Iraq Forms Committee to Address Christian Persecution
- Updated Aug 26, 2015
Persecution against Iraqi Christians will finally be addressed with the creation of a committee that will work to end human rights abuses against them.
Iraqi Prime Minister Haydar al-Abadi has authorized the establishment of the committee, according to Christian Today.
In 2003, there were around 1.5 million Christians living in Iraq. Currently, there are thought to be less than 200,000.
This drastic drop in the number of Christians who live in Iraq is due in large part to the abuses they have experienced for their faith at the hands of the Islamic State.
NGO Baghdad Beituna [Baghdad Our Home] estimates that there have been more than 7,000 violations against Christians since 2003, including kidnappings, theft, and murders.
Last month, leaders of the Chaldean Patriarchate called for tighter security measures from the government to protect Iraq’s Christians.
Part of the statement they released said, “Christians are indigenous citizens, and everyone praises their morality, their patriotism, and their roots in this country. For hundreds and hundreds of years they have contributed to its civilization and culture.”
Imad Youkhana, a member of Iraq’s parliament, is also calling for more to be done to address the kidnappings of Christians in Iraq, stating that the threat to Iraq’s Christian population is threatening the country’s unity.
Photo courtesy: pixabay.com
Publication date: August 26, 2015
