We seek to keep you literally "updated" on movement in terms of truth and justice in the Middle East in general with a particular eye on Palestine. The links below will take you to various articles and websites that offer the perspective of leaders in the religious, NGO, and human rights communities. Additionally, Al-Bushra, ever vigilant, provides links to regular reporting as well as opinion pieces by journalists. The dates given here indicate when the link was posted; the most recent posting is at the top. Check the article itself for the date the information was released by the source.
The American
Middle East Christians: The Untold Story of Their Heritage, Their
Aspirations, and Their Survival, 3rd edition
Since the end
of our American Middle East Christians Congress conference in
September 2012, I have been re-writing, re-editing, and adding new
chapters to this book that was first published in 2008 and re-edited
in 2009. This unique book is a collection of articles, biographies,
and the origins of Middle East Christianity. The book is very
helpful as a quick reference to various denominations and cultures
that collectively constitute the Middle East Christians. The book
can be reviewed free on our web site at www.amecc.us or www.middleeastchristian.org. If you are interested
in a hard copy, please email me so I can arrange a book for you. We
are planning to translate this book into Arabic, French, and
Italian.
This book is
like an encyclopedia of information to understand their struggle and
survival. After all, what is the Middle East without Christianity
and the Holy Land without
Christians?
Ramsay F. Dass,
M.D.
President,
American Middle East Christians Congress
Have you read in the newspapers about the
mass exit of Syrian families fleeing or evicted from their homes, villages and
cities? They are looking for a new country to take them in as guests and house
them. Some are Aramaic speakers and hearing “Barokmour Abouna" “Bless
us, Father” in the language of our Lord brings home to me and inspired His
message of love and hope and how close it is to us. That is what we try to live
at Our Lady of Peace Centre (OLOPC).
Starting in November 2012, OLOPC began
to receive brothers and sisters in Christ coming from Hasakah, Lathakia, Aleppo and Damascus in Syria.
Christians and Muslims, and looking for guest homes. They need shelter for
usually a few weeks before being able to move on. Hotels are expensive for
them. Winter is especially difficult in Jordan with the cold and even snow.
We have so far welcomed more than 35 families, each one made up of individuals
with the many problems that come from having to leave one’s home at short
notice. Their needs are not only material and financial but also emotional and
spiritual and they need us to show them God’s love at its fullest.
OLOPC is a bridge bringing
God's mercy to those in need through human means. OLOPC was founded as a home
for people with disabilities, each one also an individual with positive
abilities, talents and gifts. OLOPC is a
school to educate people for life and communion. OLOPC is a Church of brotherhood
and love between communities and faiths. OLOPC is a home open for all and that
is why we are welcoming these guests from Syria.
Blessed John Paul II said "Do not
be afraid. Open wide the doors to Christ.” This message goes out to these Syrian
families, to all the other Syrian refugees, and to ourselves: “Open your heart to God's love; You will find
a mystery of love in his regard.” "Love God, Serve God, everything is in
that" (St. Claire of Assisi).
OLOPC gives thanks and gratitude
to all our friends who have helped us to keep the centre open for our original humanitarian mission to our brothers and
sisters with disabilities as well as now looking after our new friends from the
Syrian families. "Give something, however small, to the one in need. For
it is not small for one who has nothing. Neither is it small for God, if we
have given what we could" (St. Gregory Nazianzen).
Here we seek to show in witness and
communion that WE ARE ONE CATHOLIC APOSTOLIC CHURCH.
Rev. Fr. Imad Twal is director general of Our Lady of Peace Center in Amman, Jordan.
Here is a statement released Wednesday by the Syrian
Orthodox Archbishop of Aleppo, Mar Gregorios Yohanna Ibrahim, regarding
the continuing crisis in Syria.
* * *
The painfully unfolding events in Syria reflec badly on the deterioration in the security situation everywhere.
For us in Aleppo, security issues are steadily going from bad to
worse in all areas, in addition to severe shortages of electricity,
water, fuel and basic food materials such as bread. If or when these
essentials become available, their prices will rise alarmingly beyond
the affordable range for a normal Syrian citizen.
This in addition to the fact that universities, schools, churches,
mosques and most infrastructures have been paralyzed, deserted and lost
function. Such a reduced state has become expected in Aleppo and most
other Syrian cities.
