巴格达基督徒被绑架、屠杀，加尔丁礼宗主教要求保护与安全

近两个星期以来，四名巴格达基督信仰团体成员被绑架，两人尽管支付了赎金仍然被杀。加尔丁礼宗主教公署发表声明揭露这一恶劣的安全局势，呼吁政府保护公民和他们的生命财产安全

巴格达（亚洲新闻）—伊拉克加尔丁礼宗主教公署“十分痛心地”揭露国内继续恶化的安全局势，其间，“个人和团体”沉重打击“无辜的人”屠杀或者要挟赎金。而首当其冲的受害者是基督信仰团体，尽管他们向绑匪了赎金仍然被杀。近两个星期以来，四名巴格达基督信仰团体成员被绑架，两人支付了赎金仍然被杀。

为此，加尔丁礼宗主教公署发表声明揭露两名巴格达基督信仰团体被绑架成员的被杀，尽管他们的家属向绑匪支付了赎金。而且，许多基督徒家庭都遭此厄运。另外两名基督徒幸免于难，重新回到亲人中间。

萨科枢机为首的加尔丁礼宗主教公署指出，基督徒“是不折不扣的伊拉克公民”。“在漫长的历史长河中他们为国家的文明、文化建设作出了贡献”。为此，“我们呼吁政府当局和巴格达治安力量，保护我们的人的生命安全和财产安全”。以下为伊拉克加尔丁礼宗主教公署新闻办公室声明全文英文版：

It is unfortunate that the security situation continues to deteriorate, and that some individuals and groups exploit it to carry out the kidnapping of innocent people in order to gain sums of money and to terrorize civilians. In less than two weeks, they kidnapped four Christians: among them, Dr. Bashar Ghanem Al Akrawi, who was later liberated by the local police, and Saad Galyana Shaba. And the other two Christians kidnapped were killed: Qais Abd Shaya and Saher Hanna Sony, despite the fact that their families had paid ransom for their lives.

This is not the first time that Christians have been kidnapped since the fall of the regime.

There are also incidents where evil people are falsifying the documents of Christian homes and seizing them and their household goods. They also send them threatening messages through their mobile phones ordering them to leave their jobs. This outrageous behavior causes anguish and destroys the national mosaic of Iraqi society, weakening the prestige and authority of the state.

Christians are indigenous citizens, and everyone praises their morality, their patriotism, and their roots in this country. For hundreds and hundreds of years they have contributed to its civilization and culture.

These frightening methods lead to their emigration, and this is a great loss to the strength of the national components. We call upon the governmental authorities and the security forces in Baghdad to protect the lives and the property of our people, and to issue a decision to ban the sale of Christian homes, except by a recommendation of the Church. We also call upon the aggressors to remember that such forbidden behavior cannot continue.