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Syrian Christians: "If We Do Not Help These People Then Who Will?"

By Hussein Al-alak

13 January, 2014
Countercurrents.org

It shocked many people, when the leader of UKIP Nigel Farage, made an appeal to the British Government, to grant Asylum to Syrian Christians fleeing persecution.

In a press statement, the leader of the Anti-European UK Independence Party stated; "Christians are being increasingly persecuted across the Middle East and Syria as extreme Islamist elements seek to purge the region of Christianity".

“Britain must take its global responsibility seriously. It would seem that EU membership has skewed our sense of compassion that has long been a hallmark of British values” and “If we do not help these people then who will?”

In 2008, Angela Merkel’s Christian Democratic Union party were the first European political party to adopt what UKIP are now suggesting but Germany allowed Iraqi Christians to settle, and promoted their full integration, while Iraq was still being occupied by both Britain and America.

The German line was pretty clear, as Erika Steinbach the CDU's human rights spokeswoman stated, her party wanted Germany to accept thousands of Iraqi refugees. In particular, Iraqi’s who suffered religious persecution after the 2003 invasion.

Georgia, the former Soviet republic, has become a popular destination for Egyptian Christians because of the relative ease in obtaining residency. A Georgian consular officer said that about 150 Egyptian Christians apply for asylum every week.

The Netherlands have also made it easier for Middle Eastern Christians to claim asylum. The Dutch ambassador said in a TV interview, his government was prompted to make the process easier because of Anti-Christian persecution and a lack of protection in the Middle East.

The Voice of Russia reported in October, how President Putin had received a letter signed by 50.000 Syrian Christians, who were asking for Asylum, as they felt Russia was the guarantor of “peace and stability”.

In September, Swedish migration authorities ruled that all Syrian asylum seekers, irrespective of religion, have been granted permanent residency in light of the worsening conflict.

The decision means that the roughly 8,000 Syrians who have temporary residency in Sweden, will now be able to stay.

Hussein Al-Alak is a British based journalist and is chairman of the Iraq Solidarity Campaign UK. Hussein is also a member of the Royal British Legion and a mental health advocate for Combat Stress. You can follow him on Twitter @TotallyHussein. He blogs at http://totallyhussein.blogspot.co.uk



 

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