Iraqi Government Issues Statement concerning the Persecution of Assyrians in Baghdad

May 22, 07

(AINA) -- The Iraqi government issued the following statement on the situation of the Christian Assyrian (also known as Chaldean and Syriac) community in Dora (AINA 5-21-2007, 5-18-2007, 5-18-2007), which has come under attack from Muslim extremists in the past 30 days.

May 22, 2007

The official spokesman of the Iraqi government declared the following:

The Iraqi Cabinet addressed the issue of threats and expulsions of Christian families in Baghdad by terrorist groups. The Cabinet expressed its full support to provide all necessary assistance needed to protect them, and provide any assistance to face this threat that is rejected by our orthodox Islamic religion and the forgiving Iraqi society, between all of its components -- especially the relationship with our Christians brothers

Web master's comment: Issuing a statement without helping to solve the problem is an exercise in futility. Unless the Government of Iraq is willing to provide police protection in the Christian neighborhoods such statements will not stop the persecutions. Even then some Muslim Police and the Army patrols seem to harbor haltered toward the Christians. The following quote in a recent article by the Christian Science Monitor reveals such tendencies.

"A few days ago, the parents of a friend filled a
pickup with what they could and left Dora," he says.
"They were stopped by an Iraqi Army patrol [that] insulted them. One of the insults [was] that 'you
Christians are dirty and you don't deserve to live.'
Then they took some of their stuff" before allowing
the family to move on.
"Now," Youash, says, "they are out of Baghdad."

Note: Islamic radicals often consider non-Muslims 'Najes' or unclean because of their relgion even though they
practice better hygine.

The Arabic text of the statement follows:

جمهــــــورية العراق النـــاطق الــــــرسمي للحكــــومة العراقيــــة

التاريخ: 22/5/2007

صرّح الناطق الرسمي للحكومة العراقية مايأتي:

ناقش مجلس الوزراء موضوع تهديد وتهجير العوائل المسيحية في بغداد من قبل المجموعات الارهابية وابدى المجلس وقوفه الكامل لتقديم كل الدعم والمساندة اللازمة لحمايتهم وتقديم كل اشكال المساعدة من اجل مواجهة هذا التهديد الذي يرفضه ديننا الاسلامي الحنيف ومجتمعنا العراقي المتسامح بين كل مكوناته وخصوصاً العلاقة مع الاخوة المسيحيين.

Translation by AINA