Iraq : Christians Facing a Fearful Christmas?
ICC Note
Iraqi Christians fear that extremists may step up their persecution during this Christmas season. Please pray for your Iraqi brothers and sisters.
12/19/2008 Iraq (Answer For The Faith)-Christians still living in Iraq are hunkered down and secretly and privately preparing for Christmas. Those in Mosul are particularly fearful that radical Muslims may choose to make a point at their expense during the Christmas season. Christianity Today has a fine article with a good summary on what Christians have endured during the last several years and Christmases in Iraq . There has been very little protection for Christians in that country.
Recently, The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) recommended to the US State Department that Iraq should be designated as one of its “countries of particular concern” (CPCs), a category reserved for governments that have “engaged in or tolerated particularly severe violations of religious freedom.” USCIRF Chair Felice Gaer noted to reporters:
“ongoing, severe abuses of religious freedom [in the country] and the Iraqi government’s toleration of these abuses, particularly abuses against Iraq’s smallest, most vulnerable religious minorities. The lack of effective government action to protect these communities from abuses has established Iraq among the most dangerous places on earth for religious minorities.”
