catastrophe for Europe Chaim Noll about persecution of Christians in the Middle East The persecution of Christians in the Middle East in Europe caused Until recently, little movement. For decades, take up the process, Lebanon, the Palestinian territories, in Turkey, in Iraq. Some human rights organizations, Christian groups and Middle East experts to observe the action. Most observers agree that persecution, abuse and displacement of Christians in the Middle East in the overall picture of an attempted classifies total Islamisation of the region. these days concern the developments in Iraq, coupled with the misery of hundreds of thousands of refugees for a certain sensation, which also releases in Europe think. The reports are ludicrous, but incomplete and often passed down orally. Of the major news agencies, they will spread only rarely. Well known was the case of the kidnapped in northern Iraq Archbishop of the Chaldean Catholic Church, Paulos Rahho Faradsh. In April 2008 it was reported that he had been found dead in late February, his kidnappers had buried him near the city of Mosul in the north of the country. In general I transfer now, the violence in Iraq's north, which was long considered relatively safe. After reports of Christian circles killed another thirteen priests at this time, in a cruel manner, for example, where you sawed the priests alive in parts. A currently operating in Jordan, Syrian Orthodox nun, Hatune Dogan, learned this from Iraqi refugees. One of the witnesses described how he then would have collected the body parts and bestattetet what to remain in many cases, because the remains had been killed by the murderers provided with explosive devices (1).
Other reports are the widespread phenomenon of rape of Christian girls, often underage. It's some kind of ritual humiliation, a demonstration of Islamic men's privileges on the "conquered". According to reports, five-year olds are raped. The Europeans hard to imagine hate of Muslims in the country occupied by Americans Christian targets initially directed to the occupiers, they increasingly came to local Christians, since they usually belong to the educated middle class and would be preferred by Americans as a people. Sister Hatune reported including the case of the mother of several children, who worked as a cleaner for Americans in Iraq and one day when leaving the house of her employer was shot. According to Thomas Krapf, a Berlin-based expert on the region, is terror against Christians "nationwide" are used, such as the actions in Baghdad's Dora neighborhood, where Islamic militias have "burned" in a few nights, hundreds of stores Assyrian Christians. In the Koran (sura 2.193, 8.39, etc.) offered dhimmi tax for Christians and Jews, jizya, would be introduced in this way again. Christian business people, they have to pay only differ on the basis of faith, in addition to their other duties. Those who pay protection money within the deadline, is to leave the place and to surrender his possession of the "mosque" forced (2). Sister Hatune noted on that occasion that anti-Christian sentiment and action in Islam have a long history. In the Koran, Sura 9, 30, says: "And speak the Nazarene., The Messiah is the son of Allah ' ... Allah, beat them dead! As they are without understanding "is Spread the Tactics to kidnap Christian girls and asking the family for a ransom. Here, too, sources tell of a difficult to imagine Europeans cruelty to women and girls. Hatune sister sent the case of a 7 year old, who had been raped repeatedly over the years. Later, the girl had "slashed in the genitals." The child was severely traumatized and respond today, after years, "completely phlegmatic." The pictures of the girl who sat expressionless face in her lap, were muffled sounds, and not been able to express themselves properly, would you not stop thinking Go said the young nun, who studied theology in Germany. It is from these reports, "even traumatized." The nurse tells of a Chaldean priest, whose wife was raped before his eyes. The father of two children was subsequently abducted by kidnappers and sexual abuse. Seventy thousand € relatives had to go to in order to free him. Meanwhile, the family could flee to the United States. In another case, had to pay a Christian family for the release of a 9 year old girl more than thirty thousand euro. Previously, the girl was held captive for three weeks and was raped every day. Overall sister wants Hatune with 202 girls raped and have spoken young women aged between 5 and 25 years, Christians from Iraq that have been violated by militant Muslims. Reports on the atrocities rarely came to the West. While UN officials in Syria were regularly informed about it, but Muslim employees would not be charges against their fellow Muslims and would prefer it to destroy it. Many such stories were of the UN Refugee Agency UNHCR, the UN refugee agency, known by Christians who fled abroad reports. On Good Friday 2007, in Baghdad in the street, a 14-year-old boy have been nailed to a cross and stabbed with a sword from below. The bystanders mocked the crucified teens ". You say you belong to Jesus, then he will come and save you" Another 14 year old was crucified in October in Baghdad's Al-Basra area. In February 2007, a Christian Iraqi woman, a mother of 6 children, killed in Baghdad because she covers her head with a cloth, had not the prescribed Muslim chador. Her youngest son was only three months old. The father had previously been killed by militant Muslims.
