Christians Promised Work Opportunities, Suitable Social Milieu

BASRA / IraqiNews.com: Basra‘s Governor promised to find work opportunities for the city’s Christians and activate their social role through providing them with suitable milieu. Dr. Khalaf Abdul Samad, during his visit to Chaldean Mar Afram Church and meeting Father Imad Al-Bunni of the Christian Chaldeans in the southern area of Iraq, said “the aim of this visit is to see the necessary requirements of the Christians in Basra, who have a long and deep tradition in the history of the city, as other social sectors here”. “The sufferings of the Christians in Iraq is due to forceful circumstances, so our duty is to facilitate their lives and provide them with work opportunities through the reconstruction of the province”, he added. The church in Basra submitted some demands  to the governor, including the rehabilitation of a church in old part of the city. The Christian presence in Basra dates back before Islam coming into the area. After the establishment of the Iraqi state in 1920 they had a vital role in public administration and the private sector. During 1970s, there were ten thousand families, but, now, the figure is less because many left the city during the Iraqi-Iranian war, the Gulf War I, the demise of the previous regime and the sectarian violence that engulfed the country. RM  499