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Syrian Christians threatened: join anti-government uprising or leave

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Published: Wednesday 11 May 2011

Syrian Christians threatened: join anti-government uprising or leave

Project(s): 49-890

Country: Middle East and North Africa, Syria

Barnabas is helping Christians affected by the unrest

As demonstrations against the Syrian government intensify, Christians are coming under increasing pressure to join the uprising - or leave.

Syrian churches have received threatening letters calling them to join demonstrations
Image: Jan Smith / CC BY 2.0

In one Christian village outside the southern city of Deraa a home came under fire by a group of masked men on motorbikes, while Muslim residents in the village of Hala have issued an ultimatum to their Christian neighbours either to join the demonstrations against President Bashar al-Assad's regime or to leave. Their demands are making life extremely difficult for the Christians, who have closed their shops and are considering what course of action to take. Churches have also received threatening letters.

Barnabas Fund is one of the very few Christian agencies working to assist the Christians in Syria, and has done so for many years. They are in particular need of humanitarian help now, with food prices rocketing as the country's economy is affected by the unrest.

Christians have largely stayed away from the protests, having generally been safe and well-treated by the secular Baathist government, which has allowed them a considerable amount of religious freedom. They are fearful of what may replace it as Islamists attempt to hijack the demonstrations, which were originally concerned with political and economic change.

Muslims have been rallied by prominent Islamists in the region in support of the demonstrations. Abu Muhammad al-Maqdisi, mentor of the late Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, who led al-Qaeda fighters in Iraq, said:

Just as the fall of the regime is necessary for someone calling for democracy, it is also necessary for someone calling for application of sharia.

Christians "first victims" of Arab revolutions

In a letter to Western leaders, a senior Syrian church leader appealed for them to "Ask the Heads of State of Arab countries to work for real development... But don't encourage revolutions". He said:

The situation has deteriorated into organised crime, robbery, fear, terror being spread, rumours of threats to churches... Fundamentalist groups are threatening citizens and wanting to create ‘Islamic Emirates'... Christians especially are very fragile in the face of crises and bloody revolutions! Christians will be the first victims of these revolutions, especially in Syria. A new wave of emigration will follow immediately.

Some fear that for Christians a post-Assad Syria could deteriorate like post-Saddam Hussein Iraq. Saddam, like Assad, restrained the influence of militant Islamists, but after his fall they were free to wreak havoc on the Christian community; hundreds of thousands of Christians were consequently forced to flee the violence. Many of them went to Syria, which has a long-standing history of welcoming Christian refugees, but the current unrest is driving some back to their dangerous homeland.

Christians comprise around 10 per cent of the Syrian population. They are able to worship and practise their faith largely without interference, although evangelism among Muslims is strongly discouraged and conversion from Islam to Christianity is forbidden by law. It seems highly unlikely that regime change would benefit the Syrian Church.

Dr Patrick Sookhdeo, International Director of Barnabas Fund, said:

Syria has been a beacon of freedom and security for Christians in a largely hostile Arab world. If they are now forced to leave the country, where will they go? The entire region is rocked by instability, and as Islamist groups seek to capitalise on the political unrest to advance their own agenda, the future of Christianity in that part of the world looks increasingly uncertain.

Give Today

If you would like to help Christians affected by the unrest in Syria, please send your donation to project 49-890 (Syria General Fund). Please click to donate online using our secure server.

If you prefer to telephone, dial: 0800 587 4006 from within the UK or +44 1672 565031 from outside the UK. Please quote project reference49-890 (Syria General Fund).

If you prefer to send a cheque by post: Click this link for the address of our regional office. Please quote project reference49-890 (Syria General Fund).

For a quick donation of £3.00 by SMS (see terms and conditions here) text Barnabas/890 to 70007 (Please note: This facility is presently only available to UK supporters).

Please Pray:

That peace and stability will soon be established in Syria and other parts of the Arab world, and that Islamists will not be able to increase their influence in the region.
For Syrian Christians, that the Lord will give them great wisdom and discernment as they consider their future. Pray that they will know His peace in the midst of this turmoil.
For Iraqi Christian refugees who are having to leave Syria; pray that they will be protected and provided with all they need.

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