Saturday, December 25, 2010

Iraq: Pluralism Starts At the Top
Before Saddam Hussein's Baathist regime came to power, and even afterward, Iraqis were rightfully proud of their tradition of religious tolerance. Christian churches of various denominations flourished, as did other venerable religious communities. Up until the 1950s and '60s, well-to-do Muslim families would not hesitate to send their children to Jesuit-run or Jewish schools. So it is devastating to realize that out of an estimated 1.4 Iraqi Christians in 2003 -- Chaldean Catholics, Assyrian Orthodox, Assyrian Church of the East, Syriac Orthodox, Armenians, and Protestants -- only about 500,000 remain in the country. The Yazidi, who preserve a pre-Christian belief system, have declined from 700,000 to 500,000. The Sabean Mandeans, pacifists devoted to John the Baptist, have had their numbers reduced from 50-60,000 to fewer than 5,000. As with other denominations, Al Qaeda has targeted Christians. The October 31 massacre of 58 worshippers in Baghdad's largest Catholic church was rightly perceived by tolerant Iraqis as an attempt to extinguish their hope of reviving an Iraq of many faiths living side-by-side in peace. Now, after squabbling for nine months over the division of power, Iraq's political factions are finally forming a government. The new government will be called on to provide basic security, deliver services, pass a fair and effective oil law, and resolve a Kurdish-Arab quarrel over the oil-rich city of Kirkuk. But to recreate an Iraq that is proud of its diversity, the new government must protect Christians and other religious minorities, include them in government, and stop their disastrous flight into exile. There are many reasons for resisting the madness of Al Qaeda, and for trying to help Iraqis build a secure and tolerant society. Preserving religious minorities in their ancient homes and places of worship is not the least of those reasons.

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