AsiaNews, Italy
Nov 14 2009
Mosul armed group kills 16 year old Christian on doorstep of home
Rami Katchik belongs to the Armenian community. The murder occurred in
the neighbourhood of Tahrir. The police say motive is not yet clear.
Fr. Hazem Girgis, a local priest: It is one of the many crimes
committed to eradicate Christians from the area and force them to
leave.
Mosul (AsiaNews) – A 16 year old Christian was killed on the doorstep
of his home in Mosul, in the neighborhood of Tahrir. The boy, Rami
Katchik, belongs to the Armenian community.
Police said that on 13 November, at about 17.30, "Unidentified gunmen
opened fire from a black car that arrived at speed". Local sources
report that the boy was washing the front door with his father when he
was shot.
Girgis Paulos, neighbour of the Katchik family says that at the moment
of the attack "the father had just entered the house to get a shovel.
When he heard the gun shots he ran out and saw three men in the car".
Police agents say it is not yet clear whether there are religious
reasons behind the assassination, but Fr. Hazem Girgis, a local
priest, sees the murder as "one of the many crimes committed to
eradicate Christians from the area and force them to leave".
For some time members of the Christian community of Mosul are victims
of attacks from 2008 to now these violent episodes have caused 40
deaths. Thousands fled the city in northern Iraq last year. A report
published November 10 by Human Rights Watch says that Christians and
minorities who inhabit the northern regions of Iraq are victims of a
conflict between Arabs and Kurds for control of the province.
Since the fall of Saddam to today the numbers of Christians in Mosul
have been decimated. During the dictatorship the largest parish in the
city had a greater number of believers than there are today throughout
the entire diocese.
Yesterday the new archbishop of the city was announced, over a year
after the murder of Mgr. Rahho (see AsiaNews, 13/11/2009, "Mosul is
celebrating the appointment of the new archbishop, after the death of
Msgr. Rahho). The news has brought hope to the local community, but
the murder of the young Katchik falls on the celebrations reawakening
fear.