www.byzcath.org Forums General Discussions Town Hall After fresh tragedy, Syrian Christian leader warns: ‘We could dis

After fresh tragedy, Syrian Christian leader warns: ‘We could disappear’

[Linked Image]
Archbishop Jean-Clément Jeanbart, head of the Melkite Greek Catholic Archparchy of Aleppo, vows not to let Christians disappear from Syria.



By John L. Allen Jr.
April 28, 2015
http://www.cruxnow.com/faith/2015/0...ristian-leader-warns-we-could-disappear/

While most of the world celebrated Easter 2015 with church services and family get-togethers, Christians in the Syrian city of Aleppo spent the holiday digging through rubble to locate the bodies of 15 people who died after a ferocious round of rocket bombs rained down on a Christian neighborhood.

It was merely the latest assault on Christians in the city, which has seen some of the most intense fighting between jihadists and Syrian forces.

Archbishop Jean-Clément Jeanbart, head of the Melkite Greek Catholic Archparchy of Aleppo, was on the scene immediately afterwards. Among the lost was an entire Melkite Greek family of four, crushed to death when a section of their apartment building collapsed. One of Jeanbart’s grim responsibilities was to find a suitable spot for their burial, since the cemetery used by his Church for centuries is now a battle zone ringed by snipers.

It was hardly the 72-year-old prelate’s first taste of tragedy.

In October 2012, his own priest secretary and protégé, the Rev. Imad Daher, was nearly killed when a bomb exploded near the archbishop’s residence. Daher had to be helicoptered to Beirut for the first of seven surgeries, which, among other things, cost him one of his eyes.

Not long ago, Jeanbart himself was driving to Beirut when an armed band shot out the tires of his car and forced it from the road, perhaps with the aim of either killing or kidnapping him. (Abducting Christian clergy has become a cottage industry.) Jeanbart and his driver escaped when a military convoy happened to pass by, prompting the assailants to flee.

Prior to the war, Christians were 10 percent of Syria’s population, but faced with such carnage, scores have fled. The roots of the faith in the country reach back to the age of the apostles, but today Jeanbart warns ominously, “We could disappear.”

Despite it all, Jeanbart vows he will “never stop fighting” to keep the Church alive. (The Melkite Greek church is an Eastern Catholic Church in full communion with the Holy See.)

Jeanbart sat down for an exclusive interview with Crux on April 25 during a tour of the United States sponsored by Aid to the Church in Need, a Catholic group supporting persecuted Christians. Among other topics, he discussed calls for an international military response to ISIS, charges that Christian clergy in Syria are too close to the Assad regime, and the role played by Pope Francis on the Syrian conflict.

The following are excerpts from that conversation.

Crux: How many Christians are left in Aleppo?

Jeanbart: Before the war we were around 170,000. We don’t have reliable statistics today, but we may be around 100,000, maybe less. Most [who have left] aren’t very far away, in the southern part of the country or in Lebanon. On the other hand, some have gone to Europe, Canada, the United States, Australia, Sweden, and so on. We worry about these people, because we’re not sure they’ll ever come back.

After what happened on Easter, people don’t know what to do. They’re afraid we’ll have the same scenario as Mosul. (Mosul is an Iraqi city under ISIS domination where virtually all Christians have been driven out, and where militants destroyed Christian gravesites over Easter in an effort to eradicate remaining symbols of the faith.)

How are you helping people to hold on?

We provide a monthly stipend to around 475 families, with the idea being to pay them roughly half of what their salary used to be, since for the last two years there’s been no work. We offer food baskets, we pay scholarships to allow children to go to school, we provide some money for heating costs, we offer health care and we also offer shelter to those who need it.

Has the Melkite Greek Church had any priests kidnapped?

So far, just one. We have no news about him, and no means of communication [with his kidnappers].

Let’s say you were kidnapped and somebody wanted $100,000 to get you back. Would you want your Church to pay?

