The open wounds of Iraqi Christians

MRG intern Aimee Griffin attends a church service in London and meets Iraqi Christians in exile in the UK whose dreams of returning to their homeland are rapidly fading.

Aimee Griffin

On a cold Sunday afternoon in December I made my journey to an Iraqi Christian Church service in West London. I was asked to attend the service by Minority Rights Group International to interview Iraqi Christians in London. I wanted to obtain a wider picture of the situation in Iraq for Christians. On my way, I found myself questioning the possibility that faith can get you through the most horrific events.

When I arrived I crept up to the gallery so as not to disturb the mass. As I gazed down, the Deacon (whom I had met previously) smiled up to me and I felt welcomed. Although I did not fully understand the ceremony, surrounded by the warmth of hymns and the awed concentration of the congregation, I could not help being touched by the service. I now understood the answer to my question: faith provides people with hope and belief that one day its people will be safe in Iraq.

The horrendous events which occurred in Mosul in October of this year could be described as a campaign of terror designed to eradicate Christians and other minorities from Iraq. Since 2003, a third of Iraqi Christians numbering 800,000 are believed to have fled. The Iraqi Christians with whom I spoke to are all too familiar with the events which occurred in October. They spoke of continuous fears for their relatives and friends who remain in Iraq.

One particular interview which continues to stand out in my mind, possibly because he reminded me of how much I take for granted and how little he rejoices over, was with a 20 year old Syrian Orthodox male not far from my own age. Obviously, his experiences were far removed from my own reality as a 23 year old from Ireland. He had piercing white teeth and a glowing smile but his brown eyes told a different story. 15 August 2006 is a date that he will never forget.

He was kidnapped by the Mahdi Army because he was believed to be a rich Catholic. He was badly beaten and they insulted Christ before him. The wounds of his kidnap are still clearly visible; they cut his hand and arm with a blade. At the same time he was forced to phone his mother to tell her to pay a ransom of $25,000. As he told this story I looked to his mother and felt a tear well in my eye.

This boy’s Mother had obviously relived these agonising moments many times in her head. She appeared agitated and continued to interrupt the boy’s story with added details he had forgotten. His physical wounds still hurt to this day but it is obvious the psychological scars run deeper and it is an event which he and his family will find difficult to forget.

But this 20 year-old is one of the luckier Iraqis. He has been granted asylum here in London. When asked if he would ever return to Iraq, he simply replied ‘I am scared. I will never return to Iraq even if things get better’. He added sadly that he believes Christians will soon disappear from Iraq. Unfortunately, I have found that this is a commonly held belief amongst most of the minority groups in Iraq.

Having read transcripts from interviews undertaken in Syria, Jordan and Sweden and from being involved in interviews here in the UK, it is clear to see that no minority group in Iraq has escaped the political, economic and religious based violence. All these vulnerable minorities from Christians to Yezidis are subject to the threat of abduction for ransom, torture, rape, threats and destruction of property.

In 2003, the country of Iraq was invaded by the US-led coalition to overthrow the inhumane leadership of Saddam Hussein & the Ba’ath party. This is common knowledge due in no small part to the extensive media coverage surrounding the controversial invasion. However, what failed to catch the media’s attention during and after the invasion of Iraq was the horrendous violence directed at minority groups. Before I began my internship with Minority Right Group International, I had little knowledge of the terrifying ordeals to which Iraqi minority groups are subjected to everyday. Over these last few months I have had an amazing opportunity to understand the upsetting, but courageous, experiences of a small number of Iraqi refugees who have escaped to London.

The horrific level of violence which Iraqi civilians continue to endure is a direct consequence of the embedded sectarian violence which has taken hold of the country. Iraq contains a mosaic of minorities including Armenians, Baha’is, Christians, Chaldo- Assyrian Christians, Jews, Faili Kurds, Mandaeans, Palestinians, Shabaks, Turkomans and Yezidis. Iraq’s diverse minorities are fundamental to the process of rebuilding their country. To ensure stability in the country, they must be protected and represented on the long and strenuous journey in uniting this war torn country. To rebuild this shattered country work must be undertaken from the inside out. Iraq will never be fully rebuilt without representation of all its diverse and ancient minorities.

