November 20, 2009
 
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| Iraqi Bishops Ask for Help Protecting their Flock |
| by Deal W. Hudson |
| 7/03/08 |
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The numbers are stark, and the situation is getting worse. Before the U.S. invasion of Iraq, there were 1.2 million Christians living there. Over 400,000 Christians have left the country since the war started. Many others have been kidnapped and killed; some have been crucified; a priest was beheaded, and an archbishop was kidnapped and killed. One Chaldean and one Assyrian Catholic bishop from California presented a plan for protecting the Iraqi Christians who stay in spite of the danger and the ongoing discrimination and persecution. "The Iraqi constitution recognizes liberty of worship rather than freedom of religion," says Bishop Sarhad Jammo of El Cajon, CA.
The bishops told me it was "a make or break moment" for Iraqi Christians, and it is up to the United States -- and particularly to American Christians -- to help find a solution.
My interview with Mar Sarhad Jammo and Mar Bawai Soro took place just after their meeting at the White House with members of the National Security Council. Jammo and Soro want the United States to support the establishment of an "Autonomous Area" in northern Iraq where Iraqi Christians could hold the main governmental positions.
The area they recommend is on the plains of Nineveh, a loaf-shaped area of land between the Mosul province and Kurdistan. There is already a majority of Aramaic-speaking Christians living there, as they have been for thousands of years. Aramaic is the language of Jesus, which has been spoken there up to the present day.
Of the remaining 800,000 Christians, 65 percent are Chaldeans, 25 percent Syriacs, and 10 percent Assyrians. Many Assyrian Christians are not in communion with the Catholic Church, but Bishop Soro, who is Assyrian, recently united with the Chaldean Catholic Diocese in California along with thousands of fellow Assyrians.
Bishop Jammo, whose family originates from the Nineveh plains, sees this plan as the best way to put an end to the bloodshed and persecution and provide equality of rights to the Christian inhabitants, including the rights of religious freedom and cultural expression and activity.
Bishop Soro predicted thousands of Iraqi Christians, who fled Iraq in the last few years, would return if they were not subject to discrimination on a daily basis, especially if they would have full freedom and an autonomous area of their own. "In Iraq right now Christians are second-class citizens." Not only would the creation of this area defend and restore the Christian community, it also would provide a "stabilizing factor" in the entire region.
While the day to day hardships of Iraqi Christians have been little reported, some of the atrocities have received worldwide attention. The kidnapping and crucifixion of Christian children made the headlines, but it was the kidnapping and killing of Archbishop Paulos Faraj Rahho that elicited protests from both Benedict XVI and President Bush.
The day of my interview with the bishops, the New York Times broke the story that the reason for Rahho's kidnapping and execution was his refusal to continue paying protection money to Muslim gangsters. Rahho somehow used his cell phone to call friends telling them not to pay any ransom for his return. His body was found twelve days later.
The bishops think their proposal is getting serious consideration by the Bush administration. They hope that their advocacy will develop into a concrete result. Their proposal is titled "The Christian Initiative for a Successful New Iraq." This autonomous area would be established within the constitutional frame of Iraq, and would not be any kind of entity separate from Iraq, as some have suggested. Nevertheless, it would have a parliament "elected by all the adult Chaldean-Syriac-Assyrian people of the area," as a component of the Iraqi population.
The bishops' initiative faces serious political challenges. A source very familiar with the situation told me that the idea of an autonomous area would have to be approved at many levels, beginning with the local governments who share the Nineveh plain, the Iraqi government including Prime Minister Maliki, various countries including the U.S., and the UN and its Security Council. Further, the proposal of an area under "Christian control" might actually increase anti-Christian tensions even further.
Bishop Jammo and Bishop Soro have heard these objections before, but they are not deterred. "I don't see how the situation can get any worse," said Bishop Jammo. When I asked him if the solution was the implementation of the Iraq Constitution," he replied: "The Chaldean-Syriac-Assyrian People should have constitutional equality with Arabs and Kurds and that equality should include an Autonomous Area."