I hope it won’t happen, because I’m helping thousands of people. It’s not that I’m something special, but … the truth is that $100,000 would represent very little compared to what I’m offering my people. If it came to that, it would be a good bargain! But I am not sure if paying ransom is a good idea.

Where does the money you raise come from?

I’ve been a bishop for 20 years, and I’d never asked anyone for donations. Two years ago, when I saw what was happening, I wrote to a number of friends around the world, and they answered. There are also organizations such as Aid to the Church in Need that have helped, including some in the United States such as the Knights of Columbus.

My aim is more than emergency relief, because for the most part that’s coming. Caritas and the Red Cross are helping, we’re helping, and in a way basic needs are being satisfied. What’s most important is that afterwards, we can do something to help people reestablish themselves and to be able to stay.

This is my program, which we call “Built to Stay,” and it’s what I’m persuaded I have to do. I have to give Christians hope and confidence that their future could be good in this country.

Why is the Christian presence in Syria so important?

I feel responsible for the survival of a Church founded by the apostles themselves. The first Christians in Syria were baptized the day of the Pentecost in Jerusalem, by Peter and the other apostles. … They spread all over the region and founded the Church. The Lord gave me this responsibility in Syria, and I cannot simply accept that during my mandate, the Christians disappear. I’ll never stop fighting so they can hold on.

Do you believe there’s no alternative to an international military force to dislodge ISIS?

As far as Syria is concerned, there is an alternative. Nations such as the United States could pressure Turkey to stop allowing mercenaries to pass through its airports and borders. The same applies to Jordan. The army of Syria would be able to handle things very quickly if these terrorists are not fed money, weapons, fighters, and logistical support.

You don’t see a need for boots on the ground?

It is not needed. I would like an international coalition committed to stopping the war, but they don’t need to come in. They just need to stop feeding the insurrection and terrorism.

What about Iraq?

I would say the situation is different, because the country’s structures have been destroyed and they’re rebuilding their army and national unity. They may need more help.

Over the years, Christian clergy in Syria have been accused of being too close to the Assad regime. What’s the truth?

We are not pro-Assad. We’re in favor of a government that’s open to all denominations. We’re in favor of a secular government. It may be led by Assad or someone else, but that’s what we want.

Personally, I would say that Bashar al-Assad is a good man. I don’t want to pass judgment beyond that, but I’ve met him a couple of times and all my colleagues, my fellow bishops and the priests and nuns, appreciate him. That doesn’t mean he’s an angel.

Is the realistic choice not between Assad and democracy, but Assad and ISIS?

In a sense, yes. If we have to choose between ISIS and Assad, we choose Assad. If the choice were between a real democratic opposition and Assad, we’d wait and see. We’d leave our faithful free to do what they like.

It seems sometimes that all the countries of the world are against Assad, but we feel we don’t have any other alternative. Honest to God, this is the situation. I think [Assad] wants to reform. Let him prove his good intentions, and let’s give him the chance to see what he will do.

What’s your view of the role Pope Francis has played regarding the Syria conflict?

The first time I ever heard a [Syrian] government official saying a word of thanks to the Catholic Church was when our foreign minister, who’s the second most important figure in Syria, declared thanks for the Holy Father’s position against [Western] strikes on Syria in 2013.

For Syria, a Muslim country, to recognize that the only one in the world who stood with us and stopped it was very important. All Syrians will never forget it, and for us it will always be a source of pride. What would have happened would have destroyed all of Syria, like what happened in Iraq, what happened in Libya, and what’s happening now in Yemen.

Spiritually, how do you make sense of what’s happening in your country?

Reading the Gospel and trying to see things that way, I think about how the Devil manifests himself and his actions. We read in the Bible that he is the father of lies, the master of money, and the lord of blood and death. We see all three in this war: It’s a blend of money, lies, and blood. Of course I know there are strategic dimensions to it, but sometimes I think perhaps ultimately this is a Satanic work, because it’s almost impossible to understand otherwise.

