Gorilla’s Guides

Passionless celebrations connect Iraqi Christians on Easter

Um Ram (mother of Ram) returned home after taking part in the church’s rituals of Easter with no outward signs of celebration. The woman, 52, said manifestations of the feast no longer exist. “We found it enough to go to the church in a tense atmosphere of fear and worry that something bad may occur. What should I celebrate?” Um Ram wondered, pointing to the pictures that lined the walls of her reception room.

“My son immigrated to Europe two months ago to follow his sister, who immigrated one year earlier and prepared everything for his immigration. I am the only one left in this house, along with my other daughter, who preferred to travel to the north to celebrate Easter with relatives and friends,” the lonely mother added.

“This year Easter coincides with the anniversary of the former regime’s collapse, which makes us worry about the possibility that violent acts may occur, God forbid!” she added.

“Less than 10 years ago our house was full of happiness, joy and visitors. Manifestations of celebration were easily seen from our doorstep… Being the eldest sister, my siblings treated me as their mother, may she rest in peace. My younger brother, his family and my sister would meet in our house. Now my house is almost empty,” the mother recounted.

Um Ram’s situation is no different from that of most Christians living in Baghdad and in central and southern areas, whose celebration of feasts stopped following April 9, 2003. Many Christians and churches were targeted in militant attacks in 2004 and 2005, and later threatened in the aftermath of the publication of the offensive cartoons of the Prophet Muhammad and Pope Benedict XVI’s controversial statements, which added fuel to the fire.

According to the United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI), minorities in Iraq are increasingly targeted and are subject to severe restrictions that hinder their ability to freely express their religion and religious affiliation. Following the statements made by Pope Benedict XVI, a new wave of violence unleashed against Christian gatherings and was followed by threats from armed groups to kill all Christians. “As a result of fear, many churches have canceled their religious ceremonies and their congregations are few in number,” the UNAMI said.

The church expressed its obvious concern over the diminishing number of Christians in Iraq, the cradle of Christianity and the headquarters of the Apostolic Eastern Church.

“If the situation remains unchanged we will close our churches in four years. Our presence is dependent on the presence of our congregation. Why would we stay when there is no congregation?” the Rev. Azraba Benjamin, the pastor of the ancient Eastern Virgin Mary Church, wondered.

Andreas Abuna, the Auxiliary Bishop to the Chaldean Patriarch of Iraq, believes that the immigration of Christians is part of the wider immigration of Iraqis. “Immigration exists in all sectors of Iraqi society. Security influences us all alike. However our churches are still open and we hold prayers. We have no option but to pray to God for peace and stability in our country,” he said.

Source English Language: Iraq-Easter (Feature) (English) Aswat al Iraq byline Santa Michael The Arabic language original can be found here — Saba

The Italian news agency AKI have a feature article on the plight of my Christian fellow-countrymen also. Allowing for the fact that it is a politician being interviewd it gives a good recounting of the plight of many Iraki Christians:

IRAQ: MIXED EASTER FOR CHRISTIANS

The parliament in Iraq’s autonomous region of Kurdistan has for the first time proclaimed three days of official holidays for the Christian Easter celebrations. In an interview with Adnkronos International (AKI) Romeo Hakkari, secretary general of the Democratic Party of the House of the Two Rivers - a Chaldean-Assyrian-Syriac Christian party active in northern Iraq and in Kurdistan - said he was thrilled. “It will be an occasion for Christians to visit their families” he said. Christians in the capital however are celebrating without outward display, for fear of attacks, and many churches have been closed.

As a politician, Hakkari said he was convinced that “there is a well prepared plan to force Christians out of Baghdad, Basra, Mosul, Kirkuk and from other cities where the insurgents are operating.”

He recalled the “attacks on churches, the restrictions imposed on Christians, the kidnapping of young girls, or their murder because they did not wear the veil.”

The situation in the Kurdistan autonomous region, Hakkari said, is “completely different” and Christians are “safe in going about their lives normally.”

“In Kurdistan our conditions are secure and we enjoy significant support from the Kurdish leadership. We do not face religious discrimination but we have requests as a religious community that we would like to see enshrined in the Kurdish constitution” Hakkari said.
Hakkari was optimistic that this could be achieved. “The Kurdish people who have suffered under racist regimes in the past will not oppress another people.”

He criticised the new Iraqi constitution saying that it did not guarantee their rights sufficiently and “oppressed us more that Saddam Hussein did.” He pointed out that “a grave error was made in the Iraqi constitution in that our people were divided into ‘Chaldeans and Assyrians’ while we represent a single Chaldean-Assyrian-Syriac people. This denomination represents the guarantee of our unity as a distinct national community” he added.

The vicar of the Chaldean patriarch in Iraq, Shilimon Warduni, told Adnkronos International (AKI) that “Christians in Iraq are in principle free to carry out their religious rights but they are living in an anomalous situation because of the escalation of violence and the lack of security.”

“This means the celebrations must be squeezed into the morning and afternoon - not the evenings as is tradition - because of the curfew, ” Warduni added, pointing out though that this is a problem shared by their Muslim brothers.

Many Christians started leaving Iraq in the 1990s when sanctions were imposed on the country. After the US invasion and the fall of Saddam that continued, Christians left for Syria, Jordan and Turkey as the country hurtled towards civil war.

The number of Christians who have remained in Iraq is unclear. The last Iraqi census in 1987 counted 1.4 million Christians - the current estimated are between 500,000 and 800,000.

Source: AKI: IRAQ: MIXED EASTER FOR CHRISTIANS

Peace to all our Iraki brothers and sisters who are followers of the Prophet Jesus (PBUH). This hell brought to us all by the invaders too will pass

Um Thalit