urgent matter: we must take action

this is an urgent matter, and we must take action: please read the article and spread to as many people as possible...if you have any connections to the media I would appreciate your help.



thanks,

Nancy B.





Date:

Fri, 5 Nov 2004 12:11:25 -0600 (CST)

From:

news-noreply@aina.org

To:

"AINADLRECLOC=3423"

Subject:

AINA: Barnabus Fund Issues Urgent Appeal on Behalf of Iraq's Assyrians

Barnabus Fund Issues Urgent Appeal on Behalf of Iraq's Assyrians

11-5-2004, 10:50:18

www.aina.org

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(AINA) -- The Barnabus Fund, an organization that assists persecuted

Christian minorities by prayer and practical support, has issued an

urgent appeal

(http://www.barnabasfund.org/News/Archive/Iraq/Iraq-20041103.htm) on

behalf of the Christians of Iraq:

The Christian community in northern Iraq is facing ever mounting

intimidation and violence. Since the beginning of the Muslim fasting month of

Ramadan (15th October) the situation has escalated, with the apparent

aim of forcing the Christians out of their homeland. Tens of thousands

are fleeing. International media reported the first incident, when

explosions occurred at five churches in Baghdad just after 4.00 a.m. on

Saturday 16th October (2nd Ramadan). But the other threats and attacks on

Christians go largely unreported. Photographs of three senior bishops in

Mosul are being circulated around, with the message that they are

agents of the USA, infidels, and action must be taken against them. The

church leaders serving the Christian community of Karakush, Mosul, have

received two letters from the Islamic militants. The first ordered them to

allow Christian women to marry Muslim men (which in Muslim eyes means

the women effectively convert to Islam). This, said the letter, would

enable the women to be "blessed" and "purified" by their marriages.

The second letter to church leaders, received yesterday 2nd November,

announced the militants' intention of killing one person in every

Christian family, as a punishment for the women not covering their heads and

not going to university. This follows up pressure and threats from

Islamic extremists against all women in Mosul, requiring them to cover

their head with the hijab (Islamic headscarf). A Christian woman was killed

around 26th October for having her head uncovered. Two other Christian

women who were seen bareheaded in a market had nitric acid squirted in

their faces. Specific threats about the clothing of female students at

Mosul University have so frightened the Christians that an estimated

1,500 Christian women have stopped attending their classes.

Islamic militants are knocking on the doors of Christian homes in

Mosul, demanding money. They argue that since the Christians do not

contribute weapons and do not fight, they must make a financial donation

instead. This follows exactly the model of classical Islam, whereby

Christians and Jews were excluded from fighting for the Islamic state but

instead required to pay a special tax ? jizya ? to cover the costs of their

protection.

Leaflets are being distributed with the message: "Christians go; leave

Iraq." Word is being passed around in the mosques, telling Muslims not

to buy anything from the Christians. Not only are they infidels, it is

said, but also they will soon be leaving, so the Muslims will be able

to take their homes and property for free. PRAY

* In this grave situation, the Christians in Iraq beg for the

prayers of their Christian brothers and sisters elsewhere. Ask the Lord to

protect them from those who would harm them, and to fill their hearts

with faith and hope.

* Please also write to your MP (or other local political

representative) asking them to raise the suffering of Christians in Iraq as a

matter of utmost urgency with the Foreign Secretary (or equivalent in your

country) and call for their immediate intervention to protect Iraqi

Christians. Please also write to the US embassy in your country urging a

similar course of action.

* Barnabas Fund will shortly be sending out a lobbying request

through its Rapid Lobbying Network with further information about writing

to MPs and others. Please contact Barnabas Fund if you would like to

receive this.

The Barnabas Fund

The Old Rectory

River Street, PEWSEY

Wiltshire, SN9 5DB

UK

Tel 01672 564938, Fax 01672 565030

E-mail info@barnabasfund.org

www.barnabasfund.org

http://www.aina.org/news/20041104150200.htm

Copyright (C) 2004, Assyrian International News Agency. All Rights

Reserved.

My article in The Emory Wheel about the war in Iraq

I wrote this article because I wanted people to really know how the Iraqi people felt about the war in Iraq and their liberation from the murderer Saddam...I hope by publishing it here more people across the globe will get to read it rather than being restricted to the Emory University community here in Atlanta, GA...enjoy and I look forward to reading your comments!!!

