Fear dominates in Iraq, says Cardinal Emmanuel III Deelly
Dec 26, 2007 Dec 26 2007
The American forces have said that there has been a 60% reduction in violence since June.
(Milenio.com, December 26, 2007) BAGHDAD .- The fear still pervades life in Iraq despite a recent reduction in violence, said the spiritual leader of Catholics Iraqis in an interview on Monday, who took the opportunity to make a call for the refugees to return home.
The American forces have said that there has been a 60% reduction in violence since June, and the incessant sound of car bombs and shootings that used to fill the days in central Baghdad has clearly subsided.
During the last days of the Muslim holiday of Eid al-Adha, Iraq seems to be experiencing one of its most peaceful moments of the American invasion in 2003.
But security is still poor and many Iraqis fear depart too much from their homes.
Gangs and armed militias roam the streets of cities, car bombs and suicide bombers attacked markets, police patrols and liquor, and the bodies of tortured hostages appear almost daily along with banks of rivers or on the streets.
"Hopefully that is improving, but I think that is the same''said Cardinal Emmanuel III Delly, the leader of the ancient Church Caldea and the first Iraqi Cardinal, in an interview with The Associated Press on the eve of Christmas.
"Everybody is afraid to leave… because of the car bombs and other things. . Even small animals fear the dangers.''
While Delly spoke, a bomb hidden in a minibus exploded a few kilometers away, next to the governor's office in Baghdad, killing two people and injuring six.
The explosion was heard in the guarded complex where he lives Cardinal Delly in western Baghdad.
"We hope to improve… are always children of hope.. We must have that hope, and always be optimistic and not pessimistic''said Delly.
Christians have often been victims of attacks by Islamic extremists, forcing tens of thousands to flee the country many of the remaining isolated behind barricades and checkpoints.
Less than 3% of the 26 million people of Iraq are Christians, most of them Chaldean-Assyrians and Armenians, with a small number of Catholics.
Grace Mizzi
www.mmponline.org
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Posted - Dec 28 2007 : 5:35:01 PM