in early March 2007 stated the UN agency UNHCR that Christians in Iraq, their lives were no longer safe. Religiously motivated violence are increasing further, so try each month to thousands of Christians left the country. According to Roland Schönbauer of UNHCR Austria had in Iraq has increased the violence against Christians and their churches exploded since the beginning of what triggering an exodus of Oriental Christians.same time, Christians also live elsewhere in the Middle East, including Lebanon and the Palestinian territories, under constant pressure. Cases of abduction Christian girl who lives in Jerusalem Christian observer David Parsons reported from the Palestinian territories, about which the 16 year old Adriana Sabat from Bethlehem (4). An obvious device is driving the violence of protection money by Hamas and Fatah people, that many Christian businessmen forced to emigrate. Back in 2003, told the American magazine Newsweek, the Christian population in the Palestinian territories has shrunk in this way 110 000 (before the Oslo agreement) to less than 50 000. According to the Palestinian Authority itself, the David Parsons determined, their number 1997-2002 has dropped to 25 000. Most Palestinian Christians fled abroad after the Palestinian Authority officials confiscate their land or commit other violent attacks on their property and their families. A Christian businessman in Beit Sahur documented 34 cases of illegal land grab known him by the executor of the Palestinian National Authority, often laughable pretexts that led to the emigration of the expropriated almost always Christians. "There is a clear intention to Islamize Bethlehem," confirmed a spokesman for the Latin Patriarchate in Jerusalem (5). Compared to the Milan daily Corriere della Sera said Father Pizzaballa, prior to the Palestinian land living Franciscans: "Almost every day, I repeat, every day is our Congregation of Muslim extremists in the 'areas' attacks (...) It has happened that such attacks by Mahmud Abbas's policemen are made by those which actually are there to protect us. "(6)
Such statements are relatively rare. To the detriment of the Palestinian Christians are the official representatives of the churches keep mostly covered and avoid an open word. For this behavior, David Parsons a plausible explanation: "The historic explanation for the silence of Arab leaders in the Church face Muslim persecution is well known. It stems from their long, sad status in dhimmitude - a survivalist mentality passed down through the generations that conditions them to never say anything bad about their Muslim neighbors -. Since it could prove deadly '(7) It is difficult for the prosecution Write to the Christians in the Middle East, because this issue is a gray area in the official record. In Iraq or Lebanon or the Palestinian territories, there are unobstructed journalistic research. The work of journalists, writers or film people is extremely dangerous and exposed to constant surveillance. Time and again journalists are kidnapped or killed. Moreover, the Auskunftswilligkeit the people living there, even those to whom the prosecution is, for fear of retaliation seriously impeded. A source as sister Hatune receives their information and eyewitness reports in comparatively harmless neighboring countries like Jordan, not at the point of persecution itself David Parsons of the International Christian Embassy, who has been writing for years over the issue, lives in the Jewish part of Jerusalem under the protection Israeli weapons. The Christian publisher Thomas Krapf spreading his knowledge gained in the region from the relative safety of Berlin. The American, Michael Finkel, who in December 2007, researched in the National Geographic one spot, but not until later in the USA written Report on the situation of Christians in Bethlehem published avoids emotional expressions and the open condemnation of the perpetrators. For them all - and each interested in this topic - it would be impossible to report from the scene directly.
