World View
Global Dispatches From ABC News Reporters
ABC News staff around the world report on what makes the news and what doesn't.
RECENT POSTS
MONTHLY ARCHIVES
« Previous | Main | Next »
How Life Has Changed for Iraq's Christians
December 26, 2008 9:37 AM
By MIKE GUDGELL, Bureau Chief, ABC News Baghdad
They were shot, kidnapped and chased from their homes. Their churches were bombed and dismantled—often brick by brick. In a country where death and despair are commonplace the Christian population has especially suffered.
They are vulnerable. There is no strong militia or armed force to protect them. Many have fled the country, moved to the more tolerant north or hid in their homes. Most were afraid to worship or even reveal their faith.
This week many Christians in Iraq openly celebrated Christmas for the first time in years. The Iraqi Government declared a holiday—a first in modern times. It’s still a dangerous place for Christians but some see this holiday season as a sign of change in Iraq.
“We hope that the celebration of the Birth of Jesus Christ this year is a point of change for our country,” said Father Waseem to his congregation at the Our Lady the Savior Cathedral in Baghdad, “let’s pray to our Father to spread love and tranquility.”
There are overwhelming statistics documenting the decrease in violence. Numbers, however, don’t change behavior or have a lasting effect on perception. They don’t tell the whole story. It’s the small things that add up. The military calls it “atmospherics,” the anecdotal experiences that tell us that living here is different.
As journalists we see more than we’d like. It comes with the territory. There are faces of despair and anguish that refuse to fade. When I saw the face of Nadia, a young Iraqi woman who had just attended Father Waseem’s service, it was a very different image from those of the past. You could feel her happiness and relief. “I cannot describe how happy I am this year,” she told us.
This week I flew to southern Iraq in an Army helicopter. The last time I took a similar trip all I could see were abandoned farms, pock marked cratered roads and burning homes or vehicles.
I expected to see the same when we took off from a base near Baghdad. We flew first over the Tigris-Euphrates valley, one of the most fertile areas in the Middle East. This time the sun reflected off neat and orderly fields — irrigated and green. Long lines of hot house growing sheds dotted many farms. As we moved further south I could see shepherds with flocks of sheep and long lines of camels. Trucks and cars moved down the main highway. It was a change, a big change.
Every time I come to Iraq, five or six times a year, I see small differences. The airport used to be part chaos-part order. Human excrement littered the parking garage. The short road to Baghdad was one of the most dangerous pieces of asphalt in the country. The last time I arrived a new terminal had opened. The road has been cleared, the shoulders leveled and cleaned and the median has been groomed and planted with grass.
Further into Baghdad there’s a small turn around just outside the green zone on the way to the ABC News Bureau. The first time I saw this area it was a mud hole. The street and sidewalks were torn up. The blast walls along the edge of the check point were pock marked with shrapnel from a road side bomb that had damaged a Stryker armored vehicle. A year ago I noticed neat stacks of bricks on the sidewalk. The next time, to my surprise, they were still there. I expected they would be stolen. That last trip here they had been laid into the side walk. This time the street was paved.
Perhaps a simple church service, the smile of an Iraqi, neat rows of farms or a paved street mean nothing. Then again, maybe they are everything. It makes me wonder how Nadia will look next Christmas.
Mazin Faiq contributed to this blog.
Read more blogs by Mike Gudgell
Read more blogs by ABC News staff
December 26, 2008 in Mike Gudgell | Permalink | User Comments (16)
You can follow this conversation by subscribing to the comment feed for this post.
Bravo Americans for not buying. It is truly the power of the people to show that without spendable income the greedy will suffer. When a retailer can bring down prices 80%, imagine the profits you were previously giving and then compounded by the obscene profits to credit card companies. This shows the true power of the people
Posted by: Scott Buchele | Dec 26, 2008 1:10:42 PM
My hat is off the the Iraqi Christians who have had the courage to stick it out against bombs and bullets. Their faith against Islams extremists who blow up innocent women and children. Some battles really reflect the epic battle between good and evil and this is one. Perhaps the government could be a little more determined to protect the Christian minority's right to exist through a better use of the police and national guard. I have to say I don't see any Christian clergy advocating the killing of the Islamic infidels whereas the reverse is a usual pattern of language for the fringe lunatics of Islam.
Posted by: richard warren | Dec 26, 2008 1:11:52 PM
The Christian community was much larger when Saddam Husein was there to provide security. All religions were protected under Saddam. Many were killed in the shock and awe attacks, and many more left the country to avoid the caous that falled. It is nice to see sime normality is returning.
