Christians leaving Iraq

Motherjones.com comments on the fact that Christians have been leaving Iraq for years. This is certain to increase in the wake of the blasts last Sunday.

Among the Iraqi-Christians who have emigrated, some have settled in neighboring countries like Syria, while others have received asylum in Australia, North America, and Europe. Australia's Iraqi-born population, which includes the various Christian dominations as well as Kurds and Jews, has grown dramatically since Gulf War. In 1991, there were 5,186 Iraqi-born persons in Australia, but in 2001, the last year for which census figures are available there were 24,819. Among Iraqi-Armenians, who make up one of the smaller Christian communities, some have emigrated to the Republic of Armenia.

In 1987 it is estimated that 1.4 million Christians lived in Iraq, but that the number is now down to around 800,000. One of the most famous Iraqi Christians is Tariq Aziz, the former foreign minister, but even he changed his name, from Michael Yuhanna.

Some Iraqi-Christians complain that the US authorities promoteMuslims. More likely they just don't understand the complexity of Iraqi society and the history of Christians and Muslims living side by side.

Posted by Matt on August 04, 2004 | TrackBack | Email to a friend