The Assyrian Democratic Organization
For the Massacre of the Church of Our Lady of Deliverance in Baghdad
On Sunday October 31, 2010, a group of terrorists belonging to “the Islamic State of Iraq,” a militant terrorist organization connected to Al-Qaeda, broke into the Our Lady of Deliverance Syriac Catholic Church in Baghdad and committed an extremely savage and barbaric massacre by opening fire on the innocent hostages, who had flocked to attend the Divine Liturgy and Prayer of peace and love. This led to the death and wounding of scores of our Assyrian Chaldean Syriac people, many of whom were innocent children, women, and priests. As a result, a number of Iraqi security forces were also killed when they attempted to release the hostages.
This crime was well planned and organized and came only a few days after the conclusion of the Catholic Church’s Holy Synod for Middle East Christians. It sends a clear message full of hatred and racism, and unequivocally indicates the terrorists’ determination to further their evil plans of targeting Christians and forcing them to migrate from their homelands, as well as eliminating all forms of ethnic, religious, and cultural diversity in Iraq. This comes in the midst of an alarming political vacuum, and a complete inability of the Iraqi government and its security forces to impose security and stability, and to provide adequate protection for our people from the Genocide that is being perpetrated against them.
While we strongly condemn this heinous crime, we call upon our political parties, organizations, and Churches to unite their efforts in order to pressure the Iraqi government to perform its political and legal responsibilities, and to take the necessary measures to provide adequate protection for our people and Churches. Together, we must all call upon the international community and demand the creation of a safe haven for our people in the Nineveh Plain, which shall be guaranteed constitutionally and internationally. And to ensure Autonomy for our people within the framework of the Iraqi state, as an essential method to provide security and stability for our Assyrian Chaldean Syriac people, and to secure the safe and dignified return of our refugees and displaced individuals. This is the best option for guaranteeing the continued national, religious, and civilized existence of our people in their homeland of Iraq, based on mutual understanding and co-existence with all its partners in the homeland.
Glory and eternity for the Martyrs of the Church of Our Lady of Deliverance, and we wish a speedy recovery to the wounded.
And shame and disgrace to the forces of terrorism and the enemies of humanity.
Assyrian Democratic Organization
Political Bureau
Syria
November 1, 2010