Posted by: JoeForSure | Dec 26, 2008 3:19:39 PM
cool
Posted by: jon | Dec 26, 2008 4:18:29 PM
that is terrible that the the iraq community would kill all those christians and burn the churches i think that the united states whould stop that and help all christians.
Posted by: jon | Dec 26, 2008 4:19:56 PM
Christians, Muslems and Jews all lived together in Iraq for hundreds of years. When the US invaded Iraq and killed over a million Iraqis, as verified by the International Red Cross, many muslims apparently took their revenge out on other members of their own faith and on Christians. Hopefully they will be able to get their lives back together once the US pulls out their occupation forces.
Posted by: JoeForSure | Dec 26, 2008 9:21:28 PM
I am grateful to GOD that the Iraqi's chritains were able to celebrate this year's xmas. I pray God to protect them
and cause them to spread the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ with out fear.
Posted by: joe | Dec 27, 2008 4:18:24 AM
I am grateful to GOD that the Iraqi's chritains were able to celebrate this year's xmas. I pray God to protect them
and cause them to spread the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ with out fear.
Posted by: joe | Dec 27, 2008 4:18:25 AM
The Iraqi Christians were protected by Saddam Hussein. We may not have liked him, but he was able to protect these people. They are the group hardest hit since the US invaded Iraq. What this story fails to mention is that these Christians wouldn't be having any problems at all if it weren't for the US occupation of Iraq. Their blood is on Bush's hands, and the hands of all Americans that voluntarily fight in this unjust war.
Posted by: Joe | Dec 27, 2008 3:56:16 PM
CHRISIANS FROM USA HAVE KILLED 2.5M PEOPLE IN IRAQ,3.5M INJURD,5M HOMLESS.USA WANT TO KILL MABY MOOR MUSLIMS IN THE WORLD FOR JEWS.STIL USA WANT TO KILL 50 TO 60M MUSLIMS IN PAKISTAN,20 TO 30M IN IRAN FOR ISREALI JEWS.GOD AFTER PAKISTAN AND IRAN HOW MANY MOOR MUSLIMS COUNTRYS R ON USA LIST WEIR THAY WANT TO KILL ALL THE MUSLIMS.DO USA EVER GOING TO STOP KILLING.NO PEACE NO HOPE NO END IN SITE.BLOOD BLOOD BLOOD THIS IS WHAT USA AND ISREAL WANT IN THE WORLD.ITS A SICK WORLD
Posted by: M NASEEM | Dec 29, 2008 5:31:18 AM
CHRISTIAN HAVE BECOM SO BLOOD THIRSTY.THAY WANT TO KILL MUSLIMS ALL OVER THE WORLD.KILLING LOOTING RAPING HAVE BECOM CHRISTIAN WAY OF LIFE.THAY R THE BIGST KILLER ON EARTH,CHRIST MUST BE VERY SHAM OF THE KILLERS.MAY GOD HELP U TO KILL ALL THE HUMAN RACE ON EARTH FOR JEWS
Posted by: M NASEEM | Dec 29, 2008 5:41:46 AM
Everyone should have a right to worship and putting blame on an entire category of people, Christians, Jews, Americans is just as bad as killing innocents. God wants us all to love one another and forgive as he has forgiven us. Ask yourself what you are doing for the innocents in the world besides blaming them next time you look in the mirror.
Posted by: Yorkhighstudent17 | Jan 5, 2009 12:26:00 PM
JoeForSure Can you please provide some info on the one million deaths verified by the International Red Cross?
Posted by: Dave | Jan 5, 2009 5:25:42 PM
Joe is correct. Saddam protected the Christians, Kurds and Shia in his country. The rape rooms and people thrown in wood chippers all deserved it. Saddam really didn't wipe out whole villages in the north or southern part of the country and those pesky mass graves that were found really don't exist. Saddam did not support any terrorist group and did not try to kill our President. All in Iraq was blue skies, butterflies and a peaceful democracy which wasn't firing at American planes or diverting money from the food for oil program.
All was peace and goodness.
Posted by: Dave | Jan 5, 2009 5:35:46 PM
I have a Kurdish friend & he would stronly disagree. Saddam killed so many for no reason, except he was crazy & evil. Yo who say different are as nuts as he was.
I am so happy that our men & women helped to free them.
Posted by: Cindy | Jan 16, 2009 11:38:50 AM
USA should allow more Christians from Iraq persecuted during the war to immigrate to USA and give them asulum. It is ridiculous that they are being tortured and shows the true evil of Islamic terrorism.
Posted by: Lasa | Jan 16, 2009 2:54:29 PM
Post a comment
