A disturbing trend is growing in several Muslim countries where unrest and sectarian strife have taken hold. One of the countries in question is Iraq, where Christians are often persecuted and threatened for their religious affiliation.
Once a flourishing community of Christians in Baghdad has all but disappeared after sectarian violence erupted following the Iraq occupation by the United States and the subsequent withdrawal of US troops.
The community in Baghdad had been a permanent fixture of the capital for more than 2,000 years. Indeed, some of the 'swamp' people in Iraq are believed to be ancient migrants who hailed from the area that now borders with Israel and Jordan.
That however, might not longer be a reality in the near future. Christians are fearful and are desperate to leave the city. Even the elders of the community are seeking refuge elsewhere.
Most of the community Christians are known as Chaldeans. The highest representative of the church will meet with Pope Francis this month to urge better understanding and protection of the dwindling Christian presence in Iraq.
The church Patriarch is trying to keep his faithful in Iraq, but most of them are making plans to exit the dangerous place. Although they are not directly persecuted by the government, the constant bombings and violence has made their part of the city unlivable, especially since Al Qaeda groups do try to kill them or to destroy their place of worship.
Hard as it is to believe there were more than 1,000,000 Christians in Iraq before the US invasion. Less than half that are still living there now. Most of them lived in Baghdad. In Dura, a smaller city, the priest now counts only 2,000 of what once was a 150,000 strong community.
Christians in Iraq are divided in three branches: Assyrian, Chaldean and Syriac.
The exodus from Iraq began in 2010 when Al Qaeda militants killed 44 worshippers and 2 priests in Baghdad. Since then, 61 churches have been singled out or destroyed. More than 1,000 Christians have been killed in the violence.
Sad as it is to say, most Christians talk of the days of Saddam Hussein's reign as peaceful ones for them. It was only after the invasion that they were singled out. Al Qaeda has always tried to oust anyone who is not of Muslim religion from lands they operate in, and the West facilitates their campaign of terror by granting preferential visas to Iraqi Christians or Christians from countries where they are persecuted. But by so doing, the US is exacerbating the flight of Christians in areas where their presence had been part and parcel of the land they lived in.
Op-Ed
Partial Souce: France 24/ 11.20.13
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