Persecution of Christians in Iraq reaches a new climax – Open letter to Barack Obama

SOCIETY FOR THREATENED PEOPLES
Open letter to the
President of the United States of America
Barack Obama
Göttingen, 1st March 2010
Persecution of Christians in Iraq reaches a new climax
US troops have to take active measures to defend minorities from terror
Dear Mr Obama,
With the American intervention in the year 2003 the United States takes responsibility for the human rights situation in Iraq. Politicians of your country have constantly pointed to the crimes of Sadddam Hussein and the persecution of the minorities.
In the past few days the persecution of Christians in the north Iraqi city of Mosul has reached a new climax. The 59-year old Christian Aishwa Maroki and his two sons Bassam and Mokhlas were murdered in front of his wife and their daughter on 23rd February 2010 by Arab Sunni extremists. On 17th February the two Christian students Wissam George and Zia Toma were killed.
These murders stand as examples of the constant terror against Christians and other minorities like Yezidi, Turkmens, Shabaks and Mandaeans. They live in an atmosphere of permanent fear for their lives in an atmosphere of uncertainty and threats. In the past few days alone 120 Christian families have fled to the Niniveh plain, which is protected by Kurdish militia, and to the autonomous federal state of Kurdistan. Thousands of Christians, Yezidi and Shabak school students have not been able to continue their studies on account of the threatening situation in Mosul.
Our human rights organisation regrets that the American unit stationed in Mosul is not taking any action to protect the Christian minority. At the same time your troops work closely with the Sunni Al-Hadbaa majority list, which rules in the provincial capital of Mosul, and the parts of the province dominated by the Sunni Arabs. The Al-Hadbaa is responsible for the discrimination of the minorities. According to reports of eyewitnesses the American troop do not even give any assistance to threatened Christians and other minorities when they are attacked before their eyes.
Dear Mr Obama, we urgently beg of you to exercise your influence in Baghdad and to take immediate action for the protection of the Christian, Yezidi and Shabak minorities.
Yours Sincerely,