About 50,000 Syrian Christians have asked for Russian
citizenship, fearing "banishment from our land" for "first time since the
Nativity of Christ," the Russian Foreign Ministry said on its website where
it published an appeal by residents of Qalamoun, an area of predominantly
Christian villages, like Maaloula,
which was recently targeted by the al-Qaeda-linked al-Nusra Front.
For the
petitioners, the West is to blame for supporting "terrorists" in their
attacks against Syria. By contrast, the Russian Federation is praised as "a
powerful factor of global peace and stability".
"Since
Syrian law allows dual citizenship, we have decided to seek citizenship of the
Russian Federation if this is possible. Russian citizenship would be an honour
for any Syrian Christian who wished to acquire it," the group said in its
letter to the Russian Foreign Ministry.
"Our appeal
does not mean that we have any mistrust in the Syrian army or government.
However, we are scared of the conspiracy of the West and hateful fanatics who
are waging a brutal war against our country," the letter went on to say.
Classified as a UNESCO
heritage site, Maaloula lies 40 km north of Damascus. The village is famous
throughout the world as one of the symbols of Christianity in the Middle East
and is the only place in the world where Aramaic is still spoken. The village
is considered a symbol of religious coexistence.
"It is for
the first time since the Nativity of Christ that we Christians of Qalamoun
living in the villages of Saidnaya, Maara Saidnaya, Maaloula and Maaroun are
under threat of banishment from our land. We prefer death to exile and life in
refugee camps, and so we will defend our land, honour and faith, and will not
leave the land on which Christ walked," the letter said.
"The
Christians of Qalamoun believe that the purpose of the Western-backed
terrorists is to eliminate our presence in what is our native land, and with
some of the most revolting methods as well, including savage murders of
ordinary people," the letter read.
"We see the
Russian Federation as a powerful factor of global peace and stability. Russia
pursues a firm line in the defence of Syria, its people and its territorial
integrity," the letter added.
The attack by
Islamic extremists in Maaloula has become a symbol of Christian suffering in
the Middle Eastern country.
The Syrian
Observatory for Human Rights, which is connected to the rebels, has confirmed
the presence of al-Qaeda affiliated groups among the fighters that invaded the
town.
During their
attack, the extremists defiled the monasteries of St Thecla and St Sergius, destroying
the crosses on their domes and wrecking their ancient sacred furniture.