Concern over Religious Freedom as Iraq sees Mass Exodus of Christians

The number of Christians leaving Iraq has soared after a series of targeted attack on churches in August and September. According to estimates by Iraqi government and church officials, approximately 30,000 to 40,000 Christians have fled the country to places such as Jordan and Syria. In addition hundreds more families out of the 750,000 Christians in Iraq are moving out of the country each week.

Even though the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) offices in the Jordian Capital Amman and Syrian Capital Damascus commented that these figures were too high and that it was difficult to estimate the exact figures, it is clearly known that there is a serious haemorrhaging of Iraqi Christian.

The mass exodus of Iraqi Christians has drawn the concern of international mission groups. The Compass Direct, a Christian persecution news service based in the U.S.A has revealed the experiences of Iraqi Christians in their recent report. The significance behind the exodus implies the suppression of religious freedom in the country.

About 95 percent of Iraqis are Muslim, and Islam is officially the recognised state religion. Unfortunately, Muslim extremists are very active in Iraq. Conflicts between Christians and extremist Muslims therefore is a frequent occurance and threatens to destablise the society.

On 1st August, five churches were bombed, and in addition to this a car was also bombed at a Baghdad church on 10th September. Iraqi officials blamed al-Qaeda ally and Jordanian terror-mastermind Abu Musab al-Zarqawi for the attacks.

Businesses run by Christians were targeted by the extreme Muslim militants as well. Christian Businessman Sawa Eissa said, “A gang came to my shop with machine guns and forced me into a car where I remained for nine days. They wanted $200,000 from me.”

“They repeatedly hit me and poured boiling water all over my body. I was held hostage until my family paid them $50,000 to finally get me released,” he described his terrifying experience. He added that the militants were linked to renegade Shiite Muslim cleric Moqtada al-Sadr.

Jerry Dykstra from Open Door USA said continued bombings and violence in Iraq have scared believers: “Many Iraqi Christians are not going to church (and) they’re not going out of their homes because of all the violence that is going on.” He also pointed out that many Christians are going to Syria or Jordan so that they can attend a church service without fear.

Other Christians, especially well-educated ones or active members of the churches, have even claimed that they received threatening letters asking them to pay money otherwise they would be personally bombed. As a result, because most of them cannot afford to pay, they are forced to leave their country.

One Baptist woman from Baghdad said she had to wear a head-covering when going outside, simply to protect herself and her children. “When I dared to do it, people shouted at me from a passing car that I had to respect Islamic traditions in a country where Muslims are the majority,” she said.

It is observed that throughout all these persecutions, Iraqi Christians tend not to rebuke, rather they choose to flee from the country or simply compromise. Hala Hikmat, recently arrived in Syria from Baghdad explained, “The Christians are experiencing an absence of leadership. We have no leaders who are communicating our urgent needs to the authorities, so consequently each person has to take care of themselves.”

Iraqi Christians have reported to Compass Direct that they do not want to leave their country, but without the needed recognition and support of their rights, staying there is becoming an increasingly difficult proposition.

An Iraqi church leader, Noel Farman lamented that the position of Iraqi Christians is just like ‘playing cards’ that outside forces can manipulate for their own aims.

“We Iraqis of various religious and ethnic backgrounds are used to living together and enjoying good relationships, but now these relations are being exploited,” Farman explained. He attributed the tragedy to terrorism.

Farman continued, “Christians in Iraq are becoming more and more of a minority, and they are being sacrificed for the sake of the war against terrorism taking place on the battlefield of Iraq.”

The decreasing number of Christians in Iraq is expected to persist as long as hostilities are maintained in the country. According to the national census, the number of Christian dropped from 1.4 million to one million between 1987-2003.

Nevertheless, in the eyes of missionaries, Iraq is still very hopeful. Jerry Dykstra from Open Door USA reported, “Some of our training seminars have been postponed, however Open Doors is still active in Iraq, (we’re) sending Christian literature into Iraq, especially for children and youth and opening a Christian centre in Baghdad. The ministry is going on and lives are being changed.”