While Christians in Iraq are being persecuted every day and deprived of their constitutional rights, the United States is bending over backwards to maintain good relations with the Muslim community. In May, Maj. General Jeffrey Hammond held a meeting with Muslim leaders after a soldier used a Koran for target practice.
Gen. Hammond told them, "In the most humble manner, I look in your eyes today and I say, please forgive me and my soldiers."
The proposal the Chaldean and Assyrian bishops offer the United States is simply to ask for the same level of respect for Christians struggling to remain in their Iraqi homeland.
Deal W. Hudson is the director of InsideCatholic.com and the author of Onward, Christian Soldiers: The Growing Political Power of Catholics and Evangelicals in the United States (Simon and Schuster, March 2008). Readers have left 15 comments. War is notorious for shredding plans. When the dogs of war are unleashed the party responsible for unleashing those dogs should think very long and hard about what they are about to do. It is called prudence. This administartion was imprudent. Christians lived and worshipped in relative peace pre-invasion Iraq. Now we see what is happening. This is another unintended consequence of an imprudent war. The Holy Father knows of what he speaks. God forgive us! Written by Miguel Miramon "Christians lived and worshipped in relative peace pre-invasion Iraq." — SomeoneYes, too bad the same can't be said for their Kurdish neighbors. Look, I think the invasion of Iraq was a huge mistake and quite likely failed to meet just war criteria. But human rights and human dignity extend to ALL people, not just Christian ones. Written by Kurds Are People, Too Assyrians are the indigenous people of Iraq, why should others such as Kurds live in our land and occupy it. We the Assyrians are still alive and well. The cradle of civilization is being destroyed today; why does the U.S. not assist the Assyrians, but helps the Kurds who are the occupiers of our Assyrian land. One last thing to mention. Iraq is well know to be the Cradle of civilization; indigenous people of Iraq; I don’t understand how after the fall of Saddam other nations appear such as Chaldean, they are a religion not a nation, they are under the Assyrians; history says that, not me! Please wake up and understand the reality of life and respect that Assyrians are the people that gave to this universe. Written by Ashuraya I would like to point out that the people presenting this plan are American Bishops. Is there aggreement among Catholics and Christians in IRaq on this  Written by jh No, the USCCB is not officially presenting this plan. It comes from the two bishops names in the article. It does have broad support from the Christians in Iraq who see it as the only real solution. Written by Deal Hudson Chaldean Syriac Assyrian is one indiginous nation of Mesopotamia. This nation definitely deserve to be portected and is entitled to fully equal rihgts in the Iraqi constitution. This peaceful nation should have an autonomous region in Iraq. God bless you dear Bishops. Go for it, let the whole world hear about our sufferings. Don't be bothered by sick mentalities that claim Chaldean is religion. There is no such religion in the world nor ever found in history. Written by SK Chaldean Syriac Assyrian is one indiginous nation of Mesopotamia. This nation definitely deserve to be portected and is entitled to fully equal rihgts in the Iraqi constitution. This peaceful nation should have an autonomous region in Iraq. God bless you dear Bishops. Go for it, let the whole world hear about our sufferings. Don't be bothered by sick mentalities that claim Chaldean is religion. There is no such religion in the world nor ever found in history. — SKChaldean and Syriac refer to Religions within the Assyrian nation. The Assyrians are the indigenous people of Iraq and they have many denominations (Chaldean, Syriac, Apostolic). The name Chaldean, in present use, came about during the 1500's when members of the Church of the East (Apostolic) submitted to Papal rule. That is the first use of the name Chaldean as a people in present times. They are, in actuality, Assyrians belonging to the Chaldean Church/rite (Assyrio-Chaldeans, ChaldoAssyrians). If you choose to do some research on the subject you will find this out rather quickly. They are all part of one nation, the Assyrian nation. Written by The "name" Chaldean in present "The name Chaldean, in present use, came about during the 1500's when members of the Church of the East (Apostolic) submitted to Papal rule..." What