Christians a fundamental part of Iraq, ambassador observes

Vatican City, Jul 31, 2014 / 04:16 am

The Iraqi ambassador to the Holy See has lamented the ongoing persecution of Christians by ISIS forces in Iraq, stating that they are an important and historic part of the country's origins.

"Right now with the entrance of these jihadists, ISIS, they have imposed the sword and want to kill the Christians," Habbib M.H. Al-Sadr told CNA July 24, 2014.

"This is outside of our culture, of our history, because the Christians are a fundamental, historic component of Iraq…they have origins here," he continued, noting that "When the ISIS jihadists entered Mosul they forced the Christians to convert to Islam, pay the jizya tax, or to leave or escape, because they told them that 'this is not your country.'"

Al-Sadr, a Shiite Muslim, has been Iraq's ambassador to the Holy See since 2010, and spoke in wake of the July 17 departure of the last Christian families in Iraq's second largest city of Mosul.

The exodus of Christians from the city follows a June 10 initiative launched by members of ISIS, a militant group that operates in Iraq and Syria with the aim of establishing a caliphate in northern Syria and Iraq, who overtook Mosul and the city of Tikrit, 95 miles north of Baghdad, the same day.

Since then the group had seized portions of Ramadi and Falluja earlier; Tal Afar was seized by ISIS June 16, and the group briefly held parts of Baquba, 37 miles outside of Baghdad, the following day.

July 17 the self-proclaimed Islamic Caliphate declared to the remaining Christian community of Mosul that they either needed openly convert to Islam, pay an unspecified jizya tax in exchange for their safety while observing certain conditions, leave their homes with only their clothes and nothing more or face death.

According to BBC News, the Christians had until midday to comply with the conditions of ISIS, who stated that "We offer them three choices: Islam; the dhimma contract – involving payment of jizya; if they refuse this they will have nothing but the sword."

Following the declaration, the houses of Mosul Christians were marked with the letter "N," signifying "Nazarenes." As a result the few remaining Christians left the city, marking the first time in history it has been without Christians.

"These Christians have left Mosul with just their clothes on. They did not have anything else with them," Al-Sadr observed.

"The houses of Christians in Mosul have been given to the terrorists that have come from diverse parts of the world really. They have taken the houses of the Christians."

Speaking of the general help that citizens are receiving from the Iraqi Ministry of Migrants and Itinerants and the Ministry of Health, Al-Sadr explained that those who have fled are being provided with basic food necessities as well as one-million Iraqi 'dinari,' which is equivalent to 750 U.S. dollars.

Noting how there have been 1 million Iraqi citizens internally displaced by the recent uptick in conflict, the ambassador also drew attention to the 3 million who have left the country "to search for security, freedom and work" following the reign of their previous dictator, Saddam Hussein.

"Immigrants right now prefer not to come back until there is tranquility in the country again," he said, stating that the government is searching for ways to convince them to eventually return, because they are considered "an integral part of the country and of its social fabric."