Christians of Iraq

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Updated list of Opression and Murders of the Assyrians in Iraq News not reported by the International Press

'We Don't Want a Proxy War in Lebanon:' Cardinal Sfeir More and more Christians are leaving Lebanon. Cardinal Nasrallah Sfeir, patriarch of the Maronite church in Lebanon, spoke to SPIEGEL ONLINE about the on-going Christian exodus, the future of Hezbollah and the influence of Iran and Syria on his country. SPIEGEL ONLINE: Your Highness, what are you most worried about at the moment? Sfeir: The progressive devastation of our country. And the growing outward migration of Christians, who are not returning to Lebanon. We held out in the Arab world for 2,000 years, but now things are going downhill at a rapid pace. The current crisis is dramatically amplifying this tendency. SPIEGEL ONLINE: But Christians in Lebanon don't speak unanimously. For example, General Michel Aoun -- possibly Lebanon's next president -- has forged an alliance with Hezbollah. Sfeir: Yes. Unfortuantely there are also some Christians who make arrangements with Hezbollah -- if only for tactical reasons. It may be unlikely, but if Hezbollah should one day take power in Lebanon, the Christians will leave the country in droves. SPIEGEL ONLINE: Does Hezbollah still have a right to exist after this war? Sfeir: I support Prime Minister Siniora's peace plan, which calls for the disarmament of all Shiite militias. As soon as a cease-fire with Israel takes effect, as soon as the two sides exchange prisoners and the Shebaa Farms are returned to Lebanon, Hezbollah will no longer have the right to maintain an army. Hezbollah has become a state within a state, with help from Iran. That's not something we can continue to accept after the war. SPIEGEL ONLINE: It's common knowledge that Iran takes a different view. Sfeir: What does Lebanon have to do with Iran's problems? Our country mustn't serve as the one that makes it territory available as a proxy rallying ground and battleground for other states. Neither the conflict over Iran's nuclear program nor any other Iranian issues concern us Lebanese. Iran is a foreign country to us. All Lebanese should take this view. SPIEGEL ONLINE: Please describe your relationship to Syria for us. Sfeir: What is true for Iran is also true for Syria. We refuse to tolerate proxy wars on Lebanese territory. The Syrian Golan Heights are as lifeless as a cemetery. So why should a struggle for the restitution of the Golan Heights be fought out in Lebanon of all places? We want orderly relations with Syria. That means Damascus must accept the demarcation of the Syrian-Lebanese border and release our prisoners. But today the greatest danger isn't coming from Syria, but from Iran. Iran is shipping weapons of all kinds into Lebanon, including rockets, and most of all a lot of money. How can an independent state be expected to tolerate that? SPIEGEL ONLINE: Your Highness, you yourself come from the Palestinian territories. Hezbollah has always declared itself to be fighting for the "liberation" of Jerusalem. What responsibility does Lebanon have towards the Palestinians? Sfeir: Of course we wish for the Palestinians to have their own state on their home territory, just like we Lebanese have our own state. The Israeli occupation must end. But the struggle for Palestine cannot be fought from Lebanon, the smallest and weakest state in the Arab world. SPIEGEL ONLINE: When will Israel and Lebanon live in peace? Sfeir: We won't follow the example of Egypt and Jordan. We can make peace with Israel only when all other Arab states have signed a peace treaty with Israel too. Interview conducted by Daniel Steinvorth and Volkhard Windfuhr SPIEGEL ONLINE     ----     ----

