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Christian Watchdog Groups Say Iraqi Christians 'Endangered,' Fear Mass Exodus Lillian Kwon February 2, 2006 Iraqi Christians are becoming extremely vulnerable, say Christian groups that have cited increased marginalization of the religious minority after Sunday's The World Evangelical Alliance Religious Liberty Commission requested specific prayers for the Christians of Iraq as the threat level rises against the already dwindling population. In a weekly Religious Liberty Prayer bulletin released on Tuesday, the commission dubbed the Christians as being "endangered" in an Islamic society with increasing sectarian tensions. "As people, groups and whole communities start to identify by religious affiliation rather than their common Iraqi nationality, the Christian minority find themselves increasingly despised, marginalized and exposed," the commission wrote. Sunday's explosions occurred outside five Iraqi churches, killing a 13-year-old Christian on his way to mass and a Muslim couple living near a targeted church in Kirkuk. Evangelical congregations in Baghdad, where four of the car bombings were synchronized, cancelled services that night. One priest from the Assyrian Church of the East said the attacks were clearly coordinated and planned, according to the Open Doors ministry. Many view them as a direct strike on the Christian minority, linking the attacks back to an anger that was ignited months past among Muslims. Last September, the conservative Danish daily Jyllands-Posten sparked controversy when it published 12 cartoons of the Prophet Mohammed. The caricatures, which included Mohammed wearing a time-bomb shaped turban, caused boycotts of products and widespread Muslim condemnation of the Danish government's stance. Religious and political leaders throughout the Arab world made public statements denouncing the cartoons. The cartoons were reprinted Jan. 10 in a Norwegian Christian publication Magazinet, inflaming past anger and protest from the pulpit in a Muslim outcry. The reappearance was said to be a gesture of solidarity with the Danish newspaper, according to Agence France Presse, with both publications calling the whole affair an attack on freedom of expression. Fr. Louis Sako, Chaldean Archbishop of Kirkuk, said at a bombed victim's funeral service Monday that the church had nothing to do with the cartoons and that they represented the views of one individual. In addition, in a statement released after Sunday's bombings, Iraq's Muslim Ulema Council declared that the attacks were "not the way to deal with the newspaper that has offended the prophet Mohammad," according to the WEA RLC. The German Society for Endangered Peoples, meanwhile, feared the attacks could lead to a mass emigration of Iraqi Christians, with many fleeing to northern Iraq, or the country altogether. Open Doors released a statement also expressing concern over an exodus of Christians from the country. "These attacks could also lead to a renewed effort by Iraqi Christians to leave the country altogether," said Open Doors personnel working in the region. "Iraqi Christians are extremely vulnerable," stated the WEA RLC. "They are endangered, without equality before the (Islamic) law, having no clan networks and retaliation ideology, and lacking security in a lawless Islamic society." The commission calls believers to pray for the protection of the Iraqi Christians, their spiritual unity, and their growth in wisdom, faith and prayer for the Holy Spirit to descend upon their nation.     Lillian Kwon ----

Who are the Christians of Iraq?  February = Eshvadt Christian Watchdog Groups Say Iraqi Christians 'Endangered,' Fear Mass Exodus Feb. 2. 06 Iraq Christians Urge Westerner to Refrain from Inflaming the Situation. Feb. 2, 06 Legislation by the US seeks to limit NGOs in Iraq  Feb. 2, 06 January = Canoon Kharaya  Iraq's Simultaneous bomb attacks killed 3 Christians Jan. 31, 06 British House of Commons Holds Hearing on Assyrian Genocide Jan. 31, 06 IRAQ: Sectarian tensions on the rise Jan. 31, 06 The World's Silence over Terrorizing Christians in Iraq Jan. 30, 06 Explosions target Christian churches in Iraq Jan. 30, 06 US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice Comments about Iraq Jan. 28, 06 Insurgents Driven From Tal Afar in Northern Iraq: US Commander Jan. 27, 06 Saga of Assyrians in Iran comes to life in works by Turlock artist Jan.27, 06 Azerbaijani Soldiers Desecrate Armenian Christian Cemetery Jan. 25, 06 Iraq's WMD Secreted in Syria, Says Former Iraqi General Jan. 25. 06 The Armenians appreciate the Assyrian efforts for Seyfo's recognition. Jan. 25, 06  Cash meant for Iraqis 'misused' Jan. 25, 06 Explosion Rocks Baghdad's Assyrian District Jan. 25, 06 UC Berkeley Course "Assyrians, the Forgotten Ones" Jan. 25, 06 Moslem Protesters set Fire to a Christian House of Worship in Egypt Jan. 24, 06 Seyfo: Report of Conference at the House of Commons about the Armenian and Assyrian Genocide Jan. 24, 06 BRITISH FILM PREMIERE. DOCUMENTARY ON ARMENIAN AND ASSYRIANS GENOCIDES, 1915 Jan. 23, 06 Kidnapping of the Assyrians in Iraq continues Jan. 23, 05 Praying in Jesus' Own Language Jan. 23, 06 Renowned Assyrian Scholar Erica Reiner Jan. 22, 06 How does Iran effect Assyrians in Turlock California? Jan. 21, 06 The Seyfo Seminar at the House of Commons Jan. 21, 06 ADO: An Apolitical Petty Bourgeois Organisation or a Mature Political Leadership? Jan. 21, 06 Ammo Baba: tied, eye-folded, beaten, and then robbed Jan. 20, 06 The Final Iraq's Election's Results! Jan. 20, 06 Tomb raiders Jan. 18, 06 The Assyrian Republican mayor , Man on the move  Jan. 18, 06 Donations For Allan Enwiyah Jan. 18, 06 Exhibition by the Assyrian artist Hannibal Alkhas Jan. 17, 06 Politics & Policies: Deconstructing Iraq Jan. 16, 06 Poly Sci Course on Assyrians Offered at UC, Berkeley Jan. 15, 06 Kurds focus on corruption in Kurdistan administration  Jan. 13, 06 Ecumenism and the Eucharist Jan. 13, 06 An Assyrian Coach of the Canadian Beaver Bruins hockey team Jan.12, 06 Turkey's massacre of the Assyrians and the Armenians Jan. 11, 06 New Iraqi Constitution May Limit Women's Freedoms Jan. 10, 06 The Boomerang Effect in Iraq: If 'Kurdistan', Why Not Assyria? Jan. 10, 06 Bishop's Report From the Assyrians of Iraq Jan. 9, 06 woman journalist abducted in Iraq, interpreter, killed jan. 9, 06 PanGlobal TV adds AssyriaSat to channel lineup Jan. 9, 06 Bishop Worrys About the future of the Christians in Iraq Jan. 7, 06 Major Terror Plot Against US Ignored By US Media Jan. 6, 06 Jan. 6, 06 U.S. troops deliver gifts to Iraq - 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