Nuncio Decries 'Endless' String of Deaths in Iraq

Baghdad, Iraq: February 25, 2010, (PCTV Newsdesk)

The long list of homicides inIraq seems endless and so much destruction of human life is horrifying, anote from the apostolic nunciature in Iraq affirmed.

The statement from the nunciature points out that Christians have oftenbeen targets, and especially the Christians of Mosul "have paid a highprice, despite their unanimously recognized peaceful life."

Eight Christians have been killed in that city in just 10 days.

"One has the impression that the reason to attack these minorities isstrictly and only their religious faith or their different ethnicmembership," the nunciature note continues. "Many Christians live in fearof staying in the territory which has seen them present for 2,000 years.

"Someone is trampling on their indisputable right to full citizenship,driving them with the force of violence to abandon their homes and flee."

The apostolic nunciature lamented that "the horror of violent andsenseless acts" would be covered up and affirmed that prayer is morenecessary than ever.

The statement declares that "urgent help is needed: Especially necessaryis that the pressure of world opinion not fall, so that all the violenceand discrimination ends immediately."

The statement suggests the the future of minorities depends oninternational attention.

"Moreover, it is hoped that the local authorities will not fail to attemptanything to guarantee the defenseless all the protection to which they areentitled, precisely in virtue of their Iraqi citizenship, which they havenever betrayed," it continues. "Christians request that they be able tolive their life in tranquility and profess their faith with total security,a basic condition of every civilization."

Archbishop Francis Assisi Chullikatt, 56, is the nuncio in Iraq. He wasappointed to the post in 2006.

News source: www.zenit.org