DAMASCUS, Syria, MARCH 2, 2010, thanks to Zenit.org
The Patriarch of of the Syrian Catholics of
Antioch and of All the East is urging Arab leaders, the United Nations and the
international community to help put an end to the bloodshed in Iraq.
Patriarch Ignatius Zakka I Iwas, who is also the Supreme Head of the universal
Syriac Orthodox Church, posted a statement today on the Web site of the
Patriarchate, urging “the governments of the world to uproot the terrorism
and abuses that are bleeding the Christians of Iraq.”
“With great pain and grief,” the patriarch said, “we follow all
that is happening in Iraq and especially to Christians of Iraq, victims of
persecutions, killings, looting, kidnapping and sacrilegious acts: It seems the
devil has enlisted these men to spread chaos in the country and among the
people.”
“We do not know why those who were always faithful to their homeland and
attached to the heritage of their beloved Iraq are now being targeted. We have
already published other criticisms against this inhuman behavior which is very
far from religion,” continues the letter.
“Unfortunately, these criminals carry out their acts in the name of
religion but Islam is completely foreign to them,” he added.
Patriarch Ignatius Zakka I Iwas asked what could be the reasons for such
violence: “Is there perhaps a plot to empty Iraq of Christians who are
natives of that country? Or are there projects sponsored by unknown hands that
some call one day Zionism and another a feud, or perhaps a group of outlaws
that has as its religion the abuse and damage of others?”
“There is nothing that convinces us on why the state is not able to arrest
and dole o ut just punishment to these rebels and outlaws, who are far from the
principles of religion, of power, of the state, of the law and of
humanity,” continues the letter. “This makes us doubt the intentions
of the authorities to whom we request, individually and collectively, to obtain
justice for the oppressed.
“We cannot look at our innocent children while people are being
slaughtered, killed, looted without any one putting an end to it.”