All over the Middle East, Christians have always faced tremendous persecution from their Muslim neighbors and governments. However, Christians in Iraq have decided to fight back.
Local militias have started to pop up in Christian villages on the Ninevah plain in Northern Iraq. Among these is Karmalis, where Father Yusuf Yohannes is both priest and head of security. His parishoners began informal patrols last year, now the effort is a full flegged operation with 250 employees and official approval from the nearby U.S. Army base in Mosul. "We are facing the threat of wipe-out," he said. "I have not left this town in three years because of the danger. The situation here was like a bowl without a base for Christians, we were just tossed around. By establishing our own security we have the chance to stand steady again." Radios supplied by the U.S.-led coalition keeps the command post in touch with guards in Karamlis and three hamlets nearby. A heavy machine gun protrudes from the guardpost on St. Barbara Street, pointing towards a road shared with Sunni Muslim neighbours. The gun's purpose, said Saleem Yusuf, the checkpoint commander, is to deter would-be car bombers. "We have not used it in anger yet. Thank God," he said. The patrols have already had an impact. New buildings are going up in Christian areas and there is a renewed willingness to resist the demands of Muslim radicals. "Why should Christians face arrest for not fasting in Ramadan?" asked Father Yusuf. "Why is it that women should cover their faces if God loves all human beings? We reject these things and want the right to our own culture."
| Published in : The News, Top Stories |
| Keywords : News, Top Stories, Christian Militias in Iraq, militia, Christian Militia, Iraq, Iraq War, Iraqi Christians, Christian Persecution, Persecution, Karmalis, Mosul, U.S. Army, Islam, Muslims, Sunni Muslims, Christian Web News |
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