The major and most dangerous phenomenon which has greatly affected
the Christian presence in the city of Aleppo is immigration of
Christians and seeking refuge in safer cities of neighboring countries,
especially Lebanon. Many families have managed to reach Europe,
particularly Sweden, Germany and the Netherlands. With the current
deterioration of security and employment, no one can predict when these
families will ever return back to their homes and what we are
experiencing is a one way exodus!
The emigration of Christians out of Syria is the most important issue
that will affect Christian presence in the Middle East. We
cannot confirm that what appears to be a systematic forced displacement,
which is experienced by Christians in the region for years, is actually
linked to any new geopolitical scheme for the region. Otherwise,
Christians may have become a mere demographic surplus that had to be
dealt with in such a ruthless manner. Palestine was the first to suffer
from immigration of Christians, followed by Iran, then Turkey, Lebanon,
Iraq, and now Syria.
Where can Christians go? Each country has a particular orientation.
For Iraq, the United Nations and some churches have contributed to
absorb the influx of Iraqi immigrants in North America and Europe,
especially Sweden, then Germany, Holland, Austria and Belgium came
second in welcoming Syrian families. However, the USA has imposed visa
clearance on Syrian immigrants.
The Humanitarian Crisis of Christians in Al-THAwRA City:
The Recent development in our Syrian Orthodox Archdiocese of Aleppo,
is that, a few days ago, hundreds of Christian families, who lived for
years in the tranquility Al-THAWRA City on the bank of the Euphrates,
suffered forced displacement under the fear and anxiety from the fierce
fighting in this city. A few families are still trapped there as they
could not leave their homes and manage to survive anywhere else for
economic reasons.We have been informed by the priest in charge of
al-Thawra city , that more than 80 families left the city overnight.
The Syrian Orthodox families have lived in al- Thawra city since its
foundation in the 1960s as a service town for the construction of a
major dam on the Euphrates. The government helped in offering cheap
housing to those families whose members became part of the work force of
the dam. Owing to the low salaries given to employees of the dam and
the lack of employment in other industries of that city, these families
could not develop themselves economically. Depriving those workers and
their families from their livelihood and compelling them to immigrate is
a major dilemma for these families and for the church.
The human crisis in Al-Thawra is heart breaking and causes us great
anxiety and helplessness for two reasons: first, due to the hazardous
situation on the road we cannot reach these destitute families, and due
to battlefield conditions, sniping and kidnapping, it has become very
difficult and dangerous to move within the same city let alone travel
between cities. Adding to that, there are many difficulties in
communication. As a result of the sporadic nature of communication by
telephones, and internet, communication has become a time consuming,
frustrating and futile task. Second: Most of these families are under
great economic pressure because they lost everything they had: their
humble houses, the schools they used to send their children to, the
employment of their bread winner and their livelihood. Now, by no fault
of their own, they have found themselves having to leave their houses
overnight and became destitute, in need of food, clothing, medicine and
shelter. There is a growing anxiety due to lack of security and the
spiraling economic situation in the country which has never had a
welfare system to cushion such calamities. Such burdens have all been
left on the church’s shoulders. These are the escalating predicaments
that we have found ourselves in because of this ruthless and seemingly
endless conflict.
We are advocates of peace, and are working with all sides in order to
keep this heinous war, that has flared uncontrollably in our homeland
Syria, at bay. We cry loudly: "Enough is enough; we are totally
exhausted and cannot continue." Tragic events have relegated us to the
ambiguity of the unknown, we cannot see a glimpse of a solution on the
horizon coming from inside or from outside. Who should we turn our heads
to? Who is going to be instrumental in terminating this mayhem, who is
capable of lifting this conspirator yoke which is strangling us?
We are gratefully indebted to all those who have extended their kind
generous hands to us, enabling us to help and assist our people in their
hours of genuine need and support through our assistance to others. We
appeal to you and hope that everybody, especially believers in God,
will intensify their prayers to stop the war of attrition. We really are
fatigued and all we wish for is to stop the bloodshed that is happening
today in the streets of Syria, bring about security and peace, so that
humanitarian aid can reach the population who is in desperate need for
it all over Syria. Then we too can sincerely co-operate to reconstruct
and restore our country in milieu of security, peace and stability.
