ICC Note: For the thousands of Syrian and Iraqi Christians who have fled their homelands into Lebanon and other surrounding areas of the region daily survival is dependent on aid from others. As the conflict enters its fifth year refugees are continuing to raise their voice to call for greater assistance from the Lebanese government to assist them in staying in homes and off the streets.
03/17/2015 Lebanon (Fox News) Syrian and Iraqi Christians pleaded for more international assistance Tuesday from new homes in Lebanon where they recently arrived after fleeing attack by militants from the Islamic State group.
They spoke in two Beirut churches where they lined up to receive food baskets and other humanitarian assistance from a non-profit organization called In Defense of Christians (IDC), whose mission is to protect Christians in the Middle East.
“We used to live like kings in our land, our sons had free education; we had everything. Look at me now,” cried a small, middle aged woman from Tel Nasri, a predominantly Assyrian village in Syria’s northeastern Hassakeh province, standing on the side of a road with two new mattresses and a food basket she had just collected.
IS overran a cluster of Assyrian villages in Hassakeh last month, taking at least 220 Christians hostage. Around 25 have been released since, but the fate of the remaining captives is unclear.
The militants who control about a third of Iraq and Syria have also targeted cultural heritage sites in territories they control in northern Iraq, looting and damaging the ancient city of Hatra and bulldozing the historic city of Nimrud as well as other important sites from the once-mighty Assyrian Empire.
The woman from Tel Nasri, who spoke on condition of anonymity for security reasons, said she fled to Lebanon last week with her two children, leaving behind her husband to guard the house. “I ask for nothing except for Lebanese authorities to help us with the rent,” she said.
…
