Crisis of Eastern Christians and the War on Terrorism
by Theodore G. Karakostas

The present war undertaken by the United States has made the overthrow of Afghanistan's Taliban regime and the destruction of Osama Bin Laden's Al Quada Network major war aims. Others advocate an all out war against international terrorism by seeking to punish additional states like Iraq, Syria, and Sudan. In the case of Afghanistan, much has been made of human rights issues such as the abuse of women.

When the Second World War ended, the world discovered the horrors of the Holocaust. Supporting the surviving members of the Jewish nation became a priority. The west, guilt ridden over the Nazi Genocide came to support the establishment of the state of Israel and recognized the Nazi Genocide through memorials and commemorations.

Unfortunately, the protection of Christians in Islamic countries has not been cited as a top priority. The protection of Christians in Islamic countries should be a practical aim in the current war against fanaticism. It is possible that this war will forget long suffering Christian populaitons just as Europe forgot the Christians of the Ottoman Empire when it was able to relax after Ottoman threats in 1539 and 1683 subsided.

Many advocate bombing Sudan because of its sponsorship of terrorism. Yet, the fact that Genocide against that country's Christians is taking place is overlooked. The plight of the Christians in Sudan shoud be taken into account when the Bush administration reviews what should be done about Sudan. 

At present, Egypt is the second largest recipient of Americanaid. The Coptic Orthodox Church is among the various "OrientalOrthodox" Churches that split with the Byzantine Church in451 after the Fourth Ecumenical Council in Calcedon. The treatment that the Coptic Christians receive in Egypt is appalling.

Here we have an example of a religious minority that is suffering horrific persecution and yet for decades there have been no significent measures undertaken by the United States to help this Christian community. If there are perceived instances of persecution against Non-Christian religions, there are protests and even wars waged, but not when Christians are persecuted.

Two years ago, two members of Iran's Jewish community were arrested on charges of treason. This incident attracted widespread coverage, attention, and condemnation. The routine persecution of Christians in the Islamic world merits very little attention. After the First World War, Europe and the United States not only did nothing to punish the leaders of the Ottoman Empire for the Genocide of 1,500,000 Armenians, 800,000 Assyrians and 1,200,000 Greeks, but they supported the heirs of the Ottomans such as Mustapha Kemal who finished the job of exterminating Turkeys Christian populations.

Which path will the United States led coalition against terrorism follow? Will it follow the policy adopted after World War II which punished Genocide at the Nuremberg Trials or will it imitate the corrupt policies adopted after World War I which allowed the Turk Nationalists to reestablish their power and to exterminate their Christians.

It is probable that the US will adopt the latter policy. Their has been little support for Eastern Christians in the west. A few years ago, Congress sponsored a resolution to help Christians entitled the "Freedom from Religious persecution Act" but not much came of it, and that resolution was to an extent motivated by the desire of Evangelical Protestant groups to proselytize in the Muslim world. At present, NATO member Turkey has an Armenian population of around 40,000. It's Assyrian and Greek populations are around 5,000 and 2,500 respectively. Despite the problems that these communties face, Turkey still receives obscene amounts of foreign Aid from the United States.

State Sponsored discrimination in Turkey continues to be practiced against the Ecumenical Patriarchate with regards to the Theological Seminary on Halki. Greek Orthodox culture in Occupied Cyprus is being eradicated as most Greeks in the North have been ethnically cleansed and abandoned Churches are converted into stables or torn down. Ancient Mosaics, Icons, and Gospels have been looted by Turkish occupation leaders and are sold on the black market. A famous Mosaic depicting Jesus as a twelve year old and which was stolen from the Church of the Panagia Kanakaria was purchased by an unscrupulous art dealer.

Osama Bin Laden's allies in the Balkans, the "Kosovo Liberation Army", and the "National Liberation Army" are doing their part to eradicate Christianity. In the 1960's and 1970's, Serbs were ethnically cleansed from Kosovo. Ever since NATO forced Yugoslav troops to leave Kosovo Serbs have been slaughtered, beaten, tortured, and lynched. Ancient Serbian Orthodox Churches and Monastaries are being eradicated while Monks and Priests are murdered. 

The tragedy of Eastern Christianity over 1,400 years is the story of unending Genocide, massacres, and ethnic cleansing. Ironically, western governments refuse to see it. The United States still refuses to recognize the Armenian Genocide, as well as the Turkish Genocide's of the Assyrians and the Greeks. It also does not recognize the World War 2 Genocide of Serbs by Croats and Muslims who lined up to support the Nazis in the Balkans. 

The Taliban in Afghanistan are one of the most vile governments on the face of the earth. This is a regime that deserves to be overthrown. Present and former Government officials are demanding an international war against terrorism. So are Editorial Page writers and Commentators. Where are the Christian voices in America to speak up for their suffering brethren in the Middle East?

If there is to be a war against terrorism, a satisfactory outcome should include an improved status for the Christians of the Middle East, as well as the Caucasus, the Balkans, and Africa. Muslim countries that mistreat Christians are terrorist countries.

 Turkey is a state sponsor of terrorism. It sponsors the Grey Wolves terrorists who are active in Turkish occupied Cyprus, and who's political wing, the National Action Party are part of Ankara's present coalition government. Furthermore, Turkey's armed forces armed and supported a notorious Islamic group called "Hezbullah" (no relation to the Lebanese party of the same name) in its dirty war with the Kurds. In January 2000, a mass grave filled with Kurds was discovered in Eastern Turkey. The slaughter was carried out by "Hezbullah".

The United States needs to review its past and present policies in the Balkans. If a War on terrorism is to be taken seriously, the KLA in Kosovo, and the NLA in FYROM must be cut off and the governments in Belgrade and Skopje should be assisted in preserving their territorial integrity. (This would include returning Kosovo to Serbia.) Albania and Muslim Bosnia must be pressed into dismantling Osama Bin Laden's networks and arresting his associates.

Eastern Orthodox, Armenian, Assyrian, Nestorian, Coptic, and Jacobite Churches are struggling to survive in the East, as are some Roman Catholic and Protestant communities. All these brother and sister Christians are in a state of crisis. It will be a waste of an oppurtunity if the war should end and the status of these Christians remains unaddressed.

SOURCE: HELLENICFORUM