Reaction in the West, including the publishing of the prophet Muhammad cartoons in Denmark in 2005, has intensified persecution of Christians in Iraq.

So believes Munir who belonged to the Calvinist church in Baghdad and is now a refugee in Syria.

In April, Iraqi Christian refugees met church leaders from the US, Europe, Lebanon and Pakistan at a special briefing organised by the Damascus-based Greek Orthodox Patriarchate in conjunction with the World Council of Churches.

What the church representatives heard were stories of incredible suffering in Iraq.

Amongst them was Munir’s harrowing tale.

He said Islamic extremists had used the cartoon incident to justify their hidden agenda to kick “non-believers” out of the country.

“My family was threatened: either you leave within 15 minutes or we will kill you.”

He did not know the seriousness of the threat, so he went to his sister’s apartment next door and waited. Then an armed gang arrived.

“They raped our wives, and even my eighty-year-old mother was beaten.”

Munir’s brother-in-law was kidnapped. After he was freed, the family left “immediately, without even taking any clothes with us.”

“Animals live better lives than human beings in Iraq,” agreed Samira, a Syrian Orthodox refugee. “At least they have the freedom to move. We were even too afraid to go to church because people were kidnapped [there].”

When they arrive in the host country, Christians put most trust and expectations for help on the local churches.

Pastor Boutros Zaour, of the [Syrian] Evangelical National Church, says, “It is Syria’s destiny to be hospitable to refugees, ever since the Armenians fled here from the persecutions they suffered in the Ottoman Empire”.

While the refugees are grateful to Syrian churches for welcoming them, many feel let down by the international community. Frustration prevails at Western embassies who have rejected visa applications.

“Must our young women go back and be raped before they are allowed out?” one man asked angrily.

Cries of “No!” both in English and Arabic filled the room, as the question was raised of whether they want to return to Iraq.

The Rev Dr Volker Faigle of the Evangelical Church in Germany thanked those who gave testimony.

“When we return to our countries, we will think of you, we will pray for you and we will act for you.”

* This is an extract from a WCC feature written by Annegret Kapp, a member of the Evangelical Church in Württemberg, Germany.