Mosul / Abuja: Congregational leadership in Africa and West Asia commends US government for signing mandate on religious freedom globally It was only after President Donald Trump and Melania Trump visited the White House in the Pilgrimage of St. John Paul in Washington on June 2 that they signed the decisive decree of the most persecuted Christian community worldwide.
Archbishop Bashar Warda of the Irbil-Chaldea Archdiocese of Iraq said he welcomed the new executive order. He added that they are grateful for the Trump administration’s efforts to intervene on the issue of religious liberty as a victim of severe religious persecution. Ignatius Yusuf Younan, the Patriarch of the Syrian Church, said he appreciates the President’s courage to sign the order. He also hoped that the government would take further action. Joseph Yunnan added that the plans outlined in the order would be beneficial for the survival of his community.
Bishop Matthew Hassan Kukka of the Diocese of Sokoto in Nigeria said it is commendable that the US government is taking such a stand on behalf of Christians and other denominations, as many countries reject religious beliefs because of their strict secular thinking. Bishop Cooke pointed out that although many leaders say that people of all religions are persecuted, Christians are the most persecuted. He added that they have greater faith than their own identity.
Christina Arriaga, former vice president of the American Commission for International Religious Freedom, said earlier that American diplomats had avoided the issue because it was a matter of “multilateral relations.” The global Christian community is looking forward to the new order as it goes through severe repression.
