Danish politicians willingly join the queue of those who want to interfere in the internal affairs of Arab countries. Last year it was Libya, now it's Syria. The Tunisians, Egyptians and Yemenis have so far managed with a minimum of foreign help in their uprising against the old corrupt regime. In Bahrain, the rebellion was stifled by the regime.
Considering how unstable Libya has become, with various militias out of control, we should not pretend that Danish soldiers and/or troops from other European countries will be able to introduce democracy and freedom of speech in Syria, even if the rebels succeed in toppling President Bashar al-Assad.
With eyes wide open, the Danish government is selling the religious minorities in Syria for candy canes. While it is not difficult to agree that Bashar al-Assad is not democratically elected or democratically minded, his and his father's rule has for decades guaranteed the safety of minorities and their right to practice their faith without threats from intolerant and extremist Muslims. Syria has so far been the most secular country in the Arab world.
When I first visited Syria, I was struck by the difference between Egypt and Syria in terms of security around church buildings. In Egypt, there are armed police guards at almost every church, but in Syria, there was no need for guards at all and you could walk in and out of churches unmolested. Since the Christians have enjoyed the protection of the regime, they can expect nothing good from any new Sunni Muslim rulers.
We in Europe can expect a new exodus of Christians from the Middle East if there is a change of power. Syria could easily become like Iraq, which has lost more than 2/3 of its Christian inhabitants in just a few years. These are communities whose Christian history in some cases dates back to the Apostle Paul's stay in Damascus and other places in Syria.
Will Syria's Christians be able to celebrate Easter this year without fear of bombings or other acts of violence? And will we be able to celebrate Easter with a clear conscience, knowing that the very existence of our Christian brothers and sisters is under threat? - At least during this Easter season, let us pray fervently for Christians in Syria and other places where they face persecution and oppression simply because they are Christians.
