In Brenna Swanston’s poignant article, “Finding a haven,” (May 11) it is stated that I, Saba Soomekh, believe that Muslims are persecuted the most in Syria and, “But that’s not to say Christian churches aren’t being harmed by what’s going on there.” I would like to expound on that comment because I am fully aware of the dangers and persecution Christians have experienced since the start of the civil war.
The Syrian Christian community faces a severe threat from jihadist and Islamist rebels. They have been forced from their homes, many have been ordered to convert to Islam or face death, and in certain Syrian provinces, Christians and their senior Christian clerics have been kidnapped by militants. I would never want to offend Syrian Christians by making them feel that the trauma they have gone through as a community is not being validated or heard.
This article appears in May 25 – Jun 1, 2017.
