Aid to the Church in Need: Iraq Archbishop’s message for Obama as crisis for Christians deepens

Iraq Archbishop’s message for Obama as crisis for Christians deepens

Posted by Press Release on 12/11/2008, 11:50 am
Message modified by board administrator 12/11/2008, 11:55 am

ACN News, Wednesday, 12th November 2008 – IRAQ

Obama, let our voice be heard!

Iraq Archbishop’s message for President-elect as crisis for Christians deepens

By John Pontifex

PROTECTING the rights of minority groups in Iraq should be a priority for U.S. President-elect Barack Obama according to a bishop speaking after yet another setback for Christians struggling for a stake in their country’s future.

Reflecting on the Democrat candidate’s victory at the polls last week, Archbishop Jean Sleiman of Baghdad spelled out concerns that the rights of Christians and other minority religious groups were being increasingly swept aside in a power-struggle between leading politicians.

The Lebanese Carmelite’s comments come after more allegations of political involvement in last month’s attacks on Christians in Mosul and the Iraqi parliament’s announcement of a massive reduction in seats for minority groups in upcoming provincial elections.

Speaking from Baghdad in an interview with Aid to the Church in Need, the charity for oppressed and poverty-stricken Christians, Archbishop Sleiman said: “It is very important that the U.S. should help protect minority rights in Iraq.

“Pressure needs to be put on government in Iraq to respect the needs not only of Christians but all minorities.”

“I hope that the U.S. will encourage Iraq to improve and become a country where the rule of law is upheld, where there is equality and where human rights are at the heart of constitution.”

The bishop spoke of how Christians were in desperate need of increased security in Mosul where 1,500 or more have put their fears to one side and returned, after weeks spent in displacement camps and other temporary accommodation.

It represents a tiny proportion of the 15,000 or more who fled the ancient city last month after a surge of violence and intimidation.

Archbishop Sleiman went on to highlight concerns that Christians had been exploited by some leading political groups, which are alleged to have colluded in the campaign to flush out the faithful from Mosul.

The archbishop said: “The political parties here are not concerned about the rights of minorities. They think more about their own tactics and strategies.”

His comments mirror a joint statement made late last month by Iraqi bishops in which they state that the “tragic events in Mosul” were “part of a political plan” aimed at the “division and fragmentation of the country”.

Archbishop Sleiman’s remarks follow last Monday’s (3rd November) decision by Iraq’s parliament to allocate just six seats to minority groups in the upcoming provincial elections due to be held on January 31, 2009.

Just three of these seats are set aside for Christians, a fraction of the total which number more than 400.

The figure for minority groups is down from 15 as originally set out in Article 50, which was dropped from a new electoral law approved by parliament in September.

The archbishop went on to say that in Iraq few people – including Christians – expected significant change under Mr Obama.

He said: “I do not detect a real enthusiasm for Obama. People here think that a change in president will not bring about a change in strategy – maybe in style.”

“One Arabic online newspaper ran an article with a headline – ‘Bush was not a savage and Obama will not be an angel.’ I think this means the journal believes Bush was not as bad as some say and Obama will not be as good as people think.”

Archbishop Sleiman added: “People don’t know quite what to think of Obama. His charismatic figure and his victory impressed everybody. But most people will be watching and waiting to see how the situation develops.”

Editor’s Notes:

Directly under the Holy See, Aid to the Church in Need supports the faithful wherever they are persecuted, oppressed or in pastoral need. ACN is a Catholic charity – helping to bring Christ to the world through prayer, information and action.

Founded in 1947 by Fr Werenfried van Straaten, whom Pope John Paul II named “An Outstanding Apostle of Charity”, the organisation is now at work in about 145 countries throughout the world.

The charity undertakes thousands of projects every year including providing transport for clergy and lay Church workers, construction of church buildings, funding for priests and nuns and help to train seminarians. Since the initiative’s launch in 1979, 45 million Aid to the Church in Need Child’s Bibles have been distributed worldwide.

For more information, please contact the Sydney office of ACN on (02) 9679-1929. e-mail: info@aidtochurch.org or write to Aid to the Church in Need PO Box 6245 Blacktown DC NSW 2148. Web: www.aidtochurch.org

(Picture shows Archbishop Sleiman in a recent meeting with Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O’Connor)

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