The impact of Christians” exodus from the Mideast goes beyond religion
Pope Benedict XVI”s visit to the Middle East this week has cast an international spotlight on the plight of this region”s Christians, whose numbers across the region have dwindled considerably in recent years. Some would point to the declining ranks of Christians in this part of the world as evidence that Muslims are incapable of co-existing with people of other religions. While it is true that Christians do face discrimination in some Arab states, it is more often violence or economic crisis – not oppression – that compels them to join the ranks of the diaspora.
Like other minorities around the world, Middle Eastern Christians have been among the first to suffer whenever their nations are invaded by foreign forces or torn apart by internal conflict, and they are among the hardest-hit in times of economic hardship.
Nearly half of the 800,000 Christians who resided in Iraq before the 2003 US-led invasion of the country have fled. Scores of Christian Palestinians, like their Muslim counterparts, have been driven out of their ancestral homeland, and those who remain behind are forced to endure the physical and economic hardships of living under Israeli occupation. Tens of thousands of Lebanese have fled their country”s multiple conflicts, or have left their homeland to pursue better economic opportunities. Likewise, Jordan has lost around 20 percent of its Christians, in spite of the fact that their community enjoys full legal rights and official support.
The impact of this massive flight of human beings from our region extends well beyond the realm of religion. Among the ranks of these refugees are some of the most educated professionals of the Middle East, and their absence has contributed to own economic decline. Moreover, the flight of human talent increases the chances of future instability, making the problem of brain drain and conflict a cyclical one.
During his visit to the region, the pope encouraged the few Christians who remain in the region to persevere in spite of the ongoing hardships that they face. While the pontiff was focusing on the Christian community in particular, the solutions that are required to keep that minority community from fleeing their homelands are remedies that would benefit all of the peoples of this region: conflict resolution, peacemaking and economic development.