Sep 20, 2005 / 22:00 pm
Mons. Emmanuel III Delly, the Patriarch of Baghdad for the Catholic Chaldeans, has met the President and Prime Minister of Iraq saying that the Catholic bishops were opposed to key elements of the draft permanent constitution.
The Patriarch argues the constitution will “opens the door widely“ to discrimination against Christians and other Non-Muslims. Patriarch Delly urged a last-minute change to the constitution, which the bishops say contradicts itself on the key question of religious rights for minorities.
In the Sept. 18 meeting, the Patriarch discussed a statement agreed by the country’s 12 bishops in which they stressed their fears for the future of the Christian community. The prelates – from the Chaldean, Armenian, Latin and Assyrian Churches – praised articles 2.1 (b) and 2.2 which defend freedom and religious rights but attacked article 2.1 (a) which states: “No law can be passed that contradicts the undisputed rules of Islam.”
The bishops’ statement concluded: “The bishops’ conference expressed a grave concern and fear…about Article 2.1 (a). This opens the door widely to passing laws that are unjust towards non-Muslims. The conference insists that this clause be amended or deleted.”