Declare the killing of Middle East’s Christians a genocide, Iraqi prelate urges

August 31, 2015

Speaking with three diocesan newspapers in the United States, the Chaldean Catholic archbishop of Erbil, Iraq, called for the declaration of the killing of Syrian and Iraqi Christians as a genocide.

“This is very important for us,” said Archbishop Bashar Warda. “You cannot accept this in the 21st century while everyone is watching. I would like the Americans to take responsibility.”

“Do not wait another 20 years and look back to what happened and say, ‘Well, I’m sorry that we did not do something really decisive,’” he added.

The Islamic State “is evil,” he stated. “The way they slaughter, the way they rape, the way they treat others is brutal. They have a theology of slaughtering people.”

 

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Further information:

• Iraqi archbishop reflects on persecution of Christians during visit (Criterion)
• Iraqi archbishop urges solidarity with suffering Christians in his country (Catholic Standard)
• Iraqi archbishop calls for recognition of Christian 'genocide' (Catholic Herald)