Syria used to boast an exemplary co-existence between all religions
and creeds, and we hope to keep this image in mind, and work to
establish and regain that old order and re-usher Syria to its position
among countries of the world where safety and stability is a common
denominator.
Christians in the Syrian town of Aleppo are trying to contact the kidnappers
responsible for the abduction of two priests: Fr. Michel Kayyal of the Armenian
Catholic Church and Fr. Maher Mahfouz of the Greek Orthodox Church. Both were
kidnapped on February 9th by a group of armed rebels patrolling the road that
leads from Aleppo to Damascus. Attempts at contact with the abductors, however,
have failed so far.
In an interview with Fides News Agency, Archbishop Bourtros Marayati, the
Armenian Catholic Archbishop of Aleppo, has said that the kidnappers had
contacted the brother of one of the abductees.
"The so-called kidnappers phoned the brother of one of the two priests and
said only: 'They are with us'," Archbishop Marayati said. "But they did not
explain what is behind the 'we', and have not asked for any demands. On our
behalf, we have limited the area in which they are held hostage, and we are
trying to open a channel of negotiation with the tribal leader of that area. So
far our attempts have not had concrete effects.
"We do not know what the matrix [of the group] of kidnappers is," he
continued, "if we are dealing with rebels, bandits. We wonder why this choice of
kidnapping the two priests was made, among the many passengers of the bus
attacked by the kidnappers. "
Father Kayyal and Father Mahfouz were traveling aboard a public bus, heading
to the Salesian house in Kafrun. Thirty kilometers from Aleppo, the kidnappers
stopped the vehicle, checked the passengers’ documents and only then did they
ask the two priests to get off, taking them away immediately.
Archbishop Marayati did not confirm rumors that the priests are being held
for a ransom of 160,000 euros. The Archbishop of Aleppo told Fides that since
yesterday the area of Aleppo where he resides and the pastoral settlements of
the Armenian Catholic community are at the heart of explosions and armed clashes
between the loyalist army and rebels.
Despite the so-called Arab Spring, Egypt's Christians are still
hoping for safety in their homeland. Last Friday, St. Georgas Coptic
Church in Sarsena was attacked and burned, nearly destroying it.Vatican Radio reported on the incident in Sarsena, some 60 miles southwest of Cairo.
A few parishioners and the pastor were slightly injured, before a
local Muslim family helped them to escape the scene, the Radio
reported.
Father Rafic Greiche, a spokesperson for the Greek Melkite Church in
Egypt, told Vatican Radio that attacks against Christians in Egypt have
become all too frequent – about one per week – since the country's 2012
revolution. He explained the fear Christians experience as they face
persecution that is systematic.
Since the beginning of the revolution, he said, "the Christians don’t
feel secure at all – especially now. We have a lack of security, and
the people are demoralized."
From: Xavier Abu Eid [mailto:xabueid@nad-nsu.ps] Sent:
Thursday, February 14, 2013 7:36 PM To: Xavier Abu
Eid Subject: RUNNING RINGS AROUND THE WORLD: ISRAEL'S
COLONIAL EXPANSION IN OCCUPIED EAST
JERUSALEM
Palestine
Liberation Organization
Negotiations
Affairs Department
Running rings
around the world:
Israel's
Colonial Expansion In Occupied East Jerusalem
February
2013
Since the Israeli occupation
of 1967, the Israeli government, in cooperation with Israeli
settler organizations, has actively intensified a process of
colonization all over the Occupied West Bank, particularly in
and around Occupied East Jerusalem. This process serves the
overarching Israeli goal of annexing vast parts of the State of
Palestine to the State of Israel. Although the international
community considers Israel’s actions to be illegal and has
strongly condemned them through several UN resolutions[1], Israel has
been allowed to aggressively pursue its illegal colonization
enterprise without any legal, diplomatic or political
consequences.
Israeli settlement activity
in and around Jerusalem has increased under recent Israeli
governments, particularly under PM Netanyahu’s mandate. Israel
has been creating three main rings of settlements:
1)Ring of settlements set to
fragment the Old City of Occupied East Jerusalem
and its adjacent Palestinian neighborhoods. This is in order to
expand the Jewish Quarter and includes several Palestinian
houses taken by Israeli settlers in the Christian, Armenian and
Muslim quarters as well as the demolition of the Magharbeh
Quarter. Meanwhile, adjacent to the Old City, Israel’s colonial
activity spreads throughout Sheikh Jarrah, Wadi Joz, Ras Amoud,
Silwan and the Mount of Olives.
