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CHRISTIANS: A DECLINING COMMUNITY IN MIDDLE EAST
Agence France Presse
November 1, 2010 Monday 4:34 PM GMT
CAIRO
Christians in the mainly Muslim Middle East, with several communities
facing insecurity and exclusion, were the target of an Al-Qaeda group
which claimed a deadly hostage-taking in a Baghdad church.
The region which is the cradle of Christianity counts 20 million
Christians, including five million Catholics, out of a population of
356 million, according to figures released by the Vatican.
Conflicts, political instability, economic troubles, discrimination
and the rise of militant Islam have driven many Christians out of
their home countries, particularly Iraq.
Egypt's Copts make up the Middle East's largest Christian community
with between six to 10 percent of Egypt's 80 million population. The
Coptic Church says its congregation numbers more than 10 million.
On Monday, Catholics in Baghdad marked All Saints Day in mourning for
46 Christians killed during an operation by Iraqi special forces to
release worshippers taken hostage at a cathedral by Al-Qaeda gunmen.
SITE monitoring group said the Islamic State of Iraq, an Al-Qaeda
branch which claimed Sunday's hostage-taking in Baghdad, had given
the Coptic Church 48 hours to free two women it said were held captive
by the Christians.
SITE said the threat comes amid calls by Sunni jihadists and Al-Qaeda's
media arm for Muslims to act against the Coptic Church over the
alleged detention of the women, both wives of Coptic priests whom
Islamists believe converted to Islam.
The rise of fundamentalist Islam, sectarian violence and the perception
that they are marginalised from senior public posts has exacerbated
the Copts' feelings of exclusion in Egypt.
In Iraq, Christians have been worse off since the 2003 US-led invasion
which triggered an insurgency in which Al-Qaeda has played the major
role in fighting both US troops and the country's now dominant Shiites.
On October 12, during a synod for the Middle East, the archbishop
of Kirkuk in northern Iraq expressed concern over the exodus of
Christians.
The number of Christians left in war-ravaged Iraq is estimated at
between 450,000 and 500,000, including around 300,000 Catholics
(down from 387,000 in 1980).
Around 800,000 Christians lived in Iraq in 2003, but their number has
since shrunk by a third or more as members of the community have fled
abroad, according to Christian leaders.
Of Iraq's Catholics left, around 80 percent are Chaldean and the rest
are Syriac Catholics, Armenian Catholics and Roman Catholics. Of the
non-Catholics, 80 percent are Assyrian and the rest Syriac Orthodox
or Armenian Orthodox.
Gulf countries count around 3.5 million Christians of different
denominations, the vast majority of whom are Asian immigrants or
Western Catholics.
The right to practice their religion freely is recognised except in
Saudi Arabia, which bans any form of worship other than Islam. Earlier
this month, 12 Filipinos and a priest were arrested for proselytism
during a secret mass.
In Syria, in the absence of official figures, analysts say Christians
make up between five and 10 percent of the 20 million population.
In Lebanon, Christians constitute about 34 percent of the population,
estimated at four million. There are 18 communities in the country
and no particular threat by extremist groups against its Christian
community.
Attacks by extremist groups in Lebanon usually have political rather
than religious motives.
From: A. Papazian
Agence France Presse
November 1, 2010 Monday 4:34 PM GMT
CAIRO
Christians in the mainly Muslim Middle East, with several communities
facing insecurity and exclusion, were the target of an Al-Qaeda group
which claimed a deadly hostage-taking in a Baghdad church.
The region which is the cradle of Christianity counts 20 million
Christians, including five million Catholics, out of a population of
356 million, according to figures released by the Vatican.
Conflicts, political instability, economic troubles, discrimination
and the rise of militant Islam have driven many Christians out of
their home countries, particularly Iraq.
Egypt's Copts make up the Middle East's largest Christian community
with between six to 10 percent of Egypt's 80 million population. The
Coptic Church says its congregation numbers more than 10 million.
On Monday, Catholics in Baghdad marked All Saints Day in mourning for
46 Christians killed during an operation by Iraqi special forces to
release worshippers taken hostage at a cathedral by Al-Qaeda gunmen.
SITE monitoring group said the Islamic State of Iraq, an Al-Qaeda
branch which claimed Sunday's hostage-taking in Baghdad, had given
the Coptic Church 48 hours to free two women it said were held captive
by the Christians.
SITE said the threat comes amid calls by Sunni jihadists and Al-Qaeda's
media arm for Muslims to act against the Coptic Church over the
alleged detention of the women, both wives of Coptic priests whom
Islamists believe converted to Islam.
The rise of fundamentalist Islam, sectarian violence and the perception
that they are marginalised from senior public posts has exacerbated
the Copts' feelings of exclusion in Egypt.
In Iraq, Christians have been worse off since the 2003 US-led invasion
which triggered an insurgency in which Al-Qaeda has played the major
role in fighting both US troops and the country's now dominant Shiites.
On October 12, during a synod for the Middle East, the archbishop
of Kirkuk in northern Iraq expressed concern over the exodus of
Christians.
The number of Christians left in war-ravaged Iraq is estimated at
between 450,000 and 500,000, including around 300,000 Catholics
(down from 387,000 in 1980).
Around 800,000 Christians lived in Iraq in 2003, but their number has
since shrunk by a third or more as members of the community have fled
abroad, according to Christian leaders.
Of Iraq's Catholics left, around 80 percent are Chaldean and the rest
are Syriac Catholics, Armenian Catholics and Roman Catholics. Of the
non-Catholics, 80 percent are Assyrian and the rest Syriac Orthodox
or Armenian Orthodox.
Gulf countries count around 3.5 million Christians of different
denominations, the vast majority of whom are Asian immigrants or
Western Catholics.
The right to practice their religion freely is recognised except in
Saudi Arabia, which bans any form of worship other than Islam. Earlier
this month, 12 Filipinos and a priest were arrested for proselytism
during a secret mass.
In Syria, in the absence of official figures, analysts say Christians
make up between five and 10 percent of the 20 million population.
In Lebanon, Christians constitute about 34 percent of the population,
estimated at four million. There are 18 communities in the country
and no particular threat by extremist groups against its Christian
community.
Attacks by extremist groups in Lebanon usually have political rather
than religious motives.
From: A. Papazian