wfn.org | MECC STATEMENT ON IRAQI CHRISTIANS IN MOUSEL

[mecc <mecc@cyberia.net.lb>]

At the witness of the latest tragic exodus of Christian families from Mousel
city of Iraq early October 2008, the MECC General Secretary issued a
statement condemning the violent act against Christians in Mousel city which
lead to the displacement of more than 2000 families in the surrounding towns
and villages. Families were forced to leave their homes immediately after
being threatened to death by armed insurgents. People had to take refuge in
churches, monasteries, schools and hosting families in the surrounding
neighborhood of the city. Some were able to take refuge in Syria as well.
The violence against Christians has led to the shooting death of several
individuals among them elderly people, and burning houses which belongs to
Christians. Five years ago, the city of Mousel had almost (200.000)
Christian inhabitants; now there are less than (90.000). Several Church
leaders in the Middle East issued statements condemning the attack against
Christians in Mousel which alarms the racial cleansing of people and
stressing the importance of preserving the coexistence situation in Iraq.
The MECC statement is annexed to this news

>Middle East Council of Churches
>Office of International Ecumenical Relations
>P.O. Box 5376, Beirut, Lebanon

Guirgis Ibrahim Saleh, General Secretary

mecc@cyberia.net.lb or guirgissaleh@cyberia.net.lb

>+961-1-353-938
>http://www.mec-churches.org/