2)Ring of settlements set to
isolate the surrounding neighborhoods of
Occupied East Jerusalem from the Old City. These settlements
include: Ramot Eshkol, French Hill, Kidmat Zion and East
Talpiyot.
3)Ring of settlements set to
sealthe whole of Occupied East Jerusalem
from the rest of the occupied State of Palestine. These
settlements include: Pisgat Ze’ev, Neve Yaaqov, Giv’at Ze’ev,
Ramot, Ma’ale Adumim,Har Homa, Giv’at Hamatos,
Gilo and Har Gilo.
This fact sheet describes the
first ring of colonial settlements. It focuses on the
settlements built throughout the Palestinian neighborhoods
surrounding the old city of Jerusalem and also highlights the
new facts on the ground that settler organizations, along with
Israeli Occupation Forces, are trying to establish in the
occupied Palestinian capital. A newly planned Israeli military
academy will also be considered in more detail, as a recent
example of Israeli colonization policies in Occupied East
Jerusalem.
[1] For
example, UNSC Res. 478 “Determines that all
legislative and administrative measures and actions taken by
Israel, the occupying Power, which have altered or purport to
alter the character and status of the Holy City of Jerusalem,
and in particular the recent "basic law" on Jerusalem, are null
and void and must be rescinded forthwith.” Available at
http://unispal.un.org/UNISPAL.NSF/0/DDE590C6FF232007852560DF0065FDDB
I was supposed to be in Damascus today and I had anticipated
filling today's missive with pics of Damascus and Beirut. It was not
to be! In case you missed my announcement on Friday, our Peace Mission to Syria was suddenly postponed that morning. We were due to fly out on Saturday!
This was an enormous disappointment for me and the other 15
delegates from around the world. Even so, I appreciate very much that
the organisers were giving priority to our safety. Apparently you
can't even reach Damascus from Beirut at the moment. The fighting is
just too intense!
Dear Mother Agnes wrote to us: "You cannot imagine how
difficult it was to make that decision! It was your security and it
alone that motivated us to postpone your visit to Syria - a visit
which took weeks of painstaking preparation. As you all have said - it
is just a postponement."
So I am hopeful that the trip will still happen - perhaps in
the next few weeks or perhaps later this year? As the situation in
Syria continues to deteriorate, the importance of Mother Agnes' 'Mussalaha'
('reconciliation') Mission becomes increasingly obvious. Even so, we internationals will not be serving the interests of Mussalaha or the people of Syria if we get ourselves killed or (more likely) abducted.
One of the other delegates really brought this home to me. I
won't mention the delegate's name but will say that English is not
their first language: "We could damage Mussalaha, if anything
happens to us....Personally I was as a peace activist in many war
areas BUT in this case we would not risk personally, Mussalaha (idea
and people) would risk and that, we cannot accept."
While I can't mention the names of the other enlisted
delegates at this stage, I must say that the dialogue that has
circulated between us since last Friday's announcement has left me
deeply impressed with the calibre of the other team members! They are
seasoned peace workers and human-rights activists from around the
world. What a privilege it will be to meet them in person (if indeed
the Mission goes ahead).
Anyway, I don't have any pics of Beirut or Damascus for you. The best I can offer you is this pic of me and two Syrian 'Abounas' (Arabic for 'Fathers'). As I was still in Sydney, I accepted an invitation to a fundraiser for Syria, hosted by the 'Australian Syrian Christian Association'. I met these two magnificent men at the function and many other wonderful people too.
It was a wonderful afternoon of music, dancing and
fundraising. Even so, the thing that stuck with me the most from the
discussions I had with the other participants was the extent to which
they all shared the same perspective regarding the plight of their
home country - a perspective that runs completely contrary to what we
are being fed by the mainline media.
These Christian Syrian people testified, one after another,
that there had been no tensions between Christians and Muslims in
Syria prior to these recent hostilities and that Bashar Al-Assad had
been a very popular President. The agitation, they all believed, had
come from outside their borders. It was their neighbours who wanted to
destroy them, with the backing of ‘the West‘.
