01.08.2013 ·
Das Schicksal der beiden verschleppten syrischen Bischöfe ist
weiter ungewiss. Der Bürgerkrieg droht die zweitausend Jahre alte
christliche Tradition auszulöschen
.
Von
Rainer Hermann
Die Furcht geht um unter den Christen
Syriens. Viele von ihnen kehren dem Land den Rücken, und das wohl für
immer. Dabei sind sie, von den nur noch wenigen Juden in Damaskus
abgesehen, die älteste Bevölkerungsgruppe Syriens: In Damaskus war
Hananias zur Geraden Straße gegangen, um Saulus zu heilen, und so wurde
dieser zu Paulus; in Damaskus ist in der ehemaligen Johannes-Basilika,
die später in die Omayyaden-Moschee umgewandelt wurde, das Haupt
Johannes des Täufers aufbewahrt; und im Jahr 650 wurde in Damaskus der
als letzter Kirchenvater verehrte Johannes Damascenus geboren.
Heute droht der syrische Bürgerkrieg diese
zweitausend Jahre alte Tradition auszulöschen. Zuletzt berichtete die
Nachrichtenagentur Reuters, dass in Raqqa, einer Stadt am Euphrat, über
der die schwarze Flagge der Terrorgruppe Dschabhat al Nusra weht, Ende
Juli der italienische Jesuitenpater Paolo Dall’Oglio entführt worden
sei. Zu Beginn des Aufstands hatte ihn das Regime des Landes verwiesen,
weil er in einem Kloster nördlich von Damaskus Rebellen geholfen hatte.
Nun wurde er in Raqqa am helllichten Tag auf offener Straße entführt,
mutmaßlich von Dschihadisten.In Angst und Schrecken versetzt werden die Christen Syriens auch durch Videos wie jenes, das seit dem 27. Juni im Internet kursiert und das drei syrische Christen zeigt, unter ihnen ein Franziskanerpater, wie sie auf dem Boden vor einem Schariagericht knien. Ein Vermummter verliest in gebrochenem Arabisch die Todesurteile; einer nach dem anderen wird enthauptet, und der Scharfrichter hält die Köpfe vor die Kamera. Mindestens jeder fünfte Christ hat Syrien schon verlassen, mehr sind innerhalb Syriens auf der Flucht. Videos wie dieses beschleunigen den Exodus aus den sogenannten „befreiten Gebieten“, also vor allem aus dem Norden des Landes.
Der Exodus aus Syrien hält an
Wer in Aleppo wohnt, kann aber nicht fliehen. Denn die zweitgrößte Stadt Syriens ist von Gebieten umgeben, die von Dschihadisten und Rebellen kontrolliert werden. Die Bewohner Aleppos klagen, dass ihnen die Vorräte ausgehen, weil die Rebellen die Korridore zur Versorgung der Stadt mit Lebensmitteln und Medikamenten gesperrt haben. Auch Elektrizität und Wasser gibt es diesen Sommer weniger. Da eine Offensive regimetreuer Kräfte - mit Unterstützung der libanesischen Hizbullah - auf Aleppo bevorzustehen scheint, steigen die Spannungen weiter.Die syrischen Christen hatten lange versucht, in dem Konflikt nicht Partei zu ergreifen, sondern neutral zu bleiben. Das hat sich nach dem 22. April verändert. Denn an jenem Tag, eine Woche vor dem Palmsonntag der orthodoxen Christen, wurden zwei Bischöfe aus Aleppo entführt: der syrisch-orthodoxe Bischof Mar Gregorius Yohanna Ibrahim und der griechisch-orthodoxe Bischof Paul Yazidschi. Beide waren von der Grenze zur Türkei Richtung Aleppo unterwegs, als Personen, die nur gebrochen Arabisch sprachen, nach Angaben von Augenzeugen aus dem Kaukasus stammten und mutmaßlich Tschetschenen waren, sie in ihre Gewalt brachten. Seither gibt es von beiden Kirchenführern kein Lebenszeichen.
Bischof Gregorius hatte gerade an der Grenzstation Bab al Hawwa den griechisch-orthodoxen Bischof Paul Yazidschi abgeholt. Es hieß, sie wollten im Grenzgebiet über die Freilassung von zwei entführten Geistlichen verhandeln. Vor allem Bischof Gregorius war an der Grenze kein Unbekannter, da er in den Monaten davor immer wieder über die Türkei in das Ausland gereist war. Am 22. April wurden die beiden Bischöfe an der Grenze entführt und verschleppt. Ihr Fahrer wurde auf der Stelle getötet, eine vierte Person im Wagen wurde freigelassen. Ein Lebenszeichen gibt es von ihnen bis heute nicht. Angehörige und Mitglieder der Gemeinden stellen sich weiter vier Fragen, vorausgesetzt, sie sind noch am Leben: Wo sind sie, wie ist ihr Gesundheitszustand, wer hält sie fest und warum? Als gläubige Christen schöpfen sie weiter Hoffnung. Denn die Leichname der Bischöfe sind noch nirgends aufgetaucht. Ungewöhnlich ist, dass bisher keine Gruppierung Forderungen für einen Austausch bekanntgegeben hat, wie es sonst bei anderen Entführungen geschieht.
