October 31, 2008
The Assembly of Solidarity with Iraqi Christians Holds U.S. occupation and its tools responsible for the Uprooting conspiracy
A hundred Lebanese and Palestinian political, religious, unionist personalities and representatives of political parties, forces, resistance groups and movements met in Beirut under the motto of "Occupation, its policy and tools are responsible for uprooting Christians and millions of other Iraqi citizens from their homeland." The meeting was a response to a call from "The popular campaign for championing Palestine and Iraq." they unanimously adopted the call of Mr. Nabih Biri, speaker of the Lebanese Parliament, addressed to the League of Arab States and the international community, to take full responsibility in regards to Iraq and its people and especially its Christian component.
Speakers and participants in the assembly of solidarity made the connection between the Zionist plan to uproot Palestinians, especially its Christian component, from Palestine, and the American occupation to uproot millions of Iraqis, Christians among them, from their land and homes, especially in the Ninawa district. They did not disregard the fingerprint traces of the Zionist Mossad in many of the assassination operations, explosions and expulsions that Iraq suffered since 2003, they highlighted the strong link between American occupation and the Zionist project.
They also linked between the American trials to enforce the dubious security agreement on Iraqis, and the raid on Syria as a quick application that means evil to Iraq and its neighbors, which also is a support for the occupation’s stealing of the fortunes of Iraq.
Among the speakers were Hani Fakhoury, who spoke on behalf of the committee, former Lebanese Prime Minister, Rachil Assolh, former Member of Parliament Bishara Mirhij, Muhammad Baalbaki head of the press syndicate and representatives of various political parties and other Palestinian and Lebanese, organizations, movements and factions.
Assafir 30-10-208
Another solidarity meeting with Iraqi Christians
The solidarity campaign with Iraqi Christians in Lebanon continues
A group of Iraqi leaders and activists in Lebanon, representing various Iraqi political parties and movements representing all of its religious sects met at the Lebanese Union of the Press house responding to a call from the "The Iraqi National Accord Movement". The meeting was attended by Lebanese personalities. The attendants made a point of the importance of the unity of the different components of the Iraqi society and the Iraqi homeland.
The president of the Lebanese syndicate of the press, Muhammad Baalbaki, stressed that no true Lebanese can take a neutral stance concerning what is taking place in this sister Arab state. He added that the Iraqi people as is the Lebanese, one people that no hand can break with its sectarian discrimination and calls for unity only along religious lines.
Joseph Qusaify, representative of the Union of Lebanese Editors said that Arab Christians are an integral part of the Arab people and they had never been extraneous or incidental in the Arab society, or a marginalized quantity on the sidewalk of life, they had always been a symbol of active and productive presence wherever they happened to be.
Former Iraqi Minister, Adnan Ajanaby, accused the occupation of introducing sectarian partaking and deepening the fragmentation in its social and political fabric. He added, "those who accepted this sectarian fragmentation should be held responsible for what we ended with, and we are not Sunnis, Shiites, Christians and Kurds, we are steadfast Iraqis and shall return to raise Iraq’s name and unity high and undivided."
Member of Parliament, Abdul Sater Al-Bayer, representing the unified accord movement, spoke with emphasis on the national identity within one Iraq, and ending sectarian divisions, and to take action for a complete and full patriotic conciliation that doesn’t neglect anybody, any party or group except those who were entangled in terrorism, stressing that regaining patriotic sovereignty and the evacuation of occupation forces are two demands that cannot be forgotten about.
The Reverend Father Suheil Fasha said, "Iraq was known for its unity, it can never be partitioned and fragmented. Christians in Iraq were there since the first century AD."
Representatives of various other sects, both Lebanese and Iraqi, stressed the necessity of returning Iraqi Christians to their homes in Iraq, and held the "Iraqi Prime Minister, Noury Al-Maliki responsible for failing to defend the rights of Iraq and the Iraqis," and accused the American administration of being stupid, or pretending to be not responsible for the negative things that have taken place or accomplice, and even as president of the republic, Al-Maliki failed to make a move to end such atrocities.
Dr. Sabah Al-Amly read the communiqué of the meeting that stressed the atrocities that Iraqi Christians are being exposed to, which is a part of the conspiracy that is hitting Mesopotamia with the aim of emptying the country of it main components, and that Christians are a basic component of the Iraqi society. It called on the Iraqi people, no matter what sectarian divisions there might be, to stand by their Christian compatriots in Mosul and in any other part of Iraq to deter these terrorist attacks that they are exposed to.
It also called on the Iraqi government to take necessary action to stop the terrorist wave that is coming from beyond the borders, and that is being forwarded against Christians as well as the rest of the Iraqis. It also has to take all necessary action to ensure the return of all those forcefully uprooted Iraqis, as well as taking all action to insure the return of all Mosul people to their homes and work.
Translated from Arabic by Adib S Kawar and revised by Mary Rizzo, both members of Tlaxcala, www.tlaxcala.es, the network of translators for linguistic diversity. If you would like to join us, visit our site and contact us for more information.
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