European media shy away from the topic of Christian persecution for other reasons. They are afraid to raise anti-Islamic sentiments, first in their own countries, European countries with millions of Muslim citizens. To respond today, most Islamic groups and parties hostile to any critical reporting, even on historical events - the best example is in Turkey existing criminal sanctions underscored ban to deal with the Turkish genocide of Armenians in 1915. Under certain circumstances, a critical word trigger global reactions associated with new Muslim violence. Several times, films, media reports, a sentence in a speech that even cartoons or others have been found by European standards, more personal statements than a source of political unrest, international protests and diplomatic complications. Not only for their own personal risk Western journalists shy away from the thorny issue, even out of respect for her newspaper, her magazine, her television or Radio stations. As the professional sector as a whole is threatened and is under surveillance of Islamic groups, formed under the media people a tacit consensus, not to stir as possible to dangerous issues. Also, economic reasons play a role, the interests of Arab organizations, States and its Western partners. Often messages are simply suppressed.
difficult it is less to report on the refugee plight of Iraqi Christians in neighboring countries, although Western journalists there that deal with the many Muslims are uncomfortable about, disability, and permanent observation exercise. In Jordan, Syria and other Islamic countries to flee to the Iraqi Christians who go to them, not to life, or their conditions are hardly better than in Iraq itself there are no state aid for the refugees, no work permit. They live on savings brought back from Iraq until they are exhausted, then many of the prostitution of their minor children. In Turkey Hatune sister spoke with a 13-year-old girl whose father was killed in Iraq. The family shares a room in a basement without drainage, in the rats scurry back and forth. After a few months the family had nothing to eat. The mother asked the 15 year old sister into prostitution, to raise money for the family. The 15 year old had burns all over his body from the cigarettes that you put the suitors on their bare skin. As Muslims it is forbidden to touch other Muslim women, they adhere to Christian prostitutes, "in which they can vent their faith hate." Sister Hatune succeeded with the help of donations, free this and other girls from prostitution. In Syria, have opened in the last three years, thirty new brothel, 99% of prostitutes are Christian refugees from Iraq, which apply in this way the livelihood for their families. 5% of prostitutes are male, "because die Familien keine Mädchen haben, die sie auf den Strich schicken können“.
Insgesamt sollen nach Angaben von Thomas Krapf seit dem Sturz Sadam Husseins etwa siebzehn Prozent der irakischen Bevölkerung auf die eine oder andere Weise zu Flüchtlingen geworden sein. Man hätte mit Hunderttausenden christlicher Flüchtlingen zu rechnen, die ihr angestammtes Milieu verlassen und in einem muslimischen Nachbarland oder andernorts im Irak – möglichst weit vom Ort der Verfolgung, etwa im kurdischen Norden – ein Unterkommen suchen. Andere christliche Quellen nennen noch höhere Zahlen: rund zwei Millionen irakische Flüchtlinge befänden sich in Syrien, 750 000 in Jordanien, 100 000 in Ägypten, 15 000 in Turkey, about 40 000 in Lebanon. Before the Iraq war, Hatune sister would be 13% of Iraqis have been Christians today because of the persecution of only 3%. Confirmed by the state figures are not available. Observers speak of the war had made several million Iraqis into refugees, Iraqis of all possible origins: Sunni Muslims, who must flee Shiite terrorist groups, or vice versa, Shiite Muslims fleeing Sunni or Christians in the crosshairs get both. Be preached in the mosques ". The time of the sword has come upon the Christians," How
of despotic regimes liberated countries often, Iraq is dictated by Saddam Hussein initially a legal vacuum in which the specific participant in a location at a particular time the most powerful law, including the right of residence of the others. An aggravating factor is that, after the end of Saddam's ancient intra-Islamic hatred between different religious directions breaks. It is never resolved, only under totalitarian pressure suspended-old Arab tribal feuds or aversions between different, under penalty converted to Islam centuries ago ethnicities. In the Middle East, tolerance was always an unknown quantity, and is, with the sole exception of Israel, to this day. The experimental installation of democratic structures in Arab States to the Islamic resistance men companies that rely on tribal protectionism, segregation and a moral code, which the British explorer Sir William Muir brought Islam to the shorthand encounters: honor and revenge, honor and revenge. Women in this society have no say. The intra-political constellation is traditionally the contempt of the "other" not shaped for their own group belonging, racial, religious or other reasons. The surviving aversions between groups, tribes, states create an atmosphere of permanent fear. The only real cohesion of these societies is based in the Islam introduced the "community of believers" and that community offered permanent struggle against the "infidels". Where does this outwardly fight is prevented, there is a risk that dominate the internal dissensions, the never-forgotten tribal rivalries, ethnic or religious intolerance motivated divisions within Islam and between Shiites and Sunnis.
live in this area of the Christians of the Middle East since a half millennia. In addition to the Jews of the region they belonged to the long-established populations, especially in the cities and areas of agricultural civilization, than that of Mohamed under the banner of Islam united Bedouin tribes by force came to dominance. They are not "foreigners", not "guests" in Muslim countries, but the oldest stock in some places the indigenous population. They have, like the oriental Jews, and a half millennia of existence were degrading dhimmi in Muslim countries, under changing conditions of relative tolerance among pragmatic caliph to cruel persecution and bloody massacres in periods of Muslim fanaticism.
