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Pope Francis’ visit to Iraq over the past week has once again reopened the crisis of religious minorities in the Arab world, especially in Levantine societies, which are distinguished by the diversity of their religious and sectarian makeup. Although this visit has an immediate symbolic dimension, considering that the Christians of Iraq were among the most affected by the expansion of the influence of the terrorist organization ISIS, the problem is old and has been renewed since the middle of the century. Nineteenth century. Despite the changes in political and social structures and the change in consciousness of the international community, it seems that the Arab world remains confined to the spirit of the nineteenth century and the state of millions of people.
Sectarian and religious conflicts arose during the time of the Ottoman reform for two reasons. The first is the reform attempt that the Sultanate has tried to undertake to avoid the growth of separatist tendencies, as has happened in the Balkans. However, the statement in Humayun’s writing, which attempted to introduce equality between the different subjects of the empire, was rejected by Sunni Muslims, which led to the outbreak of clashes in 1860 in the Levant, during from which many Christians were killed. The second factor is the European intervention to protect the minorities of the Sultanate, in particular the Catholic and Protestant Christians, which has widened the gap between the Arabs of the East on the basis of religious identity.
The emergence of the national state after independence and the consolidation of the concept of citizenship and equality, as well as the formation of identity on the basis of national belonging, were believed to lead to the decline of social division. on the basis of religion or sect. However, the rulers preferred to hide this problem behind the ruler’s power behind the national interest and prevent outside interference. The regimes have gone further, in complete contradiction to their official rhetoric. In Baathist Iraq and Syria, power has been built on a sectarian, religious and even tribal basis, in contradiction with the ideology of Arab nationalism, which represents its official orientation. Despite this, it is undeniable that this nation-state provided protection to religious minorities who came to live under the auspices of the regimes, but without being able to solve the problem as a social phenomenon.
It is no wonder that with the fall of the state, as in the case of Iraq, or in the case of widespread violence, as in the Syrian case, that these minorities pay a heavy price. He has been accused of supporting regimes, as in the case of Syria. Or it has paid the price for its difference from the Muslim majority, as in the case of Iraq after the expansion of the influence of the terrorist organization ISIS.
All this is giving rise to serious reflection today on the resolution of this problem which prevents the formation of a true national bond in certain Arab societies.
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