Ishtartv.com/
22nd April 2021, marks the 8th anniversary of the tragic kidnapping and
disappearance of Metropolitan Mor Gregorios Yohanna
Ibrahim of the Syrian Orthodox Church of Aleppo, and Metropolitan
Paul Yazigi of the Greek Orthodox Church of Aleppo on the outskirts
of the Syrian city of Aleppo.
Eight years have passed, and the fate of the two Archbishops is remaining uncertain like
in a dark tunnel. It is disturbed sometimes with a few contradictory
rumours, launched by an unknown party, to raise the
interest of the observers so that they may follow up this criminal
act, which is condemned by all civil and religious laws.
Facing the painful silence of all the parties that were highlighted at the beginning as
responsible for the kidnapping file despite evading to
declare their connection with kidnapping and absenteeism, and the
international community's claim
that all means of communication and mediation have
been exhausted to reveal the fate of the two kidnapped archbishops
along with all these obstacles and others; however, the gloomy
picture is still in the memory of public opinion and all societies, regarding the fate of all other kidnapped persons,
whether they are political activists or human
rights defenders, or civil society figures and clerics.
From the foregoing, we as organizations and institutions signatories to this
statement regret all this negligence on the
part of the international community regarding the abduction of
the two archbishops, for it cannot provide realistic and serious efforts for solving this humanitarian, societal and religious issue
of political dimensions. At the same time, we
affirm the unlawfulness of the disappearance of the archbishops
under the yoke of forced detention for so long.
Reiterating the question, is it
not time to unveil this important issue concerning the
intentional and deliberate absence of two
Christian and fair-minded figures in the Middle East? For how long
will Archbishop Ibrahim and Archbishop Yazigi remain
absent from their dioceses, people, families ,and love
ones? Most importantly, they are absent from their spiritual, human and social mission to which they have devoted themselves. So
we cry out for what remains of a universal conscience,
to work hard to uncover the fate of the two metropolitans and
return them to their people. Until that time, Archbishop Ibrahim
and Archbishop Yazigi will live in the conscience of humanity. They will represent the cause of the Middle East Christians
in the hope of their returning in peace to their people,
churches and wounded homeland.
Also, we call on all Christian communities in Syria, the Middle East, North Africa
and Diaspora to adhere to this issue and other urgent
issues affecting the Christian presence in the whole
East. We stress that positive interaction with this issue, which is considered a model for the tragedy of the Christians of
the East, will bring this file and other pending issues
to a fair end. At the same time, it will prohibit any other
crimes against Christians in the future. On the other hand,
silence and indifference towards these issues are grave crimes against
our societies and our people before others.
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