Coptic Solidarity Leads Statement Urging Reinstatement of Chaldean Patriarch Sako

At the end of September, Coptic Solidarity, a nonprofit dedicated to helping the world’s minorities published a public statement signed by 86 nonprofit organizations, former legislators, and myriad individual experts urging a reinstatement of Patriarch Sako as head of the Chaldean Church.

Copts are particularly sensitive to this effort to undermine and sideline Patriarch Sako, having been through a similar situation with their previous Pope. In 1981, Egyptian President, Anwar Sadat, rescinded the presidential decree of 1971, which recognized Pope Shenouda III as the Pope of Alexandria. It was four years before he was reinstated after extensive pressure by the Copts and their supporters.

Based on this experience, Coptic Solidarity believes it is vital that the international community speak out against President Rashid’s effort to further marginalize and remove the ancient Chaldean peoples of Iraq. The statement expresses a belief that “the Presidential decree and concomitant campaign are ultimately intimidation tactics employed against Iraqi Christians—designed to drive them into forced migration in order to seize their properties.”

– Standard Newswire