Bischof Gregorius, der auf Medikamente gegen Bluthochdruck angewiesen ist, war in den Monaten vor seiner Entführung sowohl gegenüber dem Assad-Regime wie den Rebellen zu einer zunehmend kritischen Stimme geworden. Er war nicht mehr nur Bischof, sondern zunehmend auch der politische Sprecher seiner Gläubigen und veröffentlichte im August 2012 einen Friedensplan für Syrien, um die friedliche Koexistenz aller Gesellschaften und Religionen in Syrien für die Zukunft zu gewährleisten. Er forderte die sofortige Einstellung der Gewalt, einen Dialog und eine Lösung am Verhandlungstisch, um der Tragödie ein Ende zu setzen. Als entschiedener Befürworter einer friedlichen Lösung ließ er sich von niemandem vereinnahmen.
Beiden Kirchen fehlen nun in Aleppo die Führer. Neben ihrer seelsorgerischen Arbeit betreiben die Kirchen auch Schulen und Krankenhäuser und leisten karitative Arbeit. Bischof Gregorius sagte Anfang des Jahres: „Ich bleibe hier, ich kann Aleppo nicht verlassen, ich muss bei meiner Gemeinde sein.“ Der Exodus aus Syrien hält aber an.
Englische Übersetzung: No signs of life
Among Christians in Syria fear is constantly present. Many of them are
hence leaving the country, probably forever. But it is them, with the
exception of a few Jews in Damascus, who represent the oldest population
of Syria: It was in Damascus where Hananias went to the Straight road
to go and cure Saulus, who later became Paulus. Also, it is in the
city’s former St. John’s Basilica -- later converted into the Omayyad
Mosque -- where the head of John the Baptist is kept, and where one of
the last Church Fathers, John Damascenus, was born in the year 650.
Today, the Syrian civil war threatens to wipe out more than two
thousand years of Christian history. Recently, Reuters reported that it
was in Raqqa, a town located on the Euphrates, where the current
presence of the terror group Jabhat al-Nusra is demonstrated by the
display of their symbolic black flag, and where the Italian Jesuit
Father Paolo Dall’Oglio had been kidnapped at the end of July.2011, at
the beginning of the uprising, the regime had forced him out of the
country due to allegations of him having helped rebels in a monastery
north of Damascus. Now it seems that, jihadists presumably kidnapped him
during in open daylight on a street in Raqqa.
The Christians of Syria are constantly put in fear by videos such as the one circulating since 27 June on the Internet. It shows three Syrian Christians, including a Franciscan priest, as they kneel on the ground before a Sharia court. A Masked man reads out the death sentences in broken Arabic, right before one after the other is being beheaded. A sequence later shows the executioner holding their severed heads in front of the camera. At least one in five Christians has already left Syria. Inside the country more are on the move – resulting in a high number of internally displaced persons. Online videos like the one mentioned accelerate the exodus from the so-called „liberated areas“, mainly from the northern parts of the country.
But those living in Aleppo, cannot simply escape because the surrounding areas of Syria’s second largest city are controlled by jihadists and rebels. The citizens of Aleppo complain that they are running out of provisions because the rebels have blocked the key roads, which used to supply the city with food and medicines. Furthermore, electricity and water shortages are severe this summer. And now tensions continue to rise since an offensive by forces loyal to the regime - with the support of the Lebanese Hezbollah - seems imminent in Aleppo.
The Syrian Christians had long tried to remain neutral and not to take party in the conflict. That changed after 22 April, 2013. On that day, a week before Palm Sunday celebrations of the Orthodox Christians, two Archbishops from Aleppo were kidnapped: the Syrian Orthodox Archbishop Mar Gregorios Yohanna Ibrahim and the Greek Orthodox Archbishop Boulos Yazigi. Both were travelling by road from the Turkish border back to Aleppo when individuals, apparently speaking broken Arabic and from the Caucasus – also suspected to be Chechens according to eyewitnesses -- brought the Archbishops under their control. Since then, there have been no signs of life of the two church leaders.
Archbishop Mar Gregorios had just picked up the Greek Orthodox Archbishop Boulos Yazigi at the Syrian-Turkish border station of Bab al Hawa. It is said that thy wanted to negotiate the release of two kidnapped priests in the northern area of the country. Archbishop Mar Gregorios in particular was no stranger at the border since he had frequently travelled abroad via Turkey in the months before. On 22 April, the two Archbishops were captured and abducted. Their driver was killed on the spot and a fourth person in the car was released.