I won't rehash the political complexities as I understand
them, except to say that almost everyone there agreed that the real
target in all this violence, so far as Syria's Middle-Eastern
neighbours and the rest of the world is concerned, is Iran. Syria's
enemies want to see regime change in Iran, and the suffering of the
people of Syria is just an unfortunate by-product of their greater and
more sinister project.
Since the Bishops of the Holy Land Co-ordination gathered in January 2012, the people in this region have lived through dark and dramatic events: conflict in Gaza and southern Israel; civil war in Syria, which has resulted in huge numbers of refugees pouring into other countries and putting an enormous strain on their resources; and increasing polarisation within Israel and Palestine. These developments have caused profound anxiety for all in this region, for the Israelis, Palestinians, Jews, Muslims, and particularly for the dwindling Christian population. This year we met Christian communities in Gaza, Bethlehem, Beit Jala, Madaba and Zarqa. In the Cremisan Valley we heard about legal struggles to protect local people’s lands and religious institutions from the encroachment of the Security Barrier (“the wall”). We promise to continue urging our respective governments to act to prevent this injustice. We heard moving testimony from religious women involved in the care of migrant workers, trafficked persons and prisoners.
Our faith was enriched by the strength and fortitude of the people we met: those with whom we shared in a vibrant celebration of Mass in Zarqa in Jordan; those who care for the vulnerable, like the refugees from Syria and Iraq fleeing terror and violence; those struggling in the face of oppression and insecurity across the countries that make up the Holy Land. We are inspired to promote a just peace and call upon Christian communities in our home countries and people of goodwill everywhere to support the work undertaken in this region to build a better future. Good examples are two agencies we visited: Catholic Relief Services in Gaza and the Caritas refugee programme in Jordan.
We are also called to recognise and tell others how faith in God brings light into the lives of people in the Holy Land. One of the ways in which this happens is the Church’s commitment to education, a tangible investment in the future. Nowhere is this more evident than in the University of Bethlehem, where we were struck by the stories from students, and the American University of Madaba in Jordan. In 2009, Pope Benedict XVI called upon staff and students in the region to be builders of a just and peaceful society composed of peoples of various religious and ethnic backgrounds.
With the local Bishops, we encourage practical support for the vulnerable, the formation of young people and every effort for the promotion of peace. We encourage Christians to come on pilgrimage to the Holy Land where they will experience the same warm hospitality we received. We shall work hard to persuade our respective governments to recognise the root causes of suffering in this land and to step up their efforts for a just peace. We echo the call Pope Benedict made recently in his speech to the Holy See’s diplomatic corps: “Following Palestine’s recognition as a non-member observer state of the United Nations, I again express the hope that, with the support of the international community, Israelis and Palestinians will commit themselves to peaceful co-existence within the framework of two sovereign states, where respect for justice and the legitimate aspirations of the two peoples will be preserved and guaranteed. Jerusalem, become what your name signifies! A city of peace, not one of division”. In the words of one of the Psalms, which we prayed together each day: “for the peace of Jerusalem pray” (Psalm 122, v.6).
Signatories to the Final communiqué: Archbishop Richard Smith – Edmonton, Canada Archbishop Joan-Enric Vives – Urgell and Andorra, Spain Bishop Gerald Kicanas – Tucson, USA Bishop Stephan Ackermann – Trier, Germany Bishop Michel Dubost – Evry, France Bishop William Kenney – ComECE Representative Bishop Peter Bürcher – Reykjavik,Nordic Bishops’ Conference
A new book by JIIS [Jerusalem Institute for Israel Studies] researcher Dr. Amnon Ramon offers an
in-depth look at Israel’s relationship with Christianity and the
Christian world. It examines that connection over time and presents
recommendations for the future. Ramon opens Christians and Christianity
in the Jewish State by underscoring the unique relationship between
Judaism and Christianity, and between Jews and Christians.
The
recent shift in the state of affairs, and the intricate and complicated
relations that have prevailed between the Christian world and the State
of Israel, are the principal focus of this book.
Relations
between Israel and the churches have sometimes flowed quite smoothly,
at other times resembled a quiet rollercoaster – but inconsistent
Israeli policy toward them has been the one consistent feature. The book
includes the many aspects of the ties that make this a truly good story
– in addition to religion(s) and sensitivities you can find politics,
real estate (the churches hold extensive property, especially in
Jerusalem), power and an innate determination – on both sides – to have
attitudes and demands validated.