Last fall, there was a Synod of Bishops on the family that triggered massive debates over matters such as Communion for the divorced and remarried and outreach to gays and lesbians, and this fall, another synod will likely take up the same issues. Does it frustrate you that the life-and-death challenges facing Christians in countries such as Syria often don’t seem to attract the same attention?

Yes, indeed. Of course the bishops have to talk about the topics they’ve been given, but the suffering and death of so many people in our country, and the huge sacrifices they are making to remain faithful to the Lord, seems to be forgotten. What I see, both in the Church and society in general, is that they’re discussing everything else, but they ignore the execution of our people.

Lord have mercy.

The slow death of Syrian Christianity

What horrors must ISIS commit before the world will stop the murderers?

Jean-Clément Jeanbart | Jun 16 2015
http://www.mercatornet.com/articles...-christianity/16349#sthash.nlckx5cO.dpuf

Aleppo, the largest city in Syria, is its economic hub and once had the largest number of Christians. After war broke out in 2011, the city quickly became divided between government forces and rebel factions. Today much of it lies in ruins, including many of its ancient churches. At the moment, all sides are gearing up for another major battle. The never-ending violence is destroying the country's Christian heritage, says the Melkite Archbishop of Aleppo in this speech.

* * * * *

In my country Syria, Christians are caught in the middle of a civil war and they are enduring the rage of an extremist jihad. And it is unjust for the West to ignore the persecutions these Christian communities are experiencing.

Syrian Christians are in grave danger; we may disappear soon. We hope that men and women of good will, in this great nation, listen to our call and give their brothers and sisters in faith a helpful hand in relieving their miseries.

Let me give you an idea about what is happening in my part of the world:

For the past four years there has been much talk about the war in Syria. We have heard about the strategic consequences, the geopolitical influences in that region, and the violence afflicting the innocent population. Though I do not underestimate the political stakes of what is going on in my country, I must draw attention to the fate of Christians who are caught in this turbulence.

For the Church, what is most important is that peace be restored! And that, through peace, a non-confessional and pluralistic democracy is established, that guarantees all Syrians their God-given rights to live as fully fledged citizens in the country where they were born and where their ancestors are buried.

The realities in my country and in the region are complex and interwoven with many historical, social and religious nuances. Let me touch on one of the core problems which torment Christians and their pastors in Syria. Some are wondering how it is that religious leaders and bishops were not the first ones to support the rebels, who, apparently, are fighting for freedom and democracy for their country? If this were the case, it is undeniable that the Church would have been the first to become an ally of the unrest and the leader of those asking for substantial reforms in political governance, leading to a democratic transition.

But the moderate opposition never really had a chance, despite the best of intentions. As a result, hence as Christian leaders in Syria are appealing for reconciliation and peace and openness, radical Muslim factions are calling for jihad and exclusion, a kind of apartheid for all non-Muslims.

Fear and disorientation

For decades Syrian Christians lived peacefully in a society alongside a Muslim majority which was tolerant. There was a cordial atmosphere of mutual acceptance and friendship. This is no longer the case. Syrian Christians are disoriented by the implosion of a way of life that was once quiet and safe.

They are afraid to leave their houses, they avoid going out of their cities or villages, or do so only to move to other regions where they hope to find a safe refuge. In dangerous zones like Aleppo and villages close to Turkey, what terrorizes the population more than the fighting and the bombing, are the kidnappings, the snipers, car-bombs, the shelling and the looting … all this culminating in the manifestation of ISIS.

Christians are victims of a war of destruction led by a certain foreign elements taking advantage of unrest. They have promoted a brother versus brother war. They have injected arms, money and tens of thousands of fighters, jihadists, fundamentalists, foreigners and mercenaries, recruited from many different countries.

