Christians Under Saddam Suffered Persecution

by Lorenzo Fazzini

An interview with Msgr.  Jean Benjamin Sleiman, Latin rite archbishop of Baghdad

Verona – Now that tyranny is under lock and key, Iraqi Christians are now open with about their tales of suffering and persecution during the Saddam Hussein era.

Msgr. Jean Benjamin Sleiman, Latin rite archbishop of Baghdad said: “Even if in the West Saddam Hussein’s regime was referred to as a secular state, civil society was ruled by Islamic law, with serious consequences for non-Moslems.”

Tareq Aziz, Christian Vice Minister, was often referred to in the West as an example of a positive situation for Christians…. Is this true?

Tareq Aziz was not the Vice Minister because he was a Christian, but because he was a long and great childhood friend of Saddam Hussein, with whom he carried out some of his first massacres in their first years working together. Aziz rose in the Iraqi political arena only because he was a friend of Saddam Hussein. I must say, as part of the Christian minority community, we often obtained concessions not from Aziz, but from other Moslem ministers. I remember, for example, the case of a school book containing offensive statements about Christianity: Aziz did nothing in light of our protests. Finally a Muslim minister ordered the book removed from school shelves. Moreover, when Tarek Aziz met the pope just before the war, his haughty behavior scandalized Christians….

What consequences does the end of Saddam Hussein’s regime have on religion?

The era of horizontal co-existence is over between various religious groups, all crushed by the same power. But the step toward an inner acceptance of living together with different people still has not happened. A Moslem will never speak bad about a Christina in his presence; yet this doesn’t mean  he’s convinced of living together with someone of a different faith. Provisional government authorities suppressed the Ministry of Religious Affairs; now there is a religious council for Shiites, one for Sunnites, and one for Christian minority communities. This change, however, is causing great difficulties for relationships between Christians: on the minority council, for example, there are three Chaldean representatives, but no Orthodox one. What’s more, their representation is often carried in terms of their ethnic as opposed to religious background, and this creates problems.

What mark did Saddam Hussein’s policies leave on religion?

No religious community in Iraq today knows what freedom means; to learn what freedom is, this is the great challenge to all faiths in Iraq today. For example, we compare ourselves with the great activism of the seven Evangelical Churches, which are politically well protected and have great economic resources: (yet) they proselytise, both bothering and irritating Moslems greatly, and thereby risking a reaction of fundamentalism.

Iraqi Islam risks being fundamentalist?

Fundamentalism is penetrating greatly into Iraqi society. I can give you an example from our schools: children are narrowly educated and often end up saying to their Christian classmates: “Your are Christian and will go to hell, because only us Moslems will go to paradise.”

"The serpent’s head has been crushed
Our fears are finally over"

by Bernardo Cervellera

An interview with Msgr. Rabban al Qas, bishop of Amadiyah (Northern Iraq)

Rome - Bishop Rabban al Qas, age 54 and of Kurdish origin, is elated to say the least. In his hospital room he must wait to be operated on due to the effects of an “explosion” that has occurred in Iraq. Yet he cannot manage to sit still. He hops up on his one good leg (the other held by bandages) as he watches Arab and Italian TV news and makes and receives telephone calls from a country in celebration. “The serpent’s head has been finally crushed,” he said. “Now we can peacefully rebuild our country” with the help of a military presence he defines as “liberating” and not “occupational”. 

Msgr. Rabban, what does Saddam Hussein’s capture mean for Iraq?

I can say that his arrest is a moment of joy for all Iraqis. As well as for us bishops. Ours fears are finally over. All the weight we bore on our shoulders for all those who died and for (the fear of ) murderers … In the months following Iraq’s liberation., there was the suspicion that there were still spies around, that Saddam would reappear … Now there is no longer any fear. Now the serpent’s head has been finally crushed and his regime is finally over. During the months of allied occupation, people continued living with their past fear that Saddam was everywhere. Saddam has met his end, and for us in Iraq, (this means) the reconstruction period can now truly begin. If there is peace in Iraq’s future, freedom for all religions, then our counrty will be able to grow. She will be rich and her numerous cultures will live together (in harmony). This explains why upon hearing the news of Saddam’s arrest, all of Baghdad and the entire country burst into joy and is now celebrating in the streets.

