STATEMENT BY THE PRIME MINISTER OF CANADA
CONDEMNING RELIGIOUS PERSECUTION IN IRAQ
Ottawa, Ontario
22 July 2014
Prime Minister Stephen Harper today issued the
following statement condemning the recent campaign of religious persecution in
Iraq:
“Canada condemns the systematic campaign of
persecution that is being perpetrated in the city of Mosul, Iraq, by the Islamic
State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS).
“Its ultimatum – pay the jizya (tax on
non-Muslims), convert, leave the city, or be killed – is the most recent
measure aimed at forcing hundreds of thousands of Christians to convert to
ISIS’ nefarious brand of Islam.
“Forced conversions, by threat of death, are an
egregious violation of the fundamental human right to the freedom of religion.
“The very notion of religious freedom is what
ISIS is working to eradicate and what the Iraqi people and the international
community cannot surrender.
“Canada calls on the Iraqi Government to govern
for all Iraqis, regardless of ethnic origin or religious belief, and to take
immediate, effective measures against ISIS and the terrorists that it supports.
ISIS’ ever-increasing campaign of violence endangers all individuals who do not
share its beliefs, and threatens the very foundations of Iraq’s future as a
secure, democratic and prosperous country.”
HT to Toronto Catholic Witness
No comments:
Post a Comment