I do not know whether or not Aleppo has yet been designated as a “disaster zone” by international powers. But what I do know is that Aleppo is truly a disaster zone: a human disaster zone, a material and economic disaster zone. The citizens of this great and beautiful city, with its 7000 years of history, find themselves after four years of senseless war in a desperate situation. The prosperity which Aleppo enjoyed and which placed her among the most important cities of this region is lost.

Innumerable attacks—most recently the bombing of the Christian quarter over Easter weekend—have destroyed its churches, its factories and its flourishing industry, its infrastructure and social and administrative institutions, its commercial area and its legendary souks, its ancient homes, schools, and hospitals. The result: Syria has lost one of its main sources of economic growth.

Then there are the countless frustrations which the people of Aleppo have had to endure because of the siege, particularly shortages of food and other essential supplies. In a word, my flock has suffered and has been the innocent target of a war that is unjust and devastating.

Since 2011, more than one-third of Aleppo’s Christians—some 40,000 people at least—have left the city. They are among the 3 million Syrians (both Christians and Muslims) who have fled to Lebanon, Jordan and Turkey; or they have joined the nameless ranks—6.5 million strong—of Syrians displaced in their own country.

Since the beginning of this senseless war, the Church—while encouraging the regime to enact the reforms desired by the majority of citizens—has called for an end to armed conflict and has called for negotiations to achieve a political solution to this crisis. The Assembly of Bishops of my country, along with the Pope, has not ceased to call believers to prayer, the fighters to lay down their arms, and nations to cease military interference.

Fighting ISIS

Of course, we are grateful that a large coalition of nations is committed to stopping ISIS. I hope and pray that this fight will be won; nevertheless, at the present time, in both Syria and Iraq, Christian communities—along with other vulnerable minorities—are defenseless against ISIS assaults, especially when they are the prime target of the “caliphate’s” religious cleansing campaign. If these defenseless people are to survive, the US and its allies must provide better protection and execute a more aggressive strategy.

In the case of the fighting in northeastern Syria, the capture of several hundred Assyrian Christians could have been prevented had the US started its bombing raids earlier. The recent coordinated effort, that included Kurdish troops on the ground, proved effective in turning back ISIS, but for many Assyrians this help came too late.

Church leaders in the region have welcomed the Vatican’s call for an appropriate military response to ISIS and other extremist groups threatening Christians and other vulnerable minorities—in accord with Pope Francis’ insistence that the use of force is “legitimate [when used]… to stop an unjust aggressor.” The Episcopal Conference of the Bishops in Syria, in plenary session last March, issued an appeal to all nations to stop supporting the terrorists in any way and to ensure special protection for Christians so that they may be safe and continue to live in peace in their own country.

Across the region, as the fight is taken up against ISIS, the US and its allies must be aware that Christians and other minorities are often caught up in the fighting, facing calamities as they are displaced, without any provisions for shelter, food, and medical assistance. The emergency needs of vulnerable populations must be seriously considered. Just recently, disaster struck the peaceful and quiet population of the city of Idlebin northern Syria, where Christians have been executed by ISIS, many people have been displaced and the parish priest Father Ibrahim Farah has been kidnapped. And then there was the April 19 release of a video showing ISIS slaughtering 30 Ethiopian Christians in Libya.

What horrors must ISIS commit before the world will take greater action to stop the murderers?

Once—God-willing—ISIS is defeated and a measure of peace is restored to the lands, Christians must be able to count on the US and its allies for continued, long-term military protection. There has to be a kind of iron-clad system in place so that the tragedies of the past four years are not repeated.

Christian leaders need to be at negotiating table

To ensure political stability, it is essential that Christian leaders, both lay and religious, are given a voice and presence at the negotiating table. Christians bring forth a vision—inspired by democratic and humanistic values; they can act as bridge-builders between Shiites and Sunnis, and they can help develop a political system that ensures the rights of all citizens.

