WCC NEWS: Iraqi church leaders call for atmosphere of security in Iraq

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World Council of Churches - News

IRAQI CHURCH LEADERS CALL FOR ATMOSPHERE OF SECURITY IN IRAQ

For immediate release: 18 February 2011

Several key leaders of the Christian churches in Iraq met with
international church leaders, including members of the World Council of
Churches Central Committee, in Geneva this week about the ongoing
situation in Iraq.

The Iraqi group, which included a patriarch and four archbishops, spoke not
just about recent violence against Christians, such as the October 2010
shootings and suicide bombings at the Syrian Catholic Church of Our Lady
of Salvation (Sayidat al-Nejat) in Baghdad, but the continuing violence
against all people in Iraq.

They also addressed the increasing absence of security within the country
and immigration, which is causing a refugee problem.

In a public hearing held during the Central Committee meetings, the Iraqi
leaders emphasized the importance of “creating an atmosphere of security
for all citizens” in Iraq.

By coming to the World Council of Churches (WCC) the group hoped to share
their story and encourage the churches around the world to engage in
advocating with their governments to “work to empower the role of the
state to secure rights for all no matter their religious and ethnic
background and according to the constitution.”

The visit, which put the Iraqi church leaders in direct contact with
representatives from more than 150 churches, came as one of the follow-up
steps to a visit of WCC staff to Iraq in December 2010.

It also offered the opportunity for the WCC Central Committee members to
express their concern and support for all Iraqis as they work toward the
alleviation of the difficulties people face there.

“Christians in Iraq represent one of the most ancient and durable
communities in the world,” WCC general secretary Rev. Dr Olav Fykse
Tveit, said. “Along with all Iraqis they are being severely stressed and
threatened in present circumstances, so we are anxious to express our
ecumenical solidarity with the women and men there and to work with
churches and others to address their plight.”

“The only hope is to bring back hope,” said Archbishop Mar Georgis
Sliwa, Metropolitan of the Iraq Diocese of the Holy Apostolic Catholic
Assyrian Church of the East. “Despite the difficulties we are still
hopeful because we are Christians and we love our country.”

Sliwa longs for people who have left to return in time, yet he recognized
that “the urgency now is for those who still live in Iraq.”

The most urgent needs, he said, were for security, the need for
“investigating the real reasons” behind the violence that is being
perpetrated against all Iraqis, and the need to “work to empower the
role of the state” to secure rights and the security of the people, no
matter their religion and ethnicity.

“Once back to normal life,” he said, “they will be able to implement
development projects and provide investment.”

The churches in Iraq remain active although under stress, the leaders said.
“We have parishes that have completely gone, and all churches have
experienced decline in the number of worshipers,” said Archbishop Dr
Avak Asadourian, the Primate of the Diocese of Iraq of the Armenian
Orthodox Church and general secretary of the Council of Christian Church
Leaders in Iraq. “If this continues for some time I am afraid our
churches will be in peril.”

The Council of Christian Church Leaders in Iraq was formed in early 2009 as
a way to bring the churches of Iraq together for support, advocating for
security and development of the ecumenical life in Iraq.

Asadourian also talked about how the church community remains fully active
in the diaconal work of the church, providing food and lodging for people
suffering from economic hardship.

Women’s groups from within the church “are very active and members of
advocacy groups,” he said, describing how the women “visit different
homes to see how families are living and what their needs are.”

Still, he said, “the need is very sharp and whatever we give them is not
enough sometimes,” he said.

The Iraq delegation included Patriarch Mar Addai II, Catholicos of the
Ancient Church of the East (Bagdad);  Archbishop Avak Asadourian, Primate
of the Iraq Diocese of the Armenian Orthodox Church and general secretary
of the Council of Christian Church Leaders in Iraq; and Archbishop Mar
Georgis Sliwa, Metropolitan of the Iraq Diocese of the Holy Apostolic
Catholic Assyrian Church of the East;  (Link:  )Archbishop Mar
Severius Hawa, Metropolitan of the Baghdad Diocese of the Syrian Orthodox
Church; Rev. Fr Nadheer Dako of the Chaldean Church; and Rev. Elder Yousif
Jamil Al-Saka, of the Presbyterian Church of Baghdad.

More information on the Central Committee meeting (Link:
http://www.oikoumene.org/index.php?RDCT=5c9f67a737d3843f11ca )

Photos of the meeting (Link:
http://www.oikoumene.org/index.php?RDCT=32e57669a907769ac127 )

Read also: WCC condemns attack on church in Iraq (Link:
http://www.oikoumene.org/index.php?RDCT=2dd8d72325071cc6c509
) (1 November 2010)


The World Council of Churches promotes Christian unity in faith, witness 
and service for a just and peaceful world. An ecumenical fellowship of 
churches founded in 1948, today the WCC brings together 349 Protestant, 
Orthodox, Anglican and other churches representing more than 560 million 
Christians in over 110 countries, and works cooperatively with the Roman 
Catholic Church. The WCC general secretary is Rev. Dr Olav Fykse Tveit, 
from the [Lutheran] Church of Norway. Headquarters: Geneva, Switzerland.



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