Christians
and Christianity in the Jewish State is a joint project between JIIS and
the Jerusalem Center for Jewish-Christian Relations, and is dedicated
to the memory of Daniel Rossing, founder and Executive Director of the
Center until his untimely death in 2010. The book is published in
Hebrew, with a summary in English.
Disorder spread throughout Egypt’s urban centers as the second
anniversary of the beginning of a popular uprising and overthrow of the
Mubarak regime on Jan. 25 became an opportunity for women, secularists
and Christian Egyptians to protest the nation’s increasing tilt toward
Islamist rule. Protestors demanding the ouster of President Mohammed
Morsi filled Cairo’s Tahrir Square, and parallel protests led to
violence in other metropolitan areas. The chaos accelerated when clashes
flared after a Cairo court handed down death sentences for 21
supporters of Port Said’s Al-Masry soccer club for their part in a 2012
riot that left 74 people dead. Scores have been killed and wounded in
street violence. Egypt’s army chief, Gen. Abdul Fattah al-Sisi, even
warned on Jan. 29 that the political crisis could lead to the collapse
of the state.
In the two years since the Arab Spring reached Egypt, the nation’s
Christians have faced growing uncertainty and intimidation. Thousands
have joined an exodus out of Egypt into the United States, where as many
as 100,000 refugees have swelled a pre-revolution population of
350,000. With the continuing disorder in the streets and the damaged
economy, which relies on a tourist trade that has collapsed, and amid
new threats against Christians emerging from among Islamist groups, that
emigration is likely to continue.
This existential threat has not gone unnoticed by Christian
leadership. In January the Catholic Church in Egypt issued a stinging
critique of President Morsi, accusing him of manipulating public opinion
and acts of gross incompetence that led to the deaths of protestors.
The Rev. Antoine Rafic Greiche, spokesperson for the Catholic bishops’
conference of Egypt, accused Morsi of failing to adequately ready
security forces for the clear likelihood of street violence. President
Morsi “must take responsibility for the deaths of those who were killed
in the recent unrest,” he said. “The security forces were unprepared for
these protests, even though they were predictable. This is the
government’s failure.” By Feb. 1, 57 people had died in clashes with
police and security forces.
“The people are dissatisfied with the Islamist regime,” Father
Greiche said. “Divisions are increasing. The bloody protests in the Suez
region and in Cairo show how the country is falling apart. But perhaps
this will also lead to new reflection and to a new unity about the
future of Egypt. At any rate, it cannot go on like this.” Father Greiche
also condemned Morsi’s initiatives at dialogue as insincere. The
president, he said, “must finally start a national dialogue that is
worthy of the name. We had plenty of staged events that were designed to
produce nice pictures, but were otherwise a waste of time.”
Of key concern to Egyptian Christians, according to Father Greiche,
is the constitution that Morsi signed into law in December in the face
of bitter opposition, not least from the Catholic Church, which withdrew
from the negotiations to draft the document. Bishop Kyrillos William,
administrator of the Coptic Catholic Patriarchate of Alexandria, warned
that the “religious orientation of this constitution prepares the way
for an Islamic caliphate.”
Among other incidents that have concerned both secularists and
Christians since the constitution was approved, an Egyptian woman and
her seven children were sentenced to 15 years in prison for converting
to Christianity. Reports in January describe how thousands of people
emerging from a mosque destroyed a Sunday school under construction in
Fayoum. In a separate incident, on Jan. 18 thousands of Muslim
protestors in Qena reportedly attacked eight Coptic Christian homes and
businesses, torching Coptic-owned pharmacies and vehicles.
Christians
in the province of Jazira, located in Mesopotamia, Syria are protesting
the exponential increase in kidnappings in the region. The abductions
have occurred even in areas that are not affected by the fighting
between rebels and government troops.
According to Fides News Agency, the latest person to be kidnapped
was a Christian pharmacist last Sunday. The kidnappers are holding him
for a ransom of a million Syrian pounds, or the 11,000 euros.
"For the bandits of all this is a good time to make money," said
Archbishop Jacques Behnan Hindo, titular of the Syrian Catholic
archeparchy of Hassaké-Nisibis.
