Mosul (AsiaNews) – "Things are getting worse by the day, especially for Christians," Fr Ghany Ravid, a Mosul-based Catholic priest, told AsiaNew. "I am confident however that the elections in January will improve things."

Voter registration began in the last few days in preparation of the elections that will give birth to Iraq's first democratic government. In Mosul though, elections are not high on people's list of priorities. According to Father Ghany, this is because "foreign fundamentalists are threatening the city's security. The situation is dangerous for everyone but it is Christians who are the first to pay."
"Just the other," he said, "the police tried to arrest some extremists. There were skirmishes and the police got some of them." But people are scared, the priest explained, because "Mosul is out of control. No one seems to be able to do anything about security. Everyone is afraid that something might happen to them."

Fundamentalist intolerance is on the rise. In the last few months, Christian churches have been attacked in Baghdad and Mosul. More recently, Muslim extremists in Mosul have threatened Christian female students for not covering their heads. But on Wednesday October 27, the Pope tried to reassure Iraqi Christians by inviting them to contribute generously to reconciliation in Iraqi society.

US bishops have also expressed "their deep concern" for the "deliberate violence" that recently struck Iraqi Christians. In a letter send to Iraqi Prime Minister Ayad Allawi, they wrote that anti-Christian attacks are "a direct threat to religious freedom".

Mgr John H. Ricard, chairman of the Committee on International Policy of the US Bishops' Conference, who signed the letter, appealed directly to the Prime Minister saying that "the growing intolerance will eventually destabilise and put in jeopardy the democratic freedoms that you are working so hard to achieve and that most Iraqis are hoping for. Religious freedom is vital for the future of a democratic Iraq." He added: "We assure you and the Iraqi people that you are in our prayers so that you may continue building a peaceful and democratic Iraq."

He sent a similar letter to US Secretary of State Colin Powell. (LF)