In Syria, the Islamic terrorists of Jolanis IS and Al-Qaeda terrorists systematically occupy Christian churches. The crosses are torn down, churches occupied by military or converted into mosques. Christians are oppressed, persecuted, disqualified, tortured, raped and expelled. In addition to Christians, other religious minorities, such as the Alawites, are still targeted by radical Islamists. Syria is also one of the last places in the world where (Aramaic) – the language of Jesus – is still spoken as a living everyday language in the mountain villages such as Maaloula, Jubb’adin and Bakh’a. One of the last countries in the Middle East where Christian congregations have been home for almost two thousand years is just losing its ancestral inhabitants.
Why do most western media only cover this on the sidelines or not at all? Why is there no widespread public outrage, no large demonstrations and no political initiatives to protect Christians and other endangered minorities in Syria? Why are the same politicians and media who otherwise speak of human rights and minority protection at every opportunity, silent when it comes to persecuted Christians?
Apparently, you only engage loudly when it is geopolitically appropriate – especially if it is in the interest of Israel or the United States. Otherwise, there is entered silence or targeted looking away.
This is not a conspiracy theory, but the bitter reality of a deep double standard and hypocrisy that permeates much of Western politics and media landscape. Syria’s Christians and other religious minorities are paying for this moral bankruptcy with their existence and homeland.
