An appeal to the Christians and others who might be able to help?

Question

BRUSSELS, Belgium - Forced from their Baghdad home by sectarian violence, an Iraqi Christian couple in their 70s have spent the past two years bounced between detention centers in Greece and Belgium, terrified of being forced back to
Iraq.

Their odyssey underscores the plight of thousands of Iraqi Christians denied refuge in Europe while
European Union nations argue over who is responsible to help them.

Many are caught in a legal limbo. With the notable exception of Sweden, Western governments — wary of letting in a seemingly never-ending stream of refugees from various countries — are not prepared to accept large numbers of Iraqis. But the Christians say returning to Iraq is tantamount to a death sentence.

"People are being ping-ponged around Europe all the time, and more and more are being detained," said Judith Kumin, the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees' regional representative in Brussels.

The fate of people like the Iraqi couple, given the pseudonyms Abel and Leah by the

UNHCR, is only now beginning to generate concern at the highest levels.

On Saturday,
President Bush and
Pope Benedict XVI discussed the worsening problems of Iraqi Christians during a meeting at the
Vatican. Bush said the pope lamented the community's fate, saying it seemed the new Iraq "would not tolerate the Christian religion."

Iraq's Christian community, about 3 percent of the country's 26 million people, was mostly left alone during Saddam Hussein's reign but is now a prime target of terror attacks. Some Islamic insurgents call Christians "crusaders" whose real loyalty lies with U.S. troops.

"These groups face widespread violence from Sunni insurgents and foreign jihadis, and they also suffer pervasive discrimination and marginalization at the hands of the national government, regional governments, and para-state militias," said a recent report issued by the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom.

The U.N. refugee agency estimates some 2.2 million Iraqis have fled

their country since 2003, most finding refuge in Syria, Jordan and elsewhere in the Middle East. Two million more are displaced within Iraq.

Although relatively few have made it to Europe, the EU is bracing for a bigger influx. Some 40,000 Iraqis are expected in 2007, double that of 2006 — itself twice the number in 2005. The United States pledged to accept 7,000 Iraqis this year — up from only 202 in 2006.

UNHCR officials say many Iraqis seeking asylum in Europe are Christians, terrified by attacks like the kidnapping of a priest and the killing of another together with three parishioners this month.

The Iraqi couple's saga began after gunmen broke into their home in 2004 and threatened to kill them unless they paid $50,000. They fled Baghdad for Greece, hoping to later join their son, who has been recognized as a refugee in Belgium since 1999.

Journalists are not allowed into the Steenokkerzeel Detention Center near Brussels Airport where the couple is being held. Their Belgian

Belgian attorney, Dirk Vanheule, asked that they not be identified by name because of the fear they could become targets if forced to return to Iraq.

When the couple reached Athens and applied for asylum two years ago, Greek authorities rejected their request and ordered them to leave Greece after a three-month detention.

They went to Brussels, and sought asylum when they arrived. Belgian authorities initially detained them, but then sent them back to Greece, where they were again placed in detention. The Greeks then issued a second expulsion order.

Belgian authorities argued that Greece was responsible for the couple's asylum claim under the EU's 2003 Dublin Regulation, which declares that the EU member state where asylum seekers first enter the EU is responsible for processing their claims.

But the regulation also allows that a different member state may take over a case for humanitarian reasons, particularly those based on family considerations.

The Iraqi couple, with no other

place to go, returned to Brussels four months ago, and have been held incommunicado at Steenokkerzeel since then. On Thursday, a Belgian judge ordered their release but they were immediately arrested by officers of the Federal Aliens' Office and returned to detention, pending deportation to Greece.

Vanheule is now preparing an appeal on behalf of the couple to the European Court of Human Rights, stating the government's actions represent an abuse of human rights law and the principle of family reunification.

"By using a legal technicality, in practice what the Belgian state is doing is getting around the judicial review process that is guaranteed by law and is guaranteed under the European Convention on Human Rights," he said.