The trip to the land of the Queen

Wilson Kipsang Kipkazi, leader of the Endorois community in Kenya, experiences the joys of London’s climate and marvels at the Tube on his first visit to the UK to promote MRG’s Trouble in Paradise campaign. Please support Kipkazi and the Endorois by signing MRG’s Petition

It was 11.30 pm; I tightened my seatbelt as the plane took off from Jomo Kenyatta international airport. From the look of things the plane seemed to be heading to the moon, but after a short while it started to turn into a direction I was not able to identify.

The journey to Heathrow took us just eight and half hours, but it took us another thirty minutes queuing to be allowed to enter the UK. The welcome I received was not so friendly, but my letter of invitation from MRG seemed to smooth my passage.

On completion of this rigorous check my passport was finally stamped authorizing me entry into the land of her Majesty the Queen of England. I emerged from the endless corridors of Heathrow into arrivals where I met a middle-aged gentleman holding a sign saying KITKAZY (whom I rightly assumed was my taxi to the hotel).

On leaving the airport I was exposed to the outside world, with temperatures which reduced me to shivering – it was terribly cold. I really had underrated the climate during the winter season in Europe….

The taxi driver was talkative and humorous on issues of life and the economy (he complained that its at its worst level ever). He asked me which country I came from, and I told him that I was from Obamaland. He was so excited that I was from a country which gave America a new President and told me he hoped Obama will not push Britain around the way Bush junior did with Iraq.

I arrived at the hotel around 7am where I was met by MRG’s Trouble in Paradise campaigner Emma who sorted out my room at the hotel. After having breakfast at a nearby restaurant owned by a charity, we went to the offices of Minority Rights Group on Commercial Street. In the office I was introduced to the members of the organization who welcomed me to London and to MRG.

On this first day, I had meetings with staff to update them on the latest news from my community and later we met with Tina from the Baring Foundation, who, through MRG, will be funding capacity building and infrastructure for the Endorois over the next few years – we had fruitful discussions that will foster good relations between the three organizations in the future.

This really was one of the very terrible days in London, for it was raining and quite cold and I was not able to enjoy the abundance of sunshine that we have in Kenya….

On the second day of my stay in London I met Dr. Cheryl Mvula, a travel consultant who gave me some great advice on community tourism and how the Endorois might go about benefiting from tourism more fully in our area of the Rift Valley.

Later that day Emma and I attended the World Travel Market at Excel exhibition centre in eastern London. I had the privilege to travel by train for the first time in my life (and more so an underground electric train).

This was magnificent use of my time in the UK, allowing me to meet exhibitors from all over the world who organize safari trips to Kenya and talk to them about the plight of my community.

Late in the night of the same day I had the opportunity to visit the BBC at Bush House, where I was interviewed for World Service Radio on the Endorois’ eviction from Lake Bogoria and its implication for my people.

On the third day, to mark the occasion of World Responsible Tourism Day, we held a press conference at the Press Association near the Queen’s residence, which was very successful. The Director of MRG and myself explained to journalists about why tourists and tour operators need to be aware of the issues affecting indigenous peoples when they take their holidays and specifically about the wellbeing of the Endorois people who lost their lands for the creation of an animal sanctuary.

Upon completion of the press briefing, Emma took me to visit the Queen of England at her palace. Despite the fact that we were not allowed to enter her residence, we had the privilege to go near to her perimeter fence and take pictures of the palace undisturbed by the guards guarding her home.

We also had the opportunity to visit the Kenyan embassy in London and met Mr. Barno, who is an agricultural attaché in London. Emma was so good in showing me around London, despite me getting a little bit confused about all the magnificent developments that were done over a hundred years ago. It was really amazing and quite challenging to someone from a developing country like Kenya.

The fourth and final day I had further meetings in the MRG office and an emotional farewell party for Cynthia and Ishbel, who were leaving MRG to join other organizations after serving selflessly in the organization for many years. The speeches were quite moving and many members of staff including myself had to shed tears of disappointment at being left by friends with whom we had worked for many years. Cynthia for sure has been a beacon of hope to many in the Endorois community.

On Friday morning Emma called for me at the hotel at 7am to make sure that I reach the airport on time for my plane back to Nairobi. My flight back was quite enjoyable as the plane cruised over several countries all the way from London and I was able to appreciate the views during daylight.

My trip to London has tremendously changed my life; it was a remarkable tour that shall be a permanent history written in my life, courtesy of Endorois Welfare Council and MRG. I believe that many people in my community will benefit from what I learned on the trip to the land of the Queen.