Henderson Gleaner, KY
Aug 11 2007

Peace still can rise from ashes in Mideast

By Rev. Joseph Ziliak
Saturday, August 11, 2007

Not being an expert on Iraq or the Middle East, I can only rely on
what I read or hear. And then, after that, how do I interpret
correctly what is happening?

Statistics and numbers are hard to come by and to verify. But it is
maintained that some 2 million Iraqis have fled their homeland to
seek some accommodation abroad. Most seem to have fled to Syria and
Jordan, while others are in Egypt, Lebanon and Turkey.

Some would maintain that this story is a repetition of that which
happened about 90 years ago as World War I was closing. It is
estimated that up to 2 million Armenian, Assyrian, Chaldean and
Syriac Christians were murdered or died of starvation, disease or
exposure to the elements.

Admittedly, some of these stories came from sources who are Christian
and suffering under the current chaos of Iraq.

For an Iraqi to live and work in Jordan, he must have a visa, and
renew that visa, at a cost, every month.

An 18-year-old Iraqi works without a visa at a grocery store in
Amman, Jordan. He earns some $63 a month, which he uses to pay the
rent for a two-room basement apartment. He would prefer to be in
school, studying computer science, but now cares for his mother and
two younger sisters. Their father was murdered.

His father owned an electrical appliance shop in Baghdad. He failed
to return home from work one day in December 2005. Kidnappers later
called, asking for $50,000 in ransom for his release. Calling on
relatives and neighbors for help, his wife was able to gather only
$6,000.

She was told to drop off the money at a cemetery. A few days later
the kidnappers called, demanding more money. They had already shot
her husband three times in the head. They wanted more protection
money to keep her and her children from harm. Thus, the family headed
for Jordan.

Their sparsely furnished but clean apartment in Amman is decorated
with a photo of a smiling family – three children and an attractive
husband and wife in front of a beautiful suburban Baghdad home.

A newly ordained Chaldean priest returned to Mosul from graduate
studies in Rome in 2003.

"This is where I belong," he said.

He came back to Mosul to rejuvenate his people. He noted that the
elderly people entrust their younger ones to God’s protection as they
flee their homeland. The older ones stay where they are rooted and
have built their homes.

"I may be wrong," said the priest, "but I am certain of one thing,
one single fact that is always true: The Holy Spirit will enlighten
people so that they may work for the good of humanity in this world
so full of evil."

After celebrating the eucharistic liturgy at the Chaldean church on
June 3, 2007, the 34-year-old priest left with three subdeacons who
acted as bodyguards because the priest frequently had received death
threats.

The car in which they rode was overtaken. It was sprayed with
bullets, killing all the occupants.

Our country has done little to allow refugees fleeing such a
situation to enter our country. Only 68 were admitted into the United
States between October 2006 and March 2007. Only 466 Iraqis have been
allowed to enter since March 2003.

The future is not good for many of those who’ve fled Iraq. It is not
good for those who’ve remained.

The situation is complicated, difficult and virtually impossible for
us to really know what to do. Of course, the only good solution is
that the various groups negotiate for peace. It is never too late for
that to happen.

May God be with those who can make such a solution a reality.

Father Joseph L. Ziliak is pastor of St. John the Baptist Catholic
Church in Newburgh.