What does his capture mean for the Church?

I spoke with seminarians and bishops in Baghdad. Yesterday, they were all at the airport awaiting the new Patriarch’s arrival. And they were celebrating with other Iraqis. I would like to clarify one aspect of your question: Saddam’s capture and arrest does not mean one thing for the Church and another for Iraq citizens. Christians are not any different from the rest of the nation. Christ sent us to live within society. Under Saddam Hussein, the Church and Iraqi populace have suffered together.  Under his dictatorial regime, we have all been persecuted: Christians, Shiites, Arabs, Kurds, and Syrian-Chaldeans alike. We are the Iraqi nation and it we Iraqis who have been oppressed.  Under Saddam Hussein, 85% of the population was suffocated. Everybody suffered a lot. Now people hope for a safer and more stable future.

Do you think the attacks and violence will ever cease?

You all only listen to what press agencies report and how they define the presence of allied troops as “occupational”, as I heard in Italy (Msgr. Rabban attended the Chaldean Synod in Rome to elect Baghdad’s new patriarch). And now I say it again: For us (their military presence) is “liberating”, not occupational. If they weren’t here, Iraqis would still be under (Saddam’s) yoke. But now thank God the nightmare is over.

But what nightmare? Wasn’t his regime annihilated last April 9?

April 9 was the day of our political liberation. But only as of today, there is freedom of spirit. Until now, we weren’t calm. There was so much fear around. Many wondered “when Saddam’s soldiers were coming?”. People were afraid. With Saddam gone now, we can begin peacefully rebuilding our country. And, particularly, we must begin rebuilding schools.

There is great focus on the country’s state of insecurity. What is your opinion?

In the West, one hears the words “occupation” and “Iraqi resistance” and that Americans are not well liked. Certainly, the Americans probably made some mistakes and have destroyed things; but they are still our “liberators”. The lack of tranquillity is something we inherited from Saddam. Before he escaped, he freed all criminals, delinquents, thieves and evil persons from prisons. In the West, you marvel at the fact that in Iraq there are thefts, clashes and violence. But what happened in Italy after the (last) war? Weren’t there incidents of violence and thievery? And what about in France? Wasn’t there a black market, illegal expropriations (of land) and vendettas taken? Iraq needs time to rebuild herself, just like you did.

And what about the Al-Qaeda terrorist attacks? Will they continue?

Now that Saddam is gone, Al-Quaeda will soon be over with.  Al-Qaeda was able to plan attacks in Iraq thanks to the Iraqis that guided them in loco. But now for whom will these Iraqis work? Who will pay them now that Saddam has been arrested? Al-Qaeda will come to an end, and so too will terrorism. Thank God Saddam has fallen, just like his statue did.

It was said Saddam Hussein was tolerant of the Church. Is this true?

In 2002, Saddam gave orders to have Christina names removed from I.D. cards. Even Christians were obliged to use only names found in the Koran. You call this tolerance?

Isn’t there the risk that now an endless series of revenge will be triggered?

Maybe. Humans will be humans. But should there be strong government which can manage the whole situation well, the country will rebuild itself day by day. Iraqi people are not violent. On the contrary: they are good and patient. I’m proud to be an Iraqi.

Do you think Saddam Hussein will be condemned to death?

This is something for those in charge of law and justice to decide. As bishop, I say that it is just he has a trial before an Iraqi court of law. Even if he is evil, his dignity must be respected. But he needs to confess his crimes, to admit he killed and had killed millions of people. Even Christian forgiveness presupposes confession and atonement. 

21 Dec 2003