“The situation for Christians and other minorities is getting worse and worse, since the army pulled out, it is a nightmare,” a Catholic priest reports to Open Doors after the withdraw of Syrian forces from Homs according to agreement with the Arab league. The priest, whose identity is protected for his own safety, shares that; “Armed civilians have their own checkpoints. Christians in general, but particularly women, are threatened in the streets, at checkpoints and everywhere they go. Many of them are not leaving their homes anymore.”
Internationally there is a lot of skepticism about whether or not the Syrian government really will call a halt to the violence as agreed with the Arab league. “The skepticism is very understandable” an Open Doors observer for the Middle East says, “but other than giving this initiative a fair chance, the alternatives are bleak. I am sure president Bashar Assads sincerity will be tested soon, if not already, by new protesters taking the streets.”
Regional impact
Analysts widely agree on the complexity of the situation in Syria. Though the Syrian government fence with the explanation that the protests are backed by foreign forces who want to bring instability from an Islamic, sectarian perspective. “I believe elements of this explanation are true” the Open Doors observer states, “but there is more below the surface and this could further disrupt the regional instability.”
When asking for indications for a chance of further instability, the Open Doors workers responds: “How is the current relationship between Turkey and Syria? Could there be a correlation between the leadership of the ‘Free Syrian Army’ finding refuge in Turkey and the intensified Turkish-Kurdish conflict? Is it a proxy war being fought here? I also think on the effect it may have on the confessional divided Iraq with its Muslim Shia and Sunni factions. Or a possible reigniting of the sectarian conflict in neighboring Lebanon. You also see the position that Iran takes in this; it boosts and approves the revolt in Bahrain, but strongly opposes the demonstrations in Syria.” The worker concludes; “it is Pandora’s box and no one really oversees the consequences of whatever intervention”.
Pray for the individual situation
“For several Christians the situation is alarming,” the Open Doors worker says. “We learned that armed people, who are believed to be Sunni Muslim fanatics, have their own checkpoints in the streets of Homs. They stop people and check for their ID’s. A believer shared that to other than Sunni Muslims they say ‘this is our land’. One believer reported two Christians being killed during past week.”
Also a pastor in Homs shared to have been threatened by fanatics. The fanatics said he had reported information about them to the government. He fled Homs for his own safety. The security camera’s of the church are destroyed. The congregation now sometimes have a service with a pastor from another church.
In a desperate call for prayer a Syrian Christian says: “Please be praying for the situation here. The fanatics will take advantage of the situation and things will get worse. Syria needs more prayers, now please!”