Last but not least, Christians—like other people whose lives have been overturned by years of fighting—need practical, financial help to rebuild their lives, especially their professional lives. If Christians are not given the means to earn a living, there is no way they can remain in Syria or Iraq. The hierarchy’s lamenting of mass emigration can do little good if the Churches do not give their flock concrete means to rebuild their lives. Christians in Syria need to feel secure and they want to know that they will not be left alone in the days and years to come.

Looking forward

By God’s grace, and with the help of organizations like Aid to the Church in Need, we have been responding to humanitarian needs of our people, sometimes with great difficulty. But we need your continued help to look beyond the crisis at hand.

That is why I am calling for the creation of “Build to Stay,” a Christian social initiative that needs to be supported by a “Solidarity Fund.” This fund will allow workers—carpenters, plumbers, teachers, lawyers, craftsmen and others—to re-establish themselves professionally, to buy the equipment and supplies they need to get started again; to rebuild the city of Aleppo and their own lives.

If this initiative works in Aleppo, the model can be applied throughout Syria and beyond. When God grants us peace and stability, this program will gather many people and volunteers to build the future of our community. This initiative will transform Aleppo back into the vibrant commercial hub of Syria and the Middle East at large. The support of our Christian brothers in the West is extremely needed. Are they willing to hear our desperate appeal? We will be eternally grateful if they do!

However, if the war continues and if peace is not restored in the streets and in our hearts, all hopes may be lost, for all Syrians, Christians and Muslims alike.

If the civil war in Syria is prolonged, violence and chaos will inevitably take hold in neighboring countries. You can imagine the cruel picture ahead with the tragic consequences to the Christian presence in Syria and in surrounding countries.

I am convinced that Christians’ first task is to struggle for peace in our land and in our region. That is my task as a successor of the Apostles, to keep the Church alive in the land of its birth, a land made holy by the blood of countless martyrs, past and present.

It is my fervent prayer that my fellow bishops in the US and around the world—they, too, successors of the apostles—join me in accepting this shared responsibility and making the fate of the persecuted Christians in the Middle East a real priority, and not treating it merely as one cause among many. That is because the suffering of my people is a wound to the entire Body of Christ.

We know the task is difficult but we Christians also know that He in whom we have put our trust is faithful and never abandons His own—He who came to stay with His own, will never leave them to fend for themselves.

Jean-Clément Jeanbart is the Melkite Greek Catholic Archbishop of Aleppo, Syria. He was speaking at the Edward Cardinal Egan Catholic Center at New York University, New York City, in April.

So sad.
Politics mean more to some than rectifying this situation.
Money means more to others than this situation.
Folly (like today's supreme court ruling) means more to many than this situation.
I think that the world is in a very, very dark place right now.
Lord have mercy.

Just my thoughts,
Alice

Christ is in our midst!!

I just finished watching a documentary about the Armenian Genocide. The issues brought up and the history that these people lived through at the end of the 19th and early 20th centuries seem to be replaying after an interlude of several decades. It is not unusual for Islam to call for the eradication of non-Moslems--Mohammed called for and justified it as part of his new religious/social world vision. The problem for the archbishop is understanding that after World War I the division of the Otto Empire by the Great Powers placed a number of dictators in place that kept the peace until recently. The recent memory of the peaceful relationship between Christians and other minorities is not the norm in that part of the world. His Grace has no memory of dhimmitude under Moslem rule. That may also explain the silence of the so-called "moderate" Moslem religious establishment.

Bob

Dear Bob,

Thank you for your astute analysis of the history of coexistence among Christians and Muslims. We tend to forget that.

In any case, I think that the good Archbishop is trying to be diplomatic (as Christians cleric must do in Muslim majority lands), and he is also crying out for help.

Today I happened to hear a radio talk show for a minute in the car on the way home from somewhere, and he said something very catchy about the situation there and I would like to pass it on:

'NEVER AGAIN' IS TODAY.

Respectfully,
In Christ,
Alice

Alice:

I came across a book, recently published, that ought to be must-read for all of us trying ot understand the persecution of our brethren in the Middle East. I posted it in "Books."

Bob