Christians of Iraq

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Updated list of Opression and Murders of the Assyrians in Iraq Not reported by the International Press

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---- GEORGIA: Will mob halt Assyrian Catholic centre? By Felix Corley, Forum 18 News Service http://www.forum18.org Oct. 18, 06 One month after a hostile mob invaded and damaged a new religious and cultural centre Tbilisi's Assyrian Catholics are building in the Georgian capital, the community lives in fear of attack. "The Orthodox Church and fundamentalists don't want a Catholic presence in Georgia," the community's priest Fr Benny Yadgar told Forum 18 News Service from Tbilisi [T'bilisi] on 18 October. "I fear that if we start to use the centre for worship these fanatics could attack our people with knives and wooden posts. Our people have a right to be protected." Giorgi Khutsishvili, head of the Tbilisi-based International Center of Conflict Negotiations, said the "disturbing" attack was instigated by fundamentalist Orthodox determined to prevent a Catholic church being built. "This is a clear issue: the Assyrian community has the right to build its centre," he told Forum 18 on 18 October. "So what if it is going to be used for worship?" His centre has hosted a meeting of the multi-faith Religions Council to discuss the issue. Fr Yadgar insists that the problems do not come from the authorities. "The government says: 'Go ahead, don't worry!'" he told Forum 18. He added that the police had offered to send officers to protect the building, as long as the Assyrians paid for it, an offer the community had turned down. "We don't want the police to have to stand at the doors of our place of worship." But he fears that a signature campaign now underway in the local district could lead to further pressure on the authorities. "They go around saying they need 200,000 signatures to block us." Fr Yadgar said the office of the Human Rights Ombudsperson has been sympathetic and has scheduled a 27 October meeting to discuss their concerns to which he and the Catholic bishop, Giuseppe Pasotto, have been invited. Forum 18 was unable to reach Georgi Siradze, police chief for Vake-Saburtalo district where the Assyrian Catholic centre is based, to find out how the rights of the community will be protected. Reached on 19 October, the duty officer said the police were not allowed to give information to journalists and refused to give Siradze's number. Fr Yadgar said the Georgian Orthodox Patriarchate has failed to speak out against the threats. "I called on Patriarch Ilya to defend our church, but he says it is not his business." Despite the fact that the attack was widely reported in the media and was the subject of a debate on Rustavi-2 television, Zurab Tskhovrebadze, spokesperson for the Orthodox Patriarchate, told Forum 18 on 19 October he had never heard anything about any problems over the Assyrian Catholic centre. "If it was true, of course it would be unacceptable for us Orthodox to use force, whether for political or religious ends." The Orthodox Patriarchate retains a powerful hold over society and the government and has successfully prevented almost all minority faiths from openly building new places of worship in recent years (see forthcoming F18News article). Some Georgian Orthodox priests have a record of inciting mob violence against religious minorities (see eg. F18News 25 May 2005 http://www.forum18.org/Archive. ). Intolerance of religious minorities is widespread within Georgian society, despite some legal improvements (see F18News 24 May 2005 http://www.forum18.org/Archive.php?article_id=568). Georgia's politicians have shown little interest in the Assyrian Catholics' concerns. "This was not an attack – it was merely misinterpretation of the feelings of people," Lali Papiashvili, deputy head of the Parliamentary Human Rights Committee, told Forum 18 from Tbilisi on 19 October. "People were falsely informed by some kinds of activists that the building may cause religious problems for the local population." She denied that anyone would object to the building of a non-Orthodox place of worship. "I don't have any information that the Assyrian population is afraid." Papiashvili's colleague, Elene Tevdoradze, who chairs the Parliamentary Human Rights Committee, was equally unconcerned. "I haven't been to the Assyrian centre, but I've received no complaints," she told Forum 18 from Tbilisi on 18 October. Human rights activists and other religious minorities, however, have defended the embattled Assyrian Catholic community. "The city authorities were wrong to take into account Orthodox objections to the Assyrian centre," Bishop Malkhaz Songulashvili, head of Georgia's Baptist Church, told Forum 18 on 4 October. Support for the Assyrians has also come from the Armenian Apostolic Church and the Lutherans, Fr Yadgar told Forum 18. Fr