Assyrian Priest Paints Grim Picture After Visit to Iraq
(AINA) – Father Athanasis Toma, who lives in Los Angeles, returned recently from a trip to Iraq, his country of origin. Fr. Athanasis is an Assyrian, a chorbishop in the Ancient Church of the East, with a diocese in San Fernando, CA. Fr. Athanasis was happy to visit Iraq, but is gravely concerned over the developments in that country, particularly about the situation of Assyrians, the indigenous people of Iraq.
According to Father Athanasis, there are many challenges that Assyrians are facing in Iraq, including security, land seizures and Kurdish discrimination and marginalization of Assyrians in the north.
The following is an interview with Fr. Athanasis conducted by Sabri Atman, the director of the Assyrian Genocide Research Center, based in Sweden.
Can you tell us about your visit to Iraq?
This was my second visit to the homeland within six years since leaving the country 42 years ago. It was a short but very sad visit because of the conditions and the unfair treatment of our people back home.
Continued: http://aina.org/news/20181009174540.htm
Doesn't sound very good, he leans towards believing, for the most part, Christians need to leave there. And he does say, the Kurds are largely taking things over.
