein anche se la data non è stata ancora fissata. “La grande speranza dell’Iraq sono i giovani, la grande natalità e la sete di imparare, di conoscere, di rinascere, di uscire fuori da questa situazione. Sono esausti e delusi da quanto è successo. Le ultime elezioni hanno fatto emergere una voglia di cittadinanza, di razionalità non di integralismo e fondamentalismo. Questo potrebbe avere un peso sul prossimo voto, che a detta di molti analisti, dovrebbe favorire i moderati. Sarà un voto a scarso peso religioso, forse più laico con una scelta scevra da pressioni religiose”.
Mgr. Sleiman (Baghdad) "Next elections likely to be more lay thanks to the young"
Source: SIR
“The population would die from hunger if food aid were not provided. The employment situation is critical, there is a lack of infrastructure, reconstruction works were undertaken and then interrupted, streets are full of holes and electricity supply is discontinuous”. The Latin archbishop of Baghdad, Mgr. Jean B. Sleiman, takes stock of the Iraqi situation in an interview with the SIR, a few hours after the approval of the new electoral law. There will be 325 seats in the new parliament, 15 of which will be assigned to minorities. The agreement on the increased representation of Kurds, Christians and Sunnites prevented the outbreak of a political crisis and paved the way to the second elections after the fall of Saddam Hussein on a date yet to be confirmed. “The young are Iraq’s greatest hope together with a high birth rate, the longing for learning, for knowledge and for rebirth and the will to overcome this situation. The young are worn out and disappointed about what happened. In the latest elections, aspirations to citizenship and rationality prevailed over extremism and fundamentalism. According to the experts, this could have an impact on the upcoming elections and favour moderates. These elections are likely to be the result of lay choices, not influenced by religious pressure”.
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