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Ongoing Hidden Persecution of Christians In Iraq 31 January, 2006 IRAQ Bombs, but also hidden persecution to drive Christians out of Iraq Members of the local Chaldean Church speak to AsiaNews about the possible motives behind Sunday's attacks in Kirkuk and Baghdad and tell of the daily threats against their community. Mosul (AsiaNews) ­ There is a "hidden reality of persecution" against Iraq's Christians, including daily threats, kidnappings, discrimination and at its worst bomb attacks, such as last Sunday's series of car bombings against Christian places of worship in Kirkuk and Baghdad. The aim: to feed internal divisions and the ongoing political instability, but also to "drive the Christian community out of Iraq". This is how the local Chaldean Church explains the January 29th attacks to AsiaNews which revoke "the nightmare of violence of 2004" for Iraq's Christians, when explosions against 4 churches in Baghdad and 3 in Mosul left 12 people dead and dozens injured. Sunday's death toll was 3 dead, one catholic and two Muslims, with 9 injured. Responsibility for the blasts has yet to be claimed. Among the local population the theory is that the bombings were in answer to the deeply contested caricatures of Mohammad published by a Danish newspaper. But according to Msgr. Rabban Al Qas, Chaldean bishop of Amadiyah and Erbil (Kurdistan), there are very different motives behind the violence. "It was a well studied plan e ­ he declares ­ perhaps from weeks before, car bombs are not built in a matter of days". The prelate hypothesizes that behind this most recent violence there are "forces intent on destabilising the and dividing the country". "Moreover ­ he adds ­ the continuing attempt by Arab fanatic's to push the Christians out of Iraq". The bishop relays that in a meeting held on January 28th last between prelates from the Orthodox, Syrian rite Catholic and Chaldean churches in the northern diocese, the urgency of "the general situation for danger facing the community" was highlighted. The persecution of Christians does not only manifest itself in strong and symbolic actions but also in the constant discrimination that they face in their daily lives. AsiaNews gathered just some evidence of this from the community of Mosul. After the December 15th legislative elections there was hope of an improvement, "but so far nothing has changed" says a young man, active in parish life of Holy Spirit Church in Mosul. "In our parish Christians are still kidnapped, we have to pay heavy ransoms so, many choose to leave" . In Mosul local Christians tell that "in the work place, in public administration we are considered second class citizens : to get a document, for example it takes us far longer than it would a Muslim". "Categorically" leaving aside the possibility that a future Iraqi government could drift towards fundamentalism, some local seminarians tell us that Christians are "more or less used to being discriminated against". "On the streets, in the city, they always throw the same accusations at us: 'infidels of the cross'. Even with Muslims with whom we are on good terms we always feel the weight of this condemnation". A Chaldean priest says that after Sunday's bombings "the security outside churches has been increased and we keep saying to people to keep their eyes open. No one wants to relive the nightmare of 2004". Msgr Al Qas declares that the Nuncio and Chaldean Patriarch Emmanuel III Delly has appealed for people to "live in prudence". An average 850 people took part in last Sunday's mass in Holy Spirit in Mosul. "Everyone seemed calm and content ­ says the parish priest ­ but I don't know how many will turn up next Sunday". "I hope the faithful will not be scared ­ he concludes ­ we have to rebuild our community". (MA)   ----