But only these days it seems to work, drive them to sustained from the region. Precedent was also the expulsion of the old established Jewish minorities in most Arab and Muslim countries after 1948. It has been long in the West do not understand that the expulsion was the Oriental Jews from countries of their ancestral existence, such as Egypt, Libya, Syria or Saudi Arabia, only the first step in the process of the targeted total Islamisation of the Middle East. It has accepted that Arab and other Muslim countries laid claim to a privilege that would allow any European country ever: the "Jewish purity" of their territories. By giving them the "Jewish purity" conceded that they were on the Expulsion of the Christians, the "cleansing" of their countries from other faiths actually encouraged. To date, the European Union supports a "peace process between Israel and the Palestinians", which requires the "liquidation" of the Jewish settlements and the deportation of the Jews living in the Palestinian territories as a conditio sine qua non. Logical consequence of such a "peace" - as the fate of Palestinian Christians since the Oslo agreement shows - the expulsion of the indigenous Christian populations from the "Palestinian Authority" passed areas.
To the Christians in the Middle East would really help, the European Union policy in principle, transform the region. To wait for this kind enables the urgent need not of the affected people. Sister Hatune submitted to the European Parliament at a hearing in Brussels more practical suggestions, such as the, to create a protective zone for Iraqi Christians in Iraq, which allows them to further stay in this country. Second, it appeals to the European nations, Iraqi Christians have already fled to neighboring countries and there are living in inhuman conditions include as asylum seekers. In the neighboring Muslim countries have no Iraqi Christians protection of life, no work permit and would be considered illegal. All refugees who have so far met the nun, had expressed a strong desire never to have to return to Iraq because they lived there permanently under threat. They requested to be included in safe countries in which they are not harassed by Muslim reprisals and vegetate in inhuman conditions must.
Europe, now incorporated by growing Islamic populations afflicted, would do well to develop its sense of solidarity, to send a signal to actively help. The fate of Iraqi Christians is a catastrophe for Europe. Beginnings is discrimination against Christians long ago in Europe itself, in those regions, neighborhoods and places where Muslims are already the majority. Concerned observers register the increase in no-go areas for Christians and Jews in the middle of European territories, in England, Norway or the Netherlands (8). Abenländische Christian symbols, curriculum content, traditions are banned for fear of the known over-reaction of Muslim citizens from European schools and educational institutions. The "de-Christianization" of Europe takes its course, aided by an atmosphere of modern Christophobia and cultural aversion. Mohamed is the religious warriors conquering Territories offered. Every school, every district, every city in Europe to steal them from the influence of Christian culture consider it as a victory in their "holy struggle".
Chaim Noll is a German-Israeli writers
© Chaim Noll, 2010
notes, sources:
(1) information that
http://www.sisterhatunefoundation.com
. The Syrian Orthodox nun of German nationality who founded a relief organization, "Helping Hands for the Poor", account 11 00 82 32 at Sparkasse Paderborn (BLZ 472 501 01)
(2) telephone information from Dr. Thomas Krapf, Berlin, 06.08.2008. see also Krapf publication in courage Asendorf, Nr.490, No. 6 / 2008. To see jizya Chaim Noll, hatred of Jews in Islam, Tribune, Frankfurt, No. 185, 2008
(3) The report in Le Monde said, previously had lived about 700 000 Christians in Iraq. Other sources suggest the number is much higher.
Supplement, May-August 2005
(5) Dark Days in Bethlehem. Newsweek, 29 September 2003(6) David Parsons, Our Battered Brethren, Jerusalem Post, Christian
Edition, January 2006(7) ibid.
(8) Bishop warns of no-go areas. In: comma. The Magazine
0 comments:
Post a Comment