Amman (AsiaNews) - Fr Rif'at Bader, director of the Catholic
Media Study Centre in the Jordanian capital, wrote a letter in response to an
article by French Foreign Minister Alain Juppé that was published in several
newspapers around the world. In his article, Juppé praises France for coming to
the defence of Christians, urging Syrian Christians to fight more decisively
against Bashar Assad. Here is Fr Bader's response, which he sent us (translated
from the French by AsiaNews)
Your Excellency,
I, like others, read your article
("Eastern Christians and Arab Springs" in La
Croix, 28 February 2012), which was translated and published in various
newspapers, including newspapers in Jordan, like El Rai, on 1 March 2012.
I am writing you today, from
Jordan, even though El Rai says that your
article is not about Jordanian Christians, and that what you write is a
personal opinion. Let me point out, Sir, that, for Easter Christians, the
Christian identity is the same everywhere, even though there may be some
differences in terms of the security and freedom people enjoy in going about
their business, helping the development of their countries. Yet, your letter,
which you sign as the minister of Foreign and European Affairs, has undoubtedly
an official character.
In any case, I want to thank you
for talking about the Christian "presence" in your article. Unfortunately, our
local newspaper translated [the term] into Arabic as "existence". I checked the
French newspaper and noticed that you mention "presence", not "existence". Did Arabic-language
newspapers make a mistake perhaps and say existence in lieu of presence? Or are
we back to the simple notion of Christians' geographical and demographic
existence, unconcerned by the efficient, cooperative, resourceful and positive contribution
they have made in the past, make in the present and will make in the future?
Your Excellency, there is a great difference between existence and presence.
In your article, you spoke about
our Christian brothers in Iraq. They have been massacred and their numbers have
dwindled. Indeed, in their case, it is a matter of existence, more than presence,
a problem that can only be solved with peace.
Your Excellency, you did not however
mention the causes that once again transformed the problems Eastern Christians
face into one of sheer existence. What has been happening in Palestine, the
Holy Land, for decades has had an impact on Iraq, i.e. the military interference
of foreign powers into [the region's] countries and peoples. This has divided the
Arab world into small countries, and has certainly affected Christians. Christians
like Muslims have had to leave Jerusalem the Holy City, and others towns and villages
because of the Israeli occupation. Likewise, Iraqi Christians have been
dispersed without a possibility of return because of the occupation by US troops
supported by many Western countries.
By chance, I wrote this article right
after saying goodbye to an Iraqi family (the Rassams), who lived in our parish
in Jordan for eight years. They knocked at the door of every embassy, and
finally the Embassy of new Zealand took pity on them, and now they will be on
their way two days from now.
I will tell you the truth. It is
with a heavy heart that I think about their departure, knowing that they will
never return. Who caused their misfortunes and suffering? Who caused them to
leave without seeing their dear homeland? Could Western countries not have exerted
all their influence to create peace and welfare rather than flood us with nice
empty words? Instead, all that the efforts of the Security Council, the United
Nations and the civilised nations did was to provide the world with the
lugubrious images of the trial, conviction and execution of a former president who
left behind him pain and suffering. They especially provided the pitiful sight
of Christians knocking on the doors of your embassies in a way that deserves
pity.
In your article, you mention your
meeting with people wounded in 'Sayidat al Najat', the Church of Our Lady of Perpetual Rescue, and that was
good, but King Abdullah bin al-Hussein of Jordan did it before you. He opened the
door wide open for more of our Iraqi brothers than you mention. The United
Nations and Christian organisations like Caritas Jordan, have provided medical
and food aid, and continue to do so. The issue goes beyond accepting a few
wounded people or families. It is time to stop such crimes, which are not only
against Christians and worshippers, but are crimes against humanity. Who prepared
the ground for this "work" against in places of worship? Did the Western
governments not lead the world into believing in the presence of dangerous chemical
weapons [in Iraq] and of the need to overthrow the dictator? Would it not have
been better to have employed educational and humane means instead of trying to [to
impose] with tanks an illusory democracy?
Is foreign occupation not the
essential cause of what we see today? We had not seen for generations churches on
fire or destroyed with people praying inside. We had to wait for the 21st
century to see such horrors live on TV. From the outside, the cause, Sir, does
not seem clear; it appears hidden after the arrival of extremist groups and
slogans that call for the elimination of others. The real cause however comes
from outside.
Eastern Christians are an
integral part of their countries. They have been faithful in their work and
have been exemplary in serving their societies and Churches, this to the extent
the various governments allowed them. The Arab spring is not a catastrophe for Christians
even though in some countries more should be done in terms of democratisation. In
any event, Christians are not the problem; they are part of their nation; what
happens to others happens to them, for better or worse. A real Arab spring
would be to let the people choose their leaders and not you choose their
leaders.
Now, after welcoming so many
Syrian refugees in Jordan, we must pause to think. Are we on the brink of
second "exodus", an exodus of Christians who will come to your embassies and
knock on your doors? I hope not. I would rather hope to see the promises you mention
in your article realised.
If thousands of Christians do leave
Syria, they will be accompanied by non-Christians. This is a human and national
disaster, not one for Christians alone. Similarly, where will Iraqi Christians who
fled to Syria over the past few years go? They will become refugees again. What
more can you do but make promises that neither feed nor enrich anyone?
In the past, towards the end of
the Ottoman period, France was a party to a programme of foreign guarantees in
which various nations chose to protect a specific Church. Today, Eastern
Christians no longer trust foreign guarantees. What they want is sincere and
effective action, one that is clean and without sordid goals, in order to pursue
the Middle East peace plan. The main problem is the Palestinian question and
the possibility for the faithful to visit the Holy Sites. What is Europe doing
for people from Bethlehem who are not allowed to reach the Holy Sepulchre, ten
kilometres from home? The Latin patriarchate built several buildings to house
families in and around Jerusalem but have we heard of any foreign government
helping with these projects? Is it not true that foreign governments only talk
about helping?
Christians who attended the Synod
of the Catholic Church (for Middle Eastern Churches) in the Vatican found help
and encouragement in the Churches of Europe, which made a real contribution by
way of Church organisations like Caritas who helped schools, universities,
hospitals and local associations. It is necessary today to support Christian
media and research centres so that Eastern Christians can speak for themselves
and the world listen to them. You said that you want to listen to the voice of Eastern
Christians. The latter do not speak about their governments. What they want is
for you to continue to work for peace; this will contribute to security,
justice, equality and citizenship for all, not only some.
Sir, we thank you for your
concern but the inhabitants of these countries, including Christians, expect more
from you than words.
Fr Rif'at Bader
Priest with the Latin
Patriarchate - Jordan
Director of the Catholic Media
Study Centre
www.abouna.org
abouna.org@gmail.com
