duck
04-11-2004, 11:05 AM
Christians celebrate Easter in Iraq amid fears of Islamic fundamentalism
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BAGHDAD (AFP) - The patriarch of the Chaldean church appealed for an end to bloodshed in the country, as Iraqi Christians celebrated Easter fearful about the rising influence of Shiite Muslim fundamentalism.
At the Church of the Holy Virgin in Baghdad's chic Karrada district, the heart of the capital's Christian area, Emmanuel Delly, hinged his Easter sermon on the urgent need to stem the violence in Iraq (news - web sites).
"The bloodshed must stop," he told the multi-generation but sparse congregation, calling for unity among all Iraqis, without explicitly referring to deadly fighting in the Sunni bastion of Fallujah, west of Baghdad.
Battles which started seven days ago between Iraqi insurgents and US troops in that town have killed more than 400 people and wounded 1,000.
Sporadic gunfire marred a truce declared Sunday in the town and hostile fire brought down a US Apache helicopter gunship.
The church's parish priest, Father Butros Haddad, condemned the loss of life in Fallujah and described the situation as horrible and very sad.
"Our church collected money to buy medicines and supplies for the people living in the town, but we don't have the means to transport the aid," he told AFP, bemoaning the rampant insecurity across Iraq.
Faez Thomas, a 40-year-old electrician, was forthright in his views. His deep-seated fear is the possible emergence of an Islamist government.
"The ascendancy of (radical Shiite cleric) Moqtada Sadr is very dangerous for everyone, Christians as well as Muslims," he said.
"Christians are leaving the country and the majority of them are thinking about emigrating," he said. "Don't forget, the Christian community in Iraq has only one desire: to live in peace".
"If an Islamic Republic emerges, the church must organise a mass departure of Christians," he said.
Asked about the risks of Sadr taking power, Noel Farman Sanaty, deputy editor of a Christian magazine, pointed out that historically, Muslims and Christians have got on well together in Iraq.
"The current crisis is primarily being stirred up by foreigners. We must wait and see if the situation subsides or not," he said.
In his mind, Christians are fixing their hopes on June 30, when the ruling US-led coalition has promised to hand over sovereignty to Iraqis.
"We need to believe in miracles," he said, putting the smaller than normal Easter congregation down to insecurity in Baghdad.
All the shops in Karrada were shut.
He said that Christians fully supported the general strike called by Muslims and effective since Saturday, to denounce the plight of civilians trapped in Fallujah by the US offensive.
The Chaldean Church, is an eastern church linked to the Vatican (news - web sites). It numbers about 700,000 members in Iraq, with smaller communities in Australia, Canada, Egypt, France, India, Iran, Lebanon, Syria the United States. "
"
BAGHDAD (AFP) - The patriarch of the Chaldean church appealed for an end to bloodshed in the country, as Iraqi Christians celebrated Easter fearful about the rising influence of Shiite Muslim fundamentalism.
At the Church of the Holy Virgin in Baghdad's chic Karrada district, the heart of the capital's Christian area, Emmanuel Delly, hinged his Easter sermon on the urgent need to stem the violence in Iraq (news - web sites).
"The bloodshed must stop," he told the multi-generation but sparse congregation, calling for unity among all Iraqis, without explicitly referring to deadly fighting in the Sunni bastion of Fallujah, west of Baghdad.
Battles which started seven days ago between Iraqi insurgents and US troops in that town have killed more than 400 people and wounded 1,000.
Sporadic gunfire marred a truce declared Sunday in the town and hostile fire brought down a US Apache helicopter gunship.
The church's parish priest, Father Butros Haddad, condemned the loss of life in Fallujah and described the situation as horrible and very sad.
"Our church collected money to buy medicines and supplies for the people living in the town, but we don't have the means to transport the aid," he told AFP, bemoaning the rampant insecurity across Iraq.
Faez Thomas, a 40-year-old electrician, was forthright in his views. His deep-seated fear is the possible emergence of an Islamist government.
"The ascendancy of (radical Shiite cleric) Moqtada Sadr is very dangerous for everyone, Christians as well as Muslims," he said.
"Christians are leaving the country and the majority of them are thinking about emigrating," he said. "Don't forget, the Christian community in Iraq has only one desire: to live in peace".
"If an Islamic Republic emerges, the church must organise a mass departure of Christians," he said.
Asked about the risks of Sadr taking power, Noel Farman Sanaty, deputy editor of a Christian magazine, pointed out that historically, Muslims and Christians have got on well together in Iraq.
"The current crisis is primarily being stirred up by foreigners. We must wait and see if the situation subsides or not," he said.
In his mind, Christians are fixing their hopes on June 30, when the ruling US-led coalition has promised to hand over sovereignty to Iraqis.
"We need to believe in miracles," he said, putting the smaller than normal Easter congregation down to insecurity in Baghdad.
All the shops in Karrada were shut.
He said that Christians fully supported the general strike called by Muslims and effective since Saturday, to denounce the plight of civilians trapped in Fallujah by the US offensive.
The Chaldean Church, is an eastern church linked to the Vatican (news - web sites). It numbers about 700,000 members in Iraq, with smaller communities in Australia, Canada, Egypt, France, India, Iran, Lebanon, Syria the United States. "