The Chaldean primate recalls the death and destruction linked to the rise of the Islamic State, which are still present today. Lack of rights and security are driving people to flee. Added to this is the persecution by “militias” who practice “extortion, harassment, intimidation, and seizure of parliamentary seats.”
Parliament is discussing a bill that aims to regulate the right to protest and express dissent. Activists and NGOs fear that the text, which has not yet been made public, risks undermining personal and civil liberties in a country heading for elections. Between January and June, at least 20 people were charged with peacefully exercising their “freedom of expression”.
Cardinal Sako appeals to Prime Minister al-Sudani. Sites at risk due to construction projects. Request to “fence off and monitor” sites facing “imminent threat”. Their value “goes beyond the Christian community” and concerns “the entire” population, including Muslims.
Developed by Iran for 20 years as a deterrent, the "Axis of Resistance" is keeping a low profile in this war. From the Iraqi prime minister to the religious leader al-Sadr, the order is to "silence" the "reckless voices" that want to start a war. At least 20 Muslim and Arab nations sign a statement for a nuclear-free Middle East "without exceptions" (a reference to Israel).
For the Jordanian expert, the picture is “negative” with Israel “operating on multiple, non-bordering fronts,” perhaps soon even inside Iran. The United States orders the evacuation of its embassy in Iraq, the most exposed in the event of conflict. The IAEA approves a resolution against Iran, raising the possibility of fresh sanctions.
In an interview with AsiaNews, Cardinal Louis Raphael Sako reflects on the days of the Conclave spent alongside the new pontiff and their “very important” first meeting after the election. He describes the “complicated situation” facing Christians in the Middle East, who suffer from a “lack of stability” despite some improvements in security. His first words to Pope Prevost: “We are counting on you.”
