Listening is not enough

“Iraqi Christians live in fear of the future”. The archbishop of Baghdad Msgr. Athanase Matti Shaba Matoka, described the living conditions of Christians in Iraq in a speech at the European Parliament. During the plenary session of December 13-16 bishops and scholars had a meeting with MEPs, representatives of the Council of Europe and with Msgr. Aldo Giordano, permanent Observer of the Holy See at the CoE, underlying “the need for a concrete commitment” for stability, peace and the respect of fundamental rights in the Asian region on the part of Europe.“We need help”. The Church delegation included the archbishop of Mossul, Basile Georges Casmouss and the Chaldean Episcopal vicar of Baghdad Msgr. Shlemon Warduni. The prelates were accompanied by father Piotr Mazurkiewicz, secretary general of COMECE (the Commission of the Bishops’ Conferences of the European Community), by Professor of Geostrategy, Melhem Riachy, of the Kaslik University in Lebanon, and Maroun Karam, President of the Maronite League in Europe. Archbishop Matoka explained what happened on October 31st with the attack against the cathedral that was entrusted to his spiritual care: “I have fifty dead people and seventy injured people before my eyes … But we have not come here in Strasbourg to ask for a war crusade. We are here to ask for help to build peace in our land”. In his opinion, the European Union could “support Baghdad’s Government at this stage, and thus show its willingness protect Christians. Our government cannot make it on its own”. Twofold suffering. Msgr. Basile Georges Casmoussa, archbishop of Mossul, declared: “Christians experience twofold suffering in Iraq, firstly because they are a minority, and also for the very fact of being Christians. For us everything is hard: practising Catechesis, teaching, claiming our right to employment, gaining institutional positions”. “I wish that the European Union encouraged moderate Muslims, which represent a numerous presence also in Iraq, so they may establish a democracy where everyone would enjoy the same rights, including the freedom of religion”. The bishop thus made a proposal: “to hold a major international conference in Iraq, or, if it isn’t possible, in Lebanon, that will deal with the protection of the minorities in the Middle East”. His account continues: “In Iraq Christians are encouraged to leave the cities, and even the Country. The families receive threatening messages. Our cultural and religious practices are not respected. Indeed, we do not reject coexistence with other religions and we would like to live and profess our religion in peace”. The same rights. “Iraq must ensure equal treatment for all its religious groups – Christians have the same rights as their Sunni and Shia Muslim sisters and brothers”. EP President Jerzy Buzek told the bishop delegation. “The European Parliament is aware of the terrible situation faced by Christians in Iraq” and will continue expressing its “closeness” and it “commitment” to this regard. Among the promoters of the visit (during which was released the content of a Letter signed by 160 MEPs in support of the rights of Christians in Iraq) figured Italian MEP Mario Mauro. He pointed out: “As the European Parliament’s Rapporteur on the upcoming first EU-Iraq cooperation agreement, I will insist on the inclusion in this text of the principles of fundamental rights and democracy”. This agreement “cannot be reduced solely to economic issues, but should be an instrument for the EU to contribute to bringing peace back to the country”.From words to facts. “Some would like to confine all Iraqi Christians to one province. This is unacceptable. Christians must remain in the midst of the Country’s population, so that, as the Gospel teaches us, they may be everywhere the light of the world”. Msgr. Shlemon Warduni, Chaldean Vicar of Baghdad, reiterated his belief in the seat of the EU Parliament: “We don’t want to politicise our cause. We want to continue living in Iraq, in peace with everyone”. But why come to Strasburg to speak about the problems of the Christians living in the Middle-East? “We were longing to be heard – Warduni told Sir Europe -. And I must say that many have come up to us asking for information, to understand what is happening in our Country. We spoke of human rights, of unemployment, of the problems of security and of peace. Everyone listened to us patiently”. And now? “Now we count on concrete political intervention” for the future of Iraq. “The Europe of rights must pass from words to facts”.