Chaldean Patriarch Louis Raphael I Sako has sent a letter to the Members of Iraqi Parliament urging them to “waste no more time” in resolving the crisis that is devastating the nation.
The Patriarch also adds his “humble voice as Christian religious authority in Iraq” to the voice of all the Muslim authorities, begs them “to accelerate the elections of the three presidencies to save the country from the dangers of and disorganization and loosing” .
Meanwhile, Fides reports that jihadist militiamen of the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), who since June 9 control Mosul and have proclaimed the Islamic Caliphate, have ordered civil servants to suspend any provision of food aid and gas cylinders to the Shiites, the Kurds and the few remaining Christians in Iraq’s second city.
According to confirmed reports, ISIL representatives have announced that any infringement of the prohibition will be punished on the basis of rules attributed to the Sharia.
Yesterday, the Iraqi army launched an offensive to regain control of the city of Tikrit, the hometown of Sadddam Hussein, largely occupied by the ISIL in recent weeks.
Here below is the full text of Patriarch Sako’s letter, courtesy of Vatican Radio:
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Letter to the Members of Iraqi Parliament
Greeting:
In the time in which the dear Iraq is going in crisis of security and disorder, and every day is growing the numbers of dead bodies and the refugees, and the destructing is always bigger, we are adding our humble voice as Christian religious authority in Iraq to the voice of all the Muslim authorities: the honorable Shiites and Sunnites, begging you to accelerate the elections of the three presidencies to save the country from the dangers of and disorganization and loosing.
It is national, historical and moral responsibility that is imposed on you; therefore, start in presenting some “giving ups”, and work hardly to elect the three presidencies very quickly because the lives of the Iraqis and the unity of Iraq is in danger.
We propose to Your Excellencies, to recite this prayer at the beginning of your meeting:
“God, help us that we may use the dialogue between us and that we may understand each other to resolve the misunderstanding between us, far from restriction and sectarianism. God help us to spread the peace and tranquility between our people, so that Iraq may come out from its problem victorious. Amen”.
We have a big hope and a high trust in you. We will remain, with millions of Iraqis, waiting with big patience to hear the good news.
Louis Sako
Chaldean Patriarch