Yadgar said the new centre was invaded by a mob of about 60 people on 18 September, three or four days after anonymous, undated leaflets started to circulate in the district, stirring people up against the Catholics and urging them to come to the centre. "The letter alleged that Catholics are aggressive proselytisers who killed our monks in the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries. It also alleged they marry cats and dogs and give the Eucharist to animals." Fr Yadgar was away at the time of the mob invasion, but Giuni Gulua was one of two community members who tried to explain to television journalists and to the mob why the community was building the centre. "Part of the mob obviously had no clue as to why they were there, but the other part was very aggressively hostile, saying we had no right to build a Catholic church," she told Forum 18 on 19 October. "We explained that we had all the legal documents we needed to build the church, but many of them weren't prepared to listen to us. We then left to avoid any possibility of violent confrontation." She said some of the mob then went down to the cellar and damaged the interior walls. Fr Yadgar said the cultural centre deliberately combines classrooms and meeting rooms with a sanctuary for worship. "Without Christianity, we Assyrians have no culture, so it is natural the two go together," he told Forum 18. "But in any case, we are not recognised in law as a religious organisation and do not have the right to build a church." After initial difficulties (see F18News 14 November 2003http://www.forum18.org/Archive.), he eventually managed to get all the approvals they needed from the city authorities. Construction work began in 2004, he added, but finding the necessary money has delayed building. "Because of the situation in Iraq we have had no support from there." Although all the external work is now complete, Fr Yadgar said completing the interior could take another year, especially in the wake of the damage and any potential attack. (END) For the comments of Georgian religious leaders and human rights activists on how the legacy of religious violence should be overcome, see http://www.forum18.org/Archive.php?article_id=499 For more background see Forum 18's Georgia religious freedom survey at http://www.forum18.org/Archive.php?article_id=400 A printer-friendly map of Georgia is available at http://www.nationalgeographic.com/

Who are the Christians of Iraq? Tishrin 1 = October Iraq: Christian Minority Seeks Haven From Violence Oct. 19, 06 GEORGIA: Will mob halt Assyrian Catholic centre? Oct. 19, 06 Ancient ruins inspire hope in U.S. forces in Pre-Christian Iraq . Oct. 19, 06 Christian Migration From Mid-East At Heart of Patriarchs' Meeting Oct. 19, 06 Assyrian language Lecture and Seminar in London Oct. 19, 06 Save Us from the Time of Trial Oct. 18, 06 Persecution of non-Muslims increases in Iraq. Oct. 18, 06 In Iraq, a New Level of Threat to Christians Oct. 17, 06 World Has Forgotten Iraqi Christians: Chaldean Patriarch Oct. 16, 06 Some 500 people attend funeral of beheaded priest Oct. 16, 06 Christians are vacating land of Christ Oct. 15, 06 Threats force Iraqi Christians to flee to Syria Oct. 15, 06 Turkey starts to admit it has an ‘Armenian Question’ Oct. 15, 06 Some Turks change religion as way to West Oct. 14, 06 Beleaguered Yazidi find peace high in Iraq's northern mountains Oct. 14, 06 Beheading of Iraqi priest latest attack on minorities Oct. 14, 06 Kurdish Militia Attacks Assyrian TV Station in North Iraq Oct. 13, 06 Iraq priest 'killed over pope's speech' Oct. 13, 06 More than 35,000 Christians have fled violence in Iraq Oct. 13, 06 Prominent Assyrian Priest Beheaded Oct. 12, 06 Father Paulos Iskandar Killed by Terrorist Abductors Oct. 12, 06 Who Will Remember the Assyrian Genocide? Oct. 11, 06 Abducted and raped, young Christian women and girls are driven to suicide in Iraq Oct. 11, 06 Was the genocide of the Ottoman Empire in1915 only against the Armenians, or included Assyrians also? Oct. 10, 06 Traditional Assyrian Costumes Oct. 9, 06 Organisation and Substitutionism Oct. 8, 06 A Nation Without a Country Oct. 8, 06 Swedish authorities honor Malfono Gabriel Afram Oct. 7, 06 Christian husband and wife converts from Islam released Oct. 7, 06 Terror campaign targets Christians of Iraq Oct. 6, 06 In 20 years, there will be no more Christians in Iraq' Oct. 5, 06 \FIRST-PERSON: Assyrian haircut Oct. 5, 06 The Assyrians: Ignored Among Fears of an Iraqi Civil War Oct. 4, 06 Two Iranian Christians arrested in Mashad. Oct. 4, 06 Car Bombs at the Christian Assyrian shopping district in Baghdad killed 16, injured 87 Oct. 4, 06 30 Christian families receive threats to leave Mosul - Iraq Oct. 2, 06 Mr. Sarkis Aghajan, the Finance Minister of the Kurdistan regional Government Asks for more rights for the Assyrians Oct. 2, 06 Ealool = September National Council of Churches Ignores Christian