kind of nation can be created by a Papal rule? Please, be fair! Chaldeans are mentioned in tablets centuries B.C and in books written centuries A.D. It's been a continuous history, identity and nation. Why would the Pope create a nation all of the sudden in 1500's? Please, be realistic in your argument. It is true we are all brothers and one nation. Let's pass this unreasonalbe argumentation and let's move forword toward our goal. We need an autonomous area. Back up your Bishops. They are working to achieve our goal regardless of any name problem. With Love, SK Written by SK "The name Chaldean, in present use, came about during the 1500's when members of the Church of the East (Apostolic) submitted to Papal rule..." — SKWhat kind of nation can be created by a Papal rule? Please, be fair! Chaldeans are mentioned in tablets centuries B.C and in books written centuries A.D. It's been a continuous history, identity and nation. Why would the Pope create a nation all of the sudden in 1500's? Please, be realistic in your argument. I gather that you are referring to the Chaldeans of Ur during biblical times. Just to clarify, any individual familiar with history would be aware that the so-called 'Chaldeans' of modern times are in no way related biologically or ethnically to the Chaldeans of Ur who historically resided in Southern Iraq. All of the so-called 'Chaldeans' of today come from and currently reside in Northern Iraq. If indeed they originated from the Chaldeans of Ur I don't see how this biblical people managed to change their place of residence and where all their religious and cultural history is to Northern Iraq without anybody noticing. To insinuate that the modern day 'Chaldeans' have any direct racial link to the biblical ones is absurd. The 'Chaldeans' of today shared the same culture, land and religion (Nestorian) for some 2000 years. The Assyrians who joined the Roman Catholic Church and came under Papal jurisdiction were given the name ‘Chaldean’ to distinguish them from their fellow Assyrians who confessed the Nestorian faith. Simple. Written by Assyrian01 The Christian community in Iraq is probably the oldest in the world. It has survived much through the centuries. It would be a great shame for our country, if after having survived so much, it could not survive our inept, ill-timed intervention. There is a reason why war should be used as a last restort, and that reasons is called "unintended consequences" Written by Adriana [I gather that you are referring to the Chaldeans of Ur during biblical times. Just to clarify, any individual familiar with history would be aware that the so-called 'Chaldeans' of modern times are in no way related biologically or ethnically to the Chaldeans of Ur who historically resided in Southern Iraq. All of the so-called 'Chaldeans' of today come from and currently reside in Northern Iraq. If indeed they originated from the Chaldeans of Ur I don't see how this biblical people managed to change their place of residence and where all their religious and cultural history is to Northern Iraq without anybody noticing. — Assyrian01Dear Assyrian01, I noticed the move and so did many others. As I dust off the old teachings, I seem to recall that the Chaldean, Abram (later Abraham) and Sarah were from Ur and they moved North with all their people. Isn't every indigenous Arab west of Iran's Persians, a Semite, that is, descended from Noah's son, Shem? I really don't know much more than that on Assyrian ethnicity or genetics. We didn't cover this much in Western Civ Class. Please pardon my ignorance and feel free to instruct what you know. I really like the thread of this conversation. Written by TKB At the following link you can see the Chaldean Abram's journey to Northern Iraq and eventually on to Israel and Egypt. You can also read about Abram's migration in Genesis 11:27-12:20 http://ancienthistory.about.com It seems that many Chaldeans in Abram's entourage stopped and set up house in northern Iraq 2000 B.C.. Written by TKB It seems this web address is too long. http://tinyurl.com/3389o8 Written by TKB Dear Deal, I looked at the Ninevah plains in my Atlas. It seems that these Christians are the favorite target for bullying, relocation, molestation and murder for centuries, kind of like the American Indians in centuries past. My prayers are with their intentions. Written by TKB Dear Deal, I want to know McCain's and Obama's plans to resolve this atrocity! It's got to be written in stone and not written in the political sand! Written by Teri |
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