 Writing for the Palestinian daily Al-Ayyam Palestinian Muslim columnist, `Abd Al-Nasser Al-Najjar, has warned that the expulsion of Christians and the attempt to denounce them as "infidels" was causing great damage to the Arab culture, of which Christians are an essential and original part.
Christians in the Middle East have been facing much discrimination, harassment and persecution in recent years, and very often the perpetrators are members of the Muslim majority. The number of Christians in the Middle East has been declining for decades, and there is fear that in some countries such as Iraq, there is a real push to drive out the whole Christian community. Christians are being persecuted not only in Iraq, but in most Arab countries, regardless of their numbers there. They are subjected to every possible kind of discrimination, as well as expulsion.
Writing for the Palestinian daily Al-Ayyam Palestinian Muslim columnist, `Abd Al-Nasser Al-Najjar, has warned that the expulsion of Christians and the attempt to denounce them as "infidels" was causing great damage to the Arab culture, of which Christians are an essential and original part. In his article he criticised the fact that no one dared to come to the help of persecuted Christian minorities in the Middle East and he condemned the unwillingness of Arab intellectuals, the elite, non-government organisations and leaders of the private sector to act on behalf of Christians.
"In Iraq the U.S. occupation, sought to impregnate Iraq with the seed of democracy. But the resulting foetus emerged deformed and weird. The worst outcome of this situation is the carnage against ethnic communities that has swept through Iraq. Neither Sunnis, nor Shi`ites, nor Christians, nor Kurds, nor Turkmen, nor members of other groups have managed to escape it. The problem is that is that neither Arab officials, intellectuals, the elites, non-government organizations, and leaders of the private sector. comprehend the danger with which these crimes are fraught."
Statistics show that in 2005 the number of Christians in Iraq was as high as 800,000. By early 2008, it had dropped by half, indicating that 50 percent of Iraqi Christians had been expelled from their homes and lands. "Today, this problem is also rampant in Egypt, Lebanon, Algeria, and Palestine - and while the situation may be slightly different in Palestine, the trend is the same. Let us be honest with ourselves and courageously say out loud that Palestinian Christians are taking many severe blows, yet are suffering in silence so as not to attract attention.
"What makes things worse is that those who are plundering the Christians` property are either powerful in their own right or are backed by high-ranking military officials or influential members of large clans. Attempts by the political leadership to partially rectify this situation have failed. Nor has the judiciary system been able to resolve many of the problems. Over the past few years, several Christians have told me of the harm they have suffered, including even death threats, for trying to gain access to their lands after they were taken over by influential Bethlehem residents.
Furthermore, there has been an attempt to marginalize Christian culture in Palestine, even though it is rich and deeply rooted there. This began with accusations of unbelief against Christians. Despite all the injustices against the Christians, no one, Government or otherwise has initiated constructive action to curb it and to defend the Christians` rights. Such action should have been forthcoming not out of kindness and compassion, but due to regarding Palestinian Christians as indigenous to this land, and therefore no different from us, with the same rights and obligations as Muslims.
"But the most fundamental problem here may be related to culture. We continue to instil a horrific culture in our children, one that sees Christians as infidels. We need an injection of human and national awakening; we must raise an outcry and stand up to restore the Christians` rights, of which they have been deprived - and we must do this in order to preserve the demographic balance, which will safeguard the unity of our homeland and the justness of the Palestinian cause."
Used by Permission the Australian Prayer Network http://www.ausprayernet.org.au/ Source: Barnabus Fund
|
