Bagdad's Christians Threatened by Criminals

Church Under Guard

(Baghdad) In the past two weeks four Chaldean Christians have been kidnapped in the Iraqi capital. Two of them were murdered, despite the payment of a ransom. The  Chaldean Patriarchate united with Rome  laments that the security situation of Christians has worsened in the capital Baghdad.

Qais Abd Shaya and Saher Hann Sony were kidnapped and despite the efforts of their families and the Chaldean community to obtain their release, they were murdered.  The perpetrators conceding the demanded ransom, but did not comply with the agreements. "With great pain," complained the Chaldean Patriarchate in a press statement, there is a deteriorating security situation for Christians. Dangers threatening not only by the advancing Islamists. The war, which the Islamic State has (IS) carried into Iraq, leading to a general brutalization.

Kidnapping for ransom of Christians Considered as "Legitimate"

Unscrupulous characters and gangs are active as highwaymen. With the kidnapping and ransom of Christians the gangs and clans build on  old patterns of behavior that had been thought to be overcome.

Fortunately the kidnapping of two Christians Bashar al-Ghanem Akrawi, a doctor, and Saad Galyana Shaba ended, for their families and the Christian community had to raise a ransom. In this case, the perpetrators at least kept the agreements.

The murder of Shaya and Sony also unsettled the Christian community. Therefore, Patriarch Raphael Louis I. Sako of the  Chaldean Catholic Church united with Rome calls for more protection from the state. Christians, "are in all respects citizens of that State. For almost 2000 years, Christians have contributed to the culture and civilization of this country. We therefore appeal to the state authority and the state security forces in Baghdad to send us the protection every citizen of the country deserves.  We appeal that the State shall protect the life of Christians, our churches and property of our people."

In Patriarchate it is  held  that  Christians with Muslims on the one hand, are just as liable to be common criminals. Upon investigation  it is confirmed that the latter are invariably Muslims. The kidnapping of Christians and the ransom to fund-raising is considered as "legitimate".

Text: Asianews / Giuseppe Nardi
Image: Asianews

Trans: Tancred vekron99@hotmail.com 

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