Arabonline-Mosul:

Translated by Aziz Emmanuel Zebari

Tthe conditions of the Christians in Mosul  400km to the north of Baghdad do not seem to be tranquil despite the security measures taken by the Iraqi authorities to help maintain security and stability in the city that has been witnessing acts of violence and terror on a daily basis.

This is viewed by the opponents of the Iraqi prime minister Noori al-Maliki as an area where he has failed to maintain security and protect the Iraqi society from the sectarian and ethinc disputes that have mounted at a level that seriously threatens the unity of this multi- ethnic, sectarian and religious society.

“ the scenario of targeting Christians in the city is still going on side by side with the series of daily violence in the city despite the security measures taken that include the deployment of all kinds of security groups in addition to the special intelligence potential”, said brigadier Ahmed al-Juboori, the director general of police in Mosul in a statement to the Genrma News Agency DBA.

“ the operations leadership has recorded the killing of 69 Christian citizens between 2005-2011 most of them students of universities and institutes, clergymen, women, employees and housewives. In 2012, un-mounted armed men killed a Christian and his wife  and a 4 year old child was injured to mark the last targeting of Christians in the beginning of last March”, he added.

About 750 000 Christians live in Mosul of whom 70% represent Chaldeans, while the remaining 30%  represent the Syriac orthodox, Syriac catholic and Assyrians”, he added.

This figure, however, has shrunk due to the escalation of the acts of violence following  2003.

“ About 5000 families have fled the city of Mosul heading to the Plain of Nineveh, especially to the District of Hamdaniya, Elqush, Baghdede where they settled and refuse to return back to the city due to the security situation”, said the director of Immigration and Displacement, Khdhayir Sa’aeed.

“ there is concern that Christian families will continue to flee the city of Mosul and that here is no media to cover the crimes that happen in Mosul on a daily basis”, said Maha Qiryaqus, head of al-Amal Society for Christian Rgihts.

“ the targeting of the Christians is still going and the security forces are required to contain the situation and confront these circumstances”, she added. 

“ Christians are the owners of land and the indigenous people, and have no problems with Arabs or Kurds, nor do they have ambitions other than to live in security and gain their rights on equal footing with all the other Iraqis”, said 54 year-old Father Toma Wa’ad. 

“ the local authority in Mosul bears the responsibility for what is happening to Christians and we have got to be distanced from the struggles and tensions the city witnesses among the political factions”, he added.

He also said: “ we Christians have always  sought to help solve the big problems pending between Kurds and Arabs, Sheite and Sunni and even now we try to help with solving the problems and please all parties, however, there is no one to care for our own interests”, he said.

“ we have fled Mosul after my son, a doctor, was killed near his clinic in al-Masarif Quarter in eastern Mosul in 2006” said Um Isho (50 years).

“ I no more think of going back to Mosul at all following the killing of my son. Besides, the security situation is not stable”, she added.