An Iraqi's perspecctive on the war and its aftermath
By Nancy
March 19, 2004

These days, telling people I am from Iraq is a major thing that is followed by a flood of questions due to what is currently happening in my country — but that does not bother me at all. On the contrary, I usually welcome questions about my country and how I, as well as other Iraqis, feel about what is happening in our land. I welcome these questions because I want people to hear the Iraqi perspective from someone who has lived in Iraq under the former regime, and witnessed its horrific crimes. There are a lot of people who think they know what the Iraqis want, specifically those from the Middle East region. They think they are entitled to speak for the Iraqis because of their “brotherhood” ties with Iraq, so they express their opinions and views as being those of the Iraqi people when in fact they are the complete opposite.
The war declared against the bloody former regime of Saddam Hussein was the only way to end the Iraqi people’s long years of suffering, and the best decision that President Bush made.
War is a horrible event that causes tremendous destruction to our world and should be avoided when unnecessary. However, in very rare cases war must be initiated in order to establish peace and free an oppressed people. This was the case in Iraq.
The Iraqi people have been suffering under the former regime for 30 years. The crimes committed by Saddam and his gang are countless, ranging from kidnapping daughters from their parents and raping them to killing innocent youth in front of their families. And these are the “small” crimes — what about the eight years of war with Iran, where many young men were conscripted into the military and forced to fight? These unfortunate soldiers fought for an unknown cause; in the end, only to have their remains brought back to their families in body bags. What about Gulf War I, when a neighboring country was invaded for a stupid, invalid excuse? Again, this led to the death of many more Iraqis who did not even have the chance to breathe before being thrown into yet another hell.
Furthermore, we should not forget the most challenging years that the Iraqis had to endure: the 13 years under economic sanctions that only made Saddam more powerful and the Iraqis even weaker (which was not the goal that the sanctions were supposed to achieve). Saddam’s crimes continued to reach so far as to use the oil-for-food program to enhance his military and further oppress the people of Iraq.
All of this was going on while the rest of the world was sitting idle and watching. It was about time someone stood up and fought this dictator, and who was better for the job than the most powerful nation in the world, the United States?
Why should the United States fight for the Iraqis, you ask? The answer is simple. The United States was the reason Saddam Hussein became so powerful in the first place. It was the United States that supported him during the Iran-Iraq war, constantly providing him with weapons. Similarly, it was the United States that promised support to the big uprising formed by the Iraqis after Gulf War I, only to abandon them in the end to be crushed into pieces by Saddam’s gang.
The Iraqis waited patiently for a long time for this nightmare to be over, which is why, when the war was on the horizon almost a year ago, the majority of the Iraqi people supported it. Iraqis were awaiting the long-sought dream of when Saddam was caught and Iraq was free. The Iraqis welcomed their American liberators with open arms because they realized it was the only solution to end their suffering.
For the first time in a very long time, the interests of the Iraqi people collided with the interests of the United States. I believe that this can lead to great outcomes on both sides.
In addition, the United States’ presence in Iraq is also welcomed because it will assist in rebuilding Iraq, not only structurally, but in all other aspects of life. The United States will help teach the meaning of democracy to generations of Iraqis that have been brainwashed by the former regime and isolated from the entire world.
However, unlike what many people expect, this will not be an overnight change. It is impossible to turn a country that has been under destruction for 30 years, including three major wars, around in just a few months. People who think this is possible are obviously very naïve or trying to fool themselves. Rebuilding Iraq will be a slow, gradual process that will take years, but it will definitely happen. In fact, small changes in all areas of life can already be seen, and I know this from talking to family members who are still in Iraq.
Iraq will go back to its glory days, and the Iraqi people will again have the opportunity to live peacefully without the destruction of wars. Until then, we Iraqis want and need the United States presence in Iraq — we do not wish to be abandoned again. In short, the majorities of Iraqis supported this war and were ecstatic to see that monster being pulled out of his “rat hole” and humiliated.
I would also like to take this opportunity to say to all those who loved Saddam — specifically our neighboring “brothers” who were getting their pockets filled with the Iraqi people’s resources — thanks for doing nothing. All this time, you were watching the Iraqis getting slaughtered by the thousands while doing nothing. You watched us starve and die due to lack of medication and you did nothing. But when it was time to liberate us, you went out on protests, claimed that you were on our side, and misrepresented our viewpoint to the world. Congratulations! Your “hero” turned out to be a coward who lost the fight without a fight. Saddam Hussein lost and is gone forever. Despite all your efforts to stop us, we will rebuild Iraq, and it will turn into a democracy where peace and justice will fill people’s lives instead of violence and hatred.
—Nancy is a College sophomore from Baghdad.