Iraqi Christians have been targeted by terrorists who do not adhere
to the “tolerant essence of the Islamic faith,” Habeeb Mohammed Hadi Ali
Al-Sadr, Iraq’s ambassador to the Holy See, said at a recent address at
the Vatican.
In his talk the Iraqi ambassador criticized the Western media for
emphasizing the dangers facing Christians in Iraq-- thus taking a stand
directly opposite that of Iraqi bishops, who have criticized the West
for ignoring Christian suffering. Al-Sadr suggested that terrorists who
target Christians have done so deliberately in order to damage Iraq's
public image.
“The enemies of today's Iraq are the associations of Saddam infidels
who, after the capitulation of the regime, took advantage of the vacuum
of power created as a consequence of the American decision to dissolve
all the structures of the security services,” he said.
“The terrorists
have understood that the blood of Iraqi Muslims, which they have shed
like rivers, is not so interesting in the eyes of the Western media.”
The regime of Saddam Hussein fell in 2003 after US troops invaded; since
that time, 400,000 of Iraq ’s 800,000 Christians have fled the nation,
Iraqi Archbishop Athanase Matoka told the Synod of Bishops in October.
Al-Sadr said that terrorists have "attained their evil objective,” by
giving the world, and even the Christians of Iraq, the impression that
religious minorities face a grim future under the new regime.
“Without
realizing it, the media and international organizations have fallen into
this mechanism, playing the game of the terrorists, being concerned
about the Christians, their future and the society's lack of
development," he said.
"The consequence has been the abandonment by
Christians of their homes and emigration.”
The ambassador insisted that the terrorists who prey on Christians do not reflect the true nature of Iraq today:
Individual [terrorist] actions don't necessarily indicate that there is an Iraqi plot geared to the persecution of Christians, to the elimination of their existence, destroying their cultural patrimony as some think. In fact, these individual actions don't reflect the profound and secular coexistence between Christians and Muslims, as they do not express either the tolerant essence of the Islamic faith which calls for dialogue, respect of pluralism, rejection of violence, even considering it outside the way of Islam, as is written: "to kill a soul for no reason is to kill the whole of humanity."
The Iraqi ambassador issued a call for his country's Christians to
resist the pressures of fear and intimidation.
“It is hoped that
Christians will take steps to abandon fear and their present closure,”
the ambassador concluded.
“It is also hoped that, persevering with
patience in the communion of sacrifices with their fellow citizens, they
will reject the idea of emigrating, thus making the plan fail to empty
the country of Christians … my people can only breathe their identity
with two lungs, Muslim and Christian. An Iraq without Christians is an
Iraq without identity and symbols.”
The ambassador's claim that the Islamic terrorists now targeting
Christians in Iraq are allies of the late Saddam Hussein is suspect,
since the deposed dictator was not warmly disposed toward religious
zealots.
And his repeated hints that the threats to Christians have been
exaggerated will not sit well with the Iraqi Christians who have
witnessed a series of targeted bombings and execution-style killings.
However, Al-Sadr did offer some official reassurance, reporting that the
Iraqi government has established a new office to coordinate security
for the religious minority, and promised new efforts at protection as
well as reconstruction of ruined churches.
He offered a promise:
This calms us in regard to the future of Christians in Iraq, which will be promising and prosperous in the light of the notable improvements that there will be in the country at the level of security and the economy which is already constantly improving.