Who are the Christians of Iraq?  August = Tubbakh 'We Don't Want a Proxy War in Lebanon:' Cardinal Sfeir August 10, 06 Go-ahead for dam that will drown history August 9, 06 750,000 Christians Caught in Middle East Crossfire August 8, 06 Arabist Indoctrination At Middlebury College August 8, 06 Middle-Eastern conference: from worship to ‘reunion’ August 8, 06 Hezbollah Uses Christian Villages As Shields in Missile Attacks August 7, 06 Family Pays Ransom in Iraqi Kidnapping August 7, 06 Johanns meets with Iraqi leaders to help rebuild agriculture August 6, 06 Half of all Christians have fled Iraq since 2003, says Baghdad bishop August 4, 06 Christian Persecution Groups Express Concerns for Mideast Believers August 3, 06 Assyrians and Australians will honour Captain Savige for his world war one help August 3, 06 Nuri Kino Wins Swedish Award of: good role model for the youth Aug 1, 06 July = Tammuz Let them Rape and Kill Christian Women, says Speaker of the Iraqi Parliament July 31, 06 Aramaic-English Bible Translation Draws Criticism July 27, 06 Iran bans Da Vinci Code book after 8 editions July 27, 06 Everyone has a Guardian Angel July 26, 06 Ancient Urartian inscription disappears in Iran July 26, 06 Alum to head Mooreland Hill July 24, 06 The End of Christianity in Iraq July 24, 06 Why Can't A Christian Be More Like A Muslim? July 22, 2006 Residents of the Dora are told to Evacuate their homes July 21, 2006 Iraqis watch with sadness July 21, 2006 Turkey Signals It's Prepared to Enter Iraq July 19, 06 Iraqi Christians Flee Fighting July 19, 06 IRAQ AND THE KURDS: THE BREWING BATTLE OVER KIRKUK July 19, 06 Minister who learnt to manage the impossible at Baghdad July 14, 06 The Endeavour Programme July 13, 06 Sackler Gallery cancels exhibition of Iraqi gold July 10, 06 Students onto a winning football score July 9, 06 Three years after invasion, Iraqis now living in San Diego County differ in views of war July 9, 06 Kurdish Militia, Iraqi Police Terrorizing Assyrians in North Iraq July 6, 06 Kurdish Regional Government Needs Lessons in Democracy July 5, 06 An open letter to His Holiness Mor Zakka Iwaz July 3, 06 Writing Competition 2006 July 3, 06 USCIRF Testifies to Killing, Harassment of Mid east Christians July 2, 06 ‘Seyfo’ Monument Design Competition July 2, 06 June = Khzeeran Text of Rosie Malek-Yonan's testimony before the House Committee on International Relations June 30, 06 UK Assyrians Honour British MP June 30, 06 The forgotten Assyrian Christians of Mesopotamia June 28, 06 The Assyrian Empire revisited in China June 30, 06 Rosie Malek Yonan will Testify about Genocide before a Congressional Committee June 29, 06 The Plight of the Assyrians of Iraq June 28, 06 Living in the Grave Yard June 28, 06 Yes! Ashur Yousif is Dead but he Speaks June 26, 06 More Threats Against Basrawi Christians June 25, 06 Kurds Block Assyrians, Shabaks From Police Force in North Iraq June 18, 06 Iraqi Catholics in U.S. See Continuing Challenges in Their Homeland June 18, 06 Assyrian University Students Beaten By Iraqi Police June 18, 06 Assyrian leaders meet with Laura Bush June 17, 06 Assyrians in the World War I Treaties: Paris, Sèvres, and Lausanne June 16, 06 Iraqi Christians In Saskatoon Canada Want Peace in Their Homeland June 14, 06 Priceless Assyrian Relics Used for Target Practice June 14, 06 Kurd's Plan to Change the Demographics of Northern Iraq in their Favour June 14, 06 Questions assyrians would like to ask Turkey June 14, 06 Iraq's Minority Communities Look Abroad for Asylum June 13, 06 Assyrians Demonstrate in Washington, D.C.  June 12, 06 Turkey turns the confiscated church into a pornographic movie theatre June 12, 06 Continuing Persecution Renews Calls for Assyrian Safe-Haven in Iraq June 9. 06 Assyrian Demonstrations in Washington D.C. June 8, 06 Safety Zone Could Be the Answer for Iraq's Endangered Peoples June 8, 06 Assyrian Christians Object to Exclusion in Iraq Homeland June 07, 06 Welsh Members of UK Parliament Recognize the Armenian and Assyrian Genocide June 6, 06 Violence against the Assyrians in Iraq updated  June 4, 06  New Book Release by Sargon Donabed June, 2, 06  The European MP letter to the Syrian Embassy June 1, 06 Asking for Equal rights is considered racist by the Kurdish Regional Government June 1, 06   Archives March April May January- February 06