Save the Christians of Iraq
US has a moral responsibility to stop the ethnic cleansing of Iraqi
Christians who are being persecuted by the Islamic fanatics in
retaliation for the invasion of that country by the coalition forces.
A people who have survived for thousands of years in their historic homeland are suddenly in danger of extinction. Almost 200,000 Christian Assyrians have been forced to flee to Syria and Jordan living on the streets in tents with little food or clothing. So far US has done nothing to alleviate their suffering or provide protection for those who remain in Iraq. This petition asks that President George Bush take immediate action to address this major humanitarian crisis.
While conflicts between Sheites and the Sunies of Iraq are reported on daily basis the plight of the Christians of that country who have been decimated since the US invasion of Iraq has been completely ignored by the news media and the Iraqi and the coalition governments.
By some accounts more than half of the Iraqi Christians who are ethnically Assyrians, known also as Chaldeans and Syriac because of their religious affiliation have fled and are scattered as refugees in Syria, Jordan and other neighboring countries. Most tell stories of atrocities such as murder or kidnap of family members and other forms of threats and violence which forced them to flee.
So far 27 of their churches have been bombed and members of Al-Quada have moved in their neighborhoods becuase neither the Iraqi government nor the Coalition forces provide them any protection.
The Al-Quada groups have imposed a tax on the Christians called Jizya, and demand that they either support the insurgents, convert to Islam, or leave what they own and move out. The district of Dora in Baghdad has been already emptied of its Christian population.
Unless the Iraqi government or the Coalition forces provide additional protection in these neighborhoods such atrocities threaten to destroy this ancient people. Another option would be to help them move to northern Iraq where it is relatively safer.
