Showing posts with label standing with our brothers and sisters. Show all posts
Showing posts with label standing with our brothers and sisters. Show all posts

Monday, 28 July 2014

Mosul - An issue of ethic cleansing?

I've been asked whether the title to this blog should have the word 'ethnic' rather than 'ethic' and I have to respond that the use of the word 'ethic' is both right and fitting.

The noise generated by Israel and the Palestinian conflict and the downing of MH17 in Ukraine have conspired to assist the governments of the world, and us the punters, to put aside what should have been a measure of outrage at this obvious breach of human rights.

I would have expected people to engage in thinking ethically and defending what is right stand up and denounce that which is clearly wrong - and yet what do I see?

 Not a lot!

Ethic cleansing at its very best :-(

Take a look at this piece from the Assyrian International News Agency and tell me whether you're still sitting comfortably after it:

The last Christian reportedly left Iraq’s second largest city of Mosul at 12:00pm on Saturday, ending over 6,000 years of Assyrian history in the city.

Assyrians have lived in Mosul for over 6,000 years, converting to Christianity over 2,000 years ago. This all came to an end on Saturday, when the last Assyrian Christian left the city. On Thursday, July 17th, the Islamic State (IS) – formerly the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS) – released a statement demanding the Christians in Mosul either to convert to Islam, paying the jizya (tax on non-Muslims), leave the city, or be killed.

The threat was to be implemented on Saturday. It is being reported locally that by noon yesterday, every Christian had chosen to leave.

 Here in Erbil, about an hour an half [sic] away from Mosul by car, I have spoken with families who were forced to flee. They describe how ISIS invaded their homes, taking whatever they wanted, and threatening to kill them.

The estimates are that over 500,000 refugees have fled Mosul after Islamists took control on June 10th, and the few remaining Christians left yesterday.


Everyone I have spoken with has expressed their frustration with the international community’s lack of response to the crisis facing the people of Iraq (I'd call this a failure in ethics - wouldn't you?)

They blamed the United States for creating the current situation and for leaving the country so quickly and so creating the vacuum for IS to exploit. 

Many also think that it was a serious mistake for the U.S. to “give Iraq to Iran,” allowing Tehran to have a major influence in the Iraqi Parliament.

Another local told me he thought it was strange and nonsensical that the U.S. and European countries were opposed to IS in Iraq, but supporting IS groups in Syria and other violent groups against local governments. They warned of the danger such groups pose to the West. “These jihadists will eventually go home to their countries, to Canada, England and the U.S.” said one.

Please pass this information on and contact the press, the politicians and as many church members (and leaders) as you can. This needs to be noted, prayed about and acted upon politically too!

Emphasis in bold is mine


Pax