Mags GarganDear Editor, Over the past number of years the Christian communities in many countries such as Nigeria, Iraq, Bangladesh and others have been enduring severe persecution.
The terrible plight of the Christian community of the town of Quaraquosh in Iraq at present is but the latest example of that persecution.
It is estimated that 50,000 residents of that town have been forced to flee into the mountains in an effort to escape annihilation. Their chance of survival in an inhospitable region is very remote unless they receive urgent assistance from abroad.
The abduction of the schoolgirls in Nigeria is another example of the savagery that is being loosed on innocent people by bloodthirsty fundamentalists.
Ireland and the European community have a moral obligation to come to the assistance of these people who are in mortal danger of annihilation.
There is a very real danger that widespread ethnic cleansing will become an imminent reality unless strong action is taken. The weekend reports of mass executions are, if correctly stated, further evidence of a merciless campaign.
It is of international importance that democratic States take a stand against this systematic persecution, because if it is allowed to continue unchecked many thousands will be put to the sword and there is every chance that European countries will be the next targets.
Your etc.,
Cllr Michael Gleeson,
Killarney,
Co. Kerry.