There have been no signs of life from them until today. Relatives and members of their respective communities continue to ask four key questions, assuming they are still alive: Where are they? What is the state of their health and health care provided? Who holds them? What do they want? As faithful Christians, they remain hopeful since the Archbishops’ bodies haven’t been found anywhere. It is unusual that so far no group has claimed responsibility for the kidnapping or made any demands for an exchange or money, as it commonly happens in the case of other abductions.
Archbishop Mar Gregorios, who needs medications, had taken on an increasingly critical stance both against the rebels as well as against the regime in the months previous to his abduction arguing vehemently to stop the killing and begin negotiations. He was not only Archbishop but progressively he also became the political spokesman of his community and the faithful. In July 2012, he published a Roadmap for Peace in Syria to ensure the future peaceful coexistence of all societies and religions in the country. He called for the immediate cessation of violence, the urgency of dialogue and the imperative of a solution at the negotiating table in order to put an end to the tragedy. As a devoted supporter of a peaceful solution he didn’t allow any party involved in the conflict to influence him.
Both churches in Aleppo are missing now their leaders. In addition to their pastoral work, the churches also operate schools and hospitals, and provide charitable work. Archbishop Gregorios said earlier this year: „I will stay here, I cannot leave Aleppo. I have to be with my people.” But the exodus from Syria continues.
Übersetzung: Wolfgang F. Danspeckgruber
The Christians of Syria are constantly put in fear by videos such as the one circulating since 27 June on the Internet. It shows three Syrian Christians, including a Franciscan priest, as they kneel on the ground before a Sharia court. A Masked man reads out the death sentences in broken Arabic, right before one after the other is being beheaded. A sequence later shows the executioner holding their severed heads in front of the camera. At least one in five Christians has already left Syria. Inside the country more are on the move – resulting in a high number of internally displaced persons. Online videos like the one mentioned accelerate the exodus from the so-called „liberated areas“, mainly from the northern parts of the country.
But those living in Aleppo, cannot simply escape because the surrounding areas of Syria’s second largest city are controlled by jihadists and rebels. The citizens of Aleppo complain that they are running out of provisions because the rebels have blocked the key roads, which used to supply the city with food and medicines. Furthermore, electricity and water shortages are severe this summer. And now tensions continue to rise since an offensive by forces loyal to the regime - with the support of the Lebanese Hezbollah - seems imminent in Aleppo.
The Syrian Christians had long tried to remain neutral and not to take party in the conflict. That changed after 22 April, 2013. On that day, a week before Palm Sunday celebrations of the Orthodox Christians, two Archbishops from Aleppo were kidnapped: the Syrian Orthodox Archbishop Mar Gregorios Yohanna Ibrahim and the Greek Orthodox Archbishop Boulos Yazigi. Both were travelling by road from the Turkish border back to Aleppo when individuals, apparently speaking broken Arabic and from the Caucasus – also suspected to be Chechens according to eyewitnesses -- brought the Archbishops under their control. Since then, there have been no signs of life of the two church leaders.
Archbishop Mar Gregorios had just picked up the Greek Orthodox Archbishop Boulos Yazigi at the Syrian-Turkish border station of Bab al Hawa. It is said that thy wanted to negotiate the release of two kidnapped priests in the northern area of the country. Archbishop Mar Gregorios in particular was no stranger at the border since he had frequently travelled abroad via Turkey in the months before. On 22 April, the two Archbishops were captured and abducted. Their driver was killed on the spot and a fourth person in the car was released.
There have been no signs of life from them until today. Relatives and members of their respective communities continue to ask four key questions, assuming they are still alive: Where are they? What is the state of their health and health care provided? Who holds them? What do they want? As faithful Christians, they remain hopeful since the Archbishops’ bodies haven’t been found anywhere. It is unusual that so far no group has claimed responsibility for the kidnapping or made any demands for an exchange or money, as it commonly happens in the case of other abductions.
Archbishop Mar Gregorios, who needs medications, had taken on an increasingly critical stance both against the rebels as well as against the regime in the months previous to his abduction arguing vehemently to stop the killing and begin negotiations. He was not only Archbishop but progressively he also became the political spokesman of his community and the faithful. In July 2012, he published a Roadmap for Peace in Syria to ensure the future peaceful coexistence of all societies and religions in the country. He called for the immediate cessation of violence, the urgency of dialogue and the imperative of a solution at the negotiating table in order to put an end to the tragedy. As a devoted supporter of a peaceful solution he didn’t allow any party involved in the conflict to influence him.
Both churches in Aleppo are missing now their leaders. In addition to their pastoral work, the churches also operate schools and hospitals, and provide charitable work. Archbishop Gregorios said earlier this year: „I will stay here, I cannot leave Aleppo. I have to be with my people.” But the exodus from Syria continues.
Übersetzung: Wolfgang F. Danspeckgruber
www.faz.net
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