Who are the Christians of Iraq?  February = Eshvadt Ongoing Hidden Persecution of Christians In Iraq  Feb 5, 06 Protests Over Muhammad Drawings Intensify Feb. 3, 06  PRESENTATION OF AN ACADEMIC TEXTBOOK "CLASSICAL ASSYRIAN LANGUAGE" IN YEREVAN Feb. 3, 06 Iraq Christians on Edge As Cartoon Row Escalates Feb. 3, 06 Enough Is Enough - Six Assyrian Christian Churches Bombed in Iraq! Feb. 2, 06 Proposal for an Assyrian Regional Government Basic Law Feb. 2, 06 Ghetto-blaster: Cantons for Assyrians and Yazidis along with the Turkomans Feb. 2, 06  Christian Watchdog Groups Say Iraqi Christians 'Endangered,' Fear Mass Exodus Feb. 2. 06 Iraq Christians Urge Westerners to Refrain from Inflaming the Situation. Feb. 2, 06 Legislation seeks to limit NGOs in Iraq  Feb. 2, 06 January = Canoon Kharaya  Iraq's Simultaneous bomb attacks killed 3 Christians Jan. 31, 06 British House of Commons Holds Hearing on Assyrian Genocide Jan. 31, 06 IRAQ: Sectarian tensions on the rise Jan. 31, 06 The World's Silence over Terrorizing Christians in Iraq Jan. 30, 06 Explosions target Christian churches in Iraq Jan. 30, 06 US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice Comments about Iraq Jan. 28, 06 Insurgents Driven From Tal Afar in Northern Iraq: US Commander Jan. 27, 06 Saga of Assyrians in Iran comes to life in works by Turlock artist Jan.27, 06 Azerbaijani Soldiers Desecrate Armenian Christian Cemetery Jan. 25, 06 Iraq's WMD Secreted in Syria, Says Former Iraqi General Jan. 25. 06 The Armenians appreciate the Assyrian efforts for Seyfo's recognition. Jan. 25, 06  Cash meant for Iraqis 'misused' Jan. 25, 06 Explosion Rocks Baghdad's Assyrian District Jan. 25, 06 UC Berkeley Course "Assyrians, the Forgotten Ones" Jan. 25, 06 Moslem Protesters set Fire to a Christian House of Worship in Egypt Jan. 24, 06 Seyfo: Report of Conference at the House of Commons about the Armenian and Assyrian Genocide Jan. 24, 06 BRITISH FILM PREMIERE. DOCUMENTARY ON ARMENIAN AND ASSYRIANS GENOCIDES, 1915 Jan. 23, 06 Kidnapping of the Assyrians in Iraq continues Jan. 23, 05 Praying in Jesus' Own Language Jan. 23, 06 Renowned Assyrian Scholar Erica Reiner Jan. 22, 06 How does Iran effect Assyrians in Turlock California? Jan. 21, 06 The Seyfo Seminar at the House of Commons Jan. 21, 06 ADO: An Apolitical Petty Bourgeois Organisation or a Mature Political Leadership? Jan. 21, 06 Ammo Baba: tied, eye-folded, beaten, and then robbed Jan. 20, 06 The Final Iraq's Election's Results! Jan. 20, 06 Tomb raiders Jan. 18, 06 The Assyrian Republican mayor , Man on the move  Jan. 18, 06 Donations For Allan Enwiyah Jan. 18, 06 Exhibition by the Assyrian artist Hannibal Alkhas Jan. 17, 06 Politics & Policies: Deconstructing Iraq Jan. 16, 06 Poly Sci Course on Assyrians Offered at UC, Berkeley Jan. 15, 06 Kurds focus on corruption in Kurdistan administration  Jan. 13, 06 Ecumenism and the Eucharist Jan. 13, 06 An Assyrian Coach of the Canadian Beaver Bruins hockey team Jan.12, 06 Turkey's massacre of the Assyrians and the Armenians Jan. 11, 06 New Iraqi Constitution May Limit Women's Freedoms Jan. 10, 06 The Boomerang Effect in Iraq: If 'Kurdistan', Why Not Assyria? Jan. 10, 06 Bishop's Report From the Assyrians of Iraq Jan. 9, 06 woman journalist abducted in Iraq, interpreter, killed jan. 9, 06 PanGlobal TV adds AssyriaSat to channel lineup Jan. 9, 06 Bishop Worrys About the future of the Christians in Iraq Jan. 7, 06 Major Terror Plot Against US Ignored By US Media Jan. 6, 06 Jan. 6, 06 U.S. troops deliver gifts to Iraq - school supplies Jan. 5, 06 Iraq Election Despair Spreads To Expatriates Jan. 5, 06 Assyriologist, Erica Reiner Dead at 81- 1924-2005 Jan. 4, 06 The Last Assyrians Jan. 3, 06 Egypt Appoints First Christian Governor in Three Decades Jan, 3, 06 If Only Rocks Could Talk!  Jan . 