another bad year for Iraq’s Christian

January 4th, 2010Wamith Al-Kassab (Iraq)

It was another bad year for Iraq’s Christian minority. this is how Sam Dagher from New York Times describes the conditions of Iraqi Christians
Although they were granted more representation in Parliament under the new election law that was finally approved in early December, they continued to be besieged on many fronts, especially in northern Iraq.

There has been a notable increase in attacks targeting Iraqi Christians, particularly in the northern restive city of Mosul.

Mosul, the capital of Nineveh Province, used to be a main center of Christianity in Iraq prior to the 2003-U.S. invasion.

Christianity came to Mosul and the adjacent Nineveh Plain in the 1st century A.D. and reached its zenith in the 7th century.

There are probably more monasteries and churches in the city and its suburbs than mosques – but unfortunately most are abandoned today.

A bomb placed close to a church went off on Wednesday, killing one Iraqi Christian and damaging part of the church.

Other churches and a monastery were attacked this month, causing material damage but no casualties.

However, several Iraqi Christian have been killed in the city this month, some of them originally living there and others on business trips.

On Thursday, the Christmas eve, one Iraqi Christian youth was killed as he left his home in al-Tahrir district, according to www.ankawa.com, a social and news website specialized mainly in Iraqi Christian affairs.

“Are these the Christmas presents we get?” Said Fr. Faiz Wadia of the Orthodox Christian church that was attacked last week.

“Is this the way they want to congratulate us on Christmas and the New Year?” Fr. Wadia added.

That year, a wave of attacks against Christians in Mosul left 40 dead and displaced more than 12,000, according to the United Nations. Although many have since returned to Mosul, the attacks against Christians and their churches have continued.At least five Mosul churches have been targeted in the past few weeks.

Late 2008 at least 40 Christians were killed and more than 12,000 forced to flee the city.

Analysts say if the anti-Christian attacks continue, Mosul will soon lose its Christian identity and standing as a center for tolerance and co-existence in the Middle East.
They also suffer for political pressures to act as they are living happily in Iraq ,they did not celebrated Christmas this year cause Iraqi shiaa were mourning the death of Alhussien in Ashora ,the government thanked them for there sacravise but the reality is that most people relived when the chirch said we will not celebrate cause they had not intention to celebrate ,cause they were afraid from been looked as acting happy in ashore ,a new custom in Iraq to force people to join you in sadness even on the expense of there religion
Many Christian are flying Iraq ,Holland and Germany still give them asylum ,Norway and Sweden is asking them to go and live in Kurdistan ,as they prefer to believe Iraqi government propaganda than to read UN reports
Other minorities as azydians and sabia are not much better ,no one mention the 5000 bahai and 150 jewish we had in Iraq of course cause according to Iraqi leaders they do not exist