EDIT: Well, I'm not sure what to do, but getting with your churches and writing letters and maybe even sponsoring one of these refugees to come to the US might be a start. I don't know, but I did think that some of the Christians on this board might be willing to do what was within their power.

Answer 1

You are helping by spreading this information. It is yet another example of a horrible outcome from the aggresive war waged against Iraq, with no intelligent thought about consequences.
I have no original ideas of how to help, except the usual writing to MP, signing petitions, etc.

Answer 2

I think that everyone who reads this should write to their congressman and ask them to review this situation. Those poor people must be so fearful. I think that prayers should be offered up for the renewing of their strength and a resolution to their problem. What a mess, I can only imagine what the continued consequences of this conflict will amount to. I am not surprised by the resentment of the Iraqis after Bush represented this war as a Christian sentiment, I do not recall anyone asking me if I wanted to go to war. If the US is determined to rebuild Iraq for the benefit of the Iraqis, then we should be prepared to provide humanitarian assistance for the Christians displaced because of this conflict.

Answer 3

Wow, so the US is unwilling to accept the very refugees they have created? That's BS. And with all the Christian churches in this country and Europe, they can't band together to come up with a solution for this? I'd think the Christian community would be campaigning to get anyone out of harms way that they could and welcome them into their own community.

Sounds like a load of crap to me.

Answer 4

Are you confident they are no longer Messianic Jew? From what i have heard that's no longer fairly supported by Israeli-Judaic human beings.... inspite of the indisputable fact that that's increasing in popularity contained in the West. i comprehend what you're speaking about although. i have considered numerous Yeshua (extraordinarily after Mel Gibson's pastime) rather of Jesus. And Messiah rather of savior. i imagine the allure is any between good the following: a million. to bolster the bond between the Western Christian Church and Israel 2. to sense extra linked with the former testomony "roots" 3. to be famous and different. 4. some might want to sense they are appealing god 5. because Judaism is between the oldest religions left - it would want to upload to Christianity's credentials slightly 6. To be like Jesus 7. probably also to sidestep the "Christian American" cliches. "Jesus" doesn't sound so bumper-decal once you're saying "Y'shua" Savior sounds extra profound once you're saying "messiah." And "God" seems cooler once you write "YHVH" or say "Ehyeh Asher Ehyeh" - besides the very incontrovertible truth that that's forbidden to finish that in Judaism. ... i'm basically guessing.

Answer 5

What's the question?

Christians will be persecuted by non-believers. Jesus told us this, and He told us to pray for those who persecute us. Paul & Silas were able to convert the Roman prison guards because they continued to worship and praise God even after being beaten and chained in a dungeon where they were literally knee deep in sewage. James 1:2-3 tells us to consider it pure joy when we face trials of any kind, because it strengthens our faith. Don't get me wrong; I am broken hearted about the people having to live like this. It also strengthens my appreciation for being able to live in a country where we ALL have the freedom to worship (or not worship), regardless of our beliefs. Praise God for the every day blessings so many of us take for granted; and pray for the Christians around the world who are suffering persecution, and for the people who are able to make a physical effort to help them!

Answer 6

We all continue to pray for peace in the new Iraq system. I personally feel that this is why we should not pull out our troops until every Iraqi insurgent is behind bars or the Iraqis are capable of handling these men and women themselves.

Answer 7

It is the fault of Bush little unplanned(?) war. The region was stable and under sanction which was working. Saddem had eventually allowed inspectors to return to look for WMD. Bush is a poor politician and a worse Christian.

Answer 8

Tell them to apply to New Zealand for refugee status. We accept anyone.

Answer 9

This is to be expected for us Christians....always a form of persecution.

I praise God for the fact that I live in the USA.....where I can still freely preach & teach His Word.

But America is slowly turning towards hating us....so sad....little do they know that the USA was formed by mostly God-fearing Christians

Answer 10

The legacy of George W. Bush.... emptying the lands of the bible of all its Christians.

And Europe, the land that once crusaded to conquer the middle east, unwilling to accept anyone from the middle east.