2, 06 Car bombs, fuel riots usher in New Year in Iraq Jan. 1, 06 Errors in Biblical Dating According to Ancient Assyrian records January 1, 06 December = Canoon Gadmaya Many treasures looted from Iraqi museum still lost  Dec. 30, 05 Don't Blame the Hanukkah on the Assyrians  Dec. 30, 05   Revised  Kurds Are Flocking to Kirkuk, Laying Claim to Land and Oil Dec. 29, 05  Iraq's jailed former deputy PM Aziz gets family call for Christmas Dec. 28, 05 Family of Kurdish Historian Accuses Barzani of His Murder Dec. 28, 05 The arrest of Dr Kamal Sayid Qadir emerges as a key test of Kurdish Regional government Dec. 28, 05  Christians trying to find a place in war-torn Iraq  Dec. 28, 05 Hopes for peace in Iraq this Christmas Dece. 26, 05 Assyrians make sure Iraq pays attention Dec. 26, 05 Christmas Celebrations in Turkey Dec. 26, 05 Fearful Christmas in Baghdad Dec. 25, 05  Bullet-riddled body of Iraqi student leader found Dec. 25, 05 Iraqi Government Wishes Christians Merry Christmas Dec. 24, 05 For Iraqi Christians, Christmas represents church, family, fears Dec. 24, 05 Christians celebrate a wary Christmas in Baghdad  Dec. 24, 05   Iraqi Christians Pray and Brace for Election Outcome Dec. 24, 05 Safety fears hang over celebrations in Iraq Dec. 24, 05 Fear overshadows Christmas joy in Baghdad December 23, 05 U of T pharmacology postgraduate student from Woodbridge Came to Canada from Iraq in 1996 Dec.23, 05 Democracy in Iraq or Ethnic cleansing of the Christians? Dec. 21, 05 Sunnis, Secular Shiites Threaten Boycott Dec. 21, 05 Large Assyrian Turnout in Iraq Election Marred By Kurdish Voting Fraud Dec. 21, 05 The Real War On Christmas Dec. 19, 95 Iraq Expats Narrowly Favor Christian Assyrian Slate Dec. 19, 05 Concern expressed for Assyrian Christians in Iraq  Dec. 18, 05 Iraqis Vote in Historic Election toward Freedom, Democracy Dec. 17, 05 Turkmen Complain Kurds Cheated in Elections in Kirkuk Dec. 17, 05 Touch of Assyria in San Jose. Dec. 16, 05 Iraqi Christians flee to Jordan, Syria in response to increased persecution Dec. 16, 05 The Mid-East's beleaguered Christians Dec. 16, 05 Exiled Iraqi Christians Vote With Concern About Their Future Dec. 15, 05 Tension Mounting on Day of Iraqi Elections Dec. 15, 05 Iraqi Americans Cast Their Votes Dec. 14, 05 Information about Voting in Canada Dec. 14, 05 A vote for democracy 12, 14, 05 Iraqi expatriates to vote in elections, hopeful new government can end bloodshed Dec. 13, 05 Iraqi Americans Ponder Role in Homeland's Vote Dec. 12, 05 Iraqi-Americans ready for polls Dec 12, 2005   The Latest information about Iraq's Out-of-Country Voting Dec. 12, 05 Between Iraq and a hard place, Iraqi Christians in Syria Dec. 12, 05 Half a Million Iraqi Assyrians (including Chaldeans and Syriacs) have taken refuge in Syria Dec. 11, 05 Assyrian Claims Discussed in Australian Parliament Dec. 11, 05 Iraqis here get voice in Baghdad's future Dec. 11, 05 Official Information about Iraq's out of the country voting Dec. 10, 05 Iraq's Voting in Canada Dec. 10, 05 Iraqi community to cast votes at fairgrounds in Pleasanton Dec. 9, 05 Fostering creativity in dangerous times Dec. 8, 05 Meet Miss World Canada 2005, Ramona Amiri Dec. 8. 05 IRAQ: KURDISH PRESIDENT OFFERS REFUGE TO CHRISTIANS  Dec. 8, 05 Iraq Establishes 8 Polling Centers in the U.S. 12, 8, 05 News From Iraq Dec. 8, 05 740 Stained with the blood of our Martyrs Dec. 6, 05 Kurdistan Democratic Party Stops Assyrian Group From Campaigning Dec. 6, 05 Campaign activity, insurgent violence rise in Iraq  Dec. 5, 05 Myths About the Situation in Iraq Dec. 5, 05 Competition for the best design of the Ancient Assyrian Costumes Dec. 3, 05 List of "Reported" Assyrians murdered in Iraq in 2005. Dec. 3, 05 Dylan's quest: Six-year-old needs blood matches Dec. 3, 05 Shades of voter apathy Dec, 2, 05 Holywood Tapestries Featuring Semiramis is on Auction  Dec. 2, 05 Iraq's Oily Referendum Dec. 1, 05 Iraqi Parliamentary Elections In California Dec. 1, 05    Archives