Suffering Sept. 29, 06 Violence Against Christians Grows in Iraq Sept. 29, 06 EP Report Drops Genocide Clause, Calls for Investigation Sept. 28, 06 Nenveh Essa, 21, studied accounting, Dies in Car Accident Sept. 27, 06 Kurds and Arabs Vie for Control of Mosul Sept. 26, 06 Iraq ensnared in quest to escape Arab politics Sept. 25, 06 Two Assyrian churches attacked in Mosul and Baghdad Sept. 25, 06 Turkey invites Assyrian and Armenian dignitaries to meal that breaks daily Muslim fast. Sep. 25, 06 Dutch Lawmaker May Remove Assyrian Genocide Reference in Report on Turkey Sept. 25, 06 Tense Time for Christians in Iraq Sep. 24, 06 Assyrian Church Bombed in Baghdad; 2 Dead, 17 Injured Sept. 24, 06 Assyrian Police Officer Murdered in Mosul Sept. 24, 06 Assyrian-Swedish journalist investigates the arrest of the Assyrian-Georgian General Sept. 21, 06 Muslims react to the speech of Pope Benedict XVI Sept. 20, 06 Iraq: International Religious Freedom Report 2006 Sept. 19, 06 Fear Strikes Iraq's Christians Over Pope Words Sept. 19, 06 Assyrian Cultural Day Sept. 19, 06 When Iraqi Christians Vanish, Locals Pay the Price Sept. 18, 06 Dozens Dead in Kirkuk Bombings Sept. 17, 06 Book Exhibit in Baghdeda Iraq Sept. 17, 06 Second Assyrian Christian Killed in Retaliation for Pope's Remarks Sept. 17, 06 The Hellenic, Armenian and Assyrian Communities in the Late Ottoman Empire and Modern Turkey Sept. 16, 06 'I Felt God Was With Me,' Says Released Assyrian Priest' Sept. 15, 06 Two Assyrians Killed in Separate Terrorist Attacks Sept. 15, 06 Rosie Malek - Yonan Documentary, My Assyrian Nation on the Edge Sept. 14, 06 Two Assyrians Killed in Separate Terrorist Attacks Sept. 14, 06 Kirkuk: The potential spark for civil war Sept. 14, 06 Sabri Atman in Sweden Sept. 14, 06 Assyrian Candidate Gains Republican Endorsement Sept. 13, 06 Priest Abducted in Baghdad Was Threatened and Tortured Sept. 13, 06 Assyrians Accuse Kurdish Authorities of Discrimination Sept. 12, 06 Priest Kidnapped in Baghdad Released Sept. 12, 06 Turkey's refusal to acknowledge the Assyrian, Armenian genocide Sept. 10, 06 Rosie Malek - Younan; The Assyrian Woman of the Year Sept. 10, 06 Lebanese Bishops Chastise Hizbullah, Back Siniora Sept. 6, 06 A Feast Awaits At Annual Assyrian Festival Sept. 6, 06 Prominent Assyrian Christian Leaves Iraq. Says Work Situation 'Intolerable' Sept. 5, 06 Turkey's terror against Christians in Midyat Sept. 4, 06 Syria; Sanctuary for Iraq's Displaced Christians Sept. 3, 06 August = Tubbakh Assyrians honour the Lt General Sir Stanley Savige KBE CB DSO MC ED August 31,06 Assyrian archaeologist resigns amid threats by the fundamentalists August 31, 06 Assyrians: from Bebar Khan to Saddam Hussein (a new book) August 28, 06 Donny George of Iraq's State Board of Antiquity, Heritage Flees to Syria August 28, 06 A New Film by Lina Yakubova August 27, 06 PM Maliki urges tribal unity in Iraq August 27, 06 Lebanese Bishops Appeal for a Stop to the Christian Exodus August 24, 06 Iraqi Christians Caught in the Crossfire August 23, 06 Assyrian Universal Alliance, Australian Chapter Meeting in Canberra August 23, 06 Iraqi Christians on Edge After Priest's Kidnapping August 23, 06 The Secrets Of Mustafa Barzani In KGB Archives August 23, 06 Pope urges release of priest in Iraq August 20, 06 Heading Toward an (Inevitable) War in Kirkuk August 20, 06 TWO CHALDEAN PRIESTS KIDNAPPED IN BAGHDAD August 18, 06 Confiscation of the Assyrian villages by the Kurds August 18, 06 The Kurdish Democratic Experiment: an Assyrian Tragedy August 17, 06 Assyrians Experience Slow Cultural Revival In Southeastern Turkey August 17, 06 Lebanese Bishops Call for Single National Leadership August 16, 06 Lebanese Cardinal Concerned About Christian Exodus August 16, 06 In Turkey non Muslims are listed as Foreigners August 14, 06 Murdered Assyrians in Iraq in August August 14, 06 Why Can't A Christian Be More Like A Muslim? Revisited August 13, 06 Peter W. Galbraith's 'The End of Iraq' August 12, 06 Babylon the Great lives August 12, 06 We Don't Want a Proxy War in Lebanon:' Cardinal Sfeir August 10, 06 Go-ahead for dam that will drown history August 9, 06 750,000 Christians Caught in Middle East Crossfire August 8, 06 Arabist Indoctrination At Middlebury College August 8, 06 Middle-Eastern conference: from worship to ‘reunion’ August 8, 06 Hezbollah Uses Christian Villages As Shields in Missile Attacks August 7, 06 Family Pays Ransom in Iraqi Kidnapping August 7, 06 Johanns meets with Iraqi leaders to help rebuild agriculture August 6, 06 Half of all Christians have fled Iraq since 2003, says Baghdad bishop August 4, 06 Christian Persecution Groups Express Concerns for Mideast Believers August 3, 06 Assyrians and Australians will honour Captain Savige for his world war one help August 3, 06 Nuri Kino Wins Swedish Award of: good role model for the youth Aug 1, 06   Archives June, July 06 March April May 06 January- February 06