SHAFAQNA– The Leader of the Chaldean Church in Iraq and the world, Cardinal Louis Raphaël Sako, has warned that the country will be emptied of Christians as they continue to migrate out of Iraq.
“The main reason for the continued migration of thousands of Christian families from the Ninawa Desert and other parts of northern Iraq is the dominance of armed groups and the lack of prosperity in their areas,” Cardinal Sako told a news conference.
Stating that unfortunately, Christians do not have a safe environment in Iraq, he said he hoped the day would not come when Iraq would be emptied of Christians, but unfortunately this was possible due to ongoing discrimination against Christians by various factions, including a lack of services and job opportunities, and a bright future.
“The government has not even helped the Christians who have returned to their homes. Most of their homes have been renovated in previous years,” the Iraqi Chaldean Christian leader said, noting that the number of Christians in Iraq is declining.
“The number of Christians in Baghdad is also declining, while before 2003 there were neighborhoods in Baghdad that were entirely Christian. Discrimination against them has made them think about immigration. Most of the Christian thinkers and elites in Baghdad have emigrated, leaving only poor families who are unable to emigrate,” Cardinal Sako said.
“The pope is not an official or a bank owner or an executive to make a change in Iraq. This trip was very important in terms of discourse and change of thoughts, and marked the tolerance and brotherhood between Muslims and Christians and the avoidance of violence,” Cardinal Sako said of the ongoing debate over the outcome of Pope Francis’ visit to Iraq last year.
He concluded: “The Iraqi government covered the trip well in the media, but it should have used the results and put measures on the agenda to serve the Iraqi people, but unfortunately this did not happen and the government is just engaged in political conflicts.”