Iraqi Christian leaders hope for strong government that guarantees security

March 30, 2010

Iraq’s Christian leaders are expressing hope that the new government will promote stability and protect the Christian minority.

“The Christians have hopes for a stable and strong government,” said Archbishop Avak Asadourian, primate of the Armenian Orthodox Church of Iraq and secretary general of the Iraqi Council of Christian Church Leaders. “Politicians leading the country say they hope that Christians will remain in the country and continue to contribute. We ask them not to remain in good intentions, but to put them into practice through works.”

Syrian Catholic Archbishop George Casmoussa of Mosul concurred. “Given the recent political developments, we are hoping now in a strong government whose only plan is to bring peace and justice to Iraq,” he said.

“There are now five Christians in Parliament and this is a step forward from the previous Parliament, where there was only one,” he added. “But it's not enough. We encourage lay Christians to become involved in social life and engage in good politics, to support Christian values such as respect for human dignity and fundamental human freedoms.”

 

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Further information:

• Council of Christian Church Leaders: “We ask the government for peace and security” (Fides)
• Christian child killed in attack on Mosul; word of the day is “hope” (Fides)