On Friday, dozens of Christians improvised a roadblock burning tires
at an intersection in the city of Hassaké to protest against the
kidnapping of the rector of the State University of Al-Furat. Jack
Mardini, also a Christian, was kidnapped in broad daylight by gunmen and
released after two hours. The abductors did not ask for ransom, rather
it was an act related to functioning of the University. A warning that
now one resorts to criminal practice of kidnapping to resolve conflicts
with the abuse of personal and social interest.
In the city of Hassaké, there were fifty kidnappings in recent.
Almost half of the abductions were against Christians. "Many of them are
doctors, lawyers and professionals but now the poor are beginning to be
kidnapped," Archbishop Hindo told Fides.
Nevertheless, the Syrian Catholic Archbishop denies that the practice
of kidnapping has Christians as a privileged target. "In recent days
some kidnapped Muslims tried to draw the kidnappers to a sense of pity,
by talking about the pilgrimage made to Mecca," the archbishop
explained."
"The bandits, in response, began to blaspheme the name of Allah and
cursing the Prophet Mohammad, saying that their only interest is money,"
Archbishop Hindo said.
Metropolitan
Archbishop Eustathius Matta Roham Says Country Will Be Left in
Ruins
DEIR EZZOR, February 01, 2013 (Zenit.org) - A Syrian Orthodox Church
located in a town in Mesopotamia was destroyed several days ago. St.
Mary's Church and the Christian school of Al-Wahda in Deir Ezzor was
located in the center of fighting that has caused the mass exodus of the
civilian population.
In a report by Fides News Agency, Metropolitan Archbishop Eustathius
Matta Roham of Jazirah and Euphrates stated that "it is a very sad day
for me and for the whole community."
The two buildings were hit and destroyed in the crossfire between the
army and rebel groups. Local sources have reported to Fides that
Mesopotamia is experiencing a "slow death" and that the entire civilian
populations, which include Arabs, Christians, Kurds are paying a very
high price.
"This fierce war is above all a war against our civilization. It is a
conflict where everyone loses, in the destruction of our beloved
country. If the rebels or the regime think they can win, in the end, I
think we will only have a country in ruins, with thousands of orphans,
widows, poor people and especially destabilized by enmity in society,"
Archbishop Matta Roham said.
The Metropolitan Archbishop also addressed those fighting in the
conflict. "Who will rebuild all that we have built over decades of hard
work? And how long will it take? Who will build deteriorated social
relations? We ask for the prayers of all Christians in the world, in
order to regain peace in Syria," the Archbishop said.
Apostolic
Vicar of Tripoli Describes Atmosphere as 'Very Tense'
TRIPOLI, February 01, 2013 (Zenit.org) - Bishop Giovanni Innocenzo
Martinelli, Apostolic Vicar of Tripoli reported to Fides news agency
that two religious communities have left the town of Cyrenaica after
facing pressure from local fundamentalists. Bishop Martinelli
stated that according to reports in east Libya the "situation is
critical."
"On February 20, large-scale demonstrations throughout Cyrenaica are
expected so the Apostolic Vicar of Benghazi has been warned to leave the
church from February 13thto take shelter" Bishop Martinelli told
Fides.
"In past days, the Congregation of the Holy Family of Spoleto who had
been there for nearly 100 years were forced to abandon Derna, [along
with] a Polish Salesian priest, who was abused by some fundamentalists.
In Beida, another women's religious community was forced to escape even
if in this case, for internal reasons. In Barce, the Franciscan Sisters
of the Child Jesus will leave their home in [the] coming days."
Bishop Martinelli also said that while the situation in Tripoli has
been relatively calm, the atmosphere in Cyrenaica has been extremely
tense. "We regret having to reduce our activities in that area because
we have built a very strong and beautiful relationship, made of
testimony and friendship with the Libyan people, which unfortunately in
recent times has been affected by the presence of fundamentalists,"
Bishop Martinelli said.
"These do not represent the identity of the Libyan people but an
expression of Libyan society today."
The Libyan prelate stated that although the Church will take
precautions, they will not abandon the Christians that remain in Libya.
Bishop Martinelli said that two religious communities will remain in
Benghazi, a small community in Tobruk, and a small community of Indian
sisters will remain in Beida.
We remain impoverished, but full of hope that one day our communities
will resume force," Bishop Martinelli said.
