The Catholic News Agency reports that the Australian government has denied visas to dozens of Chaldean World Youth Day pilgrims from Iraq.  Australian officials say they are concerned that participants will not return home and instead will seek asylum in Australia. One Chaldean Catholic priest called the decision “a slap at young people who wanted to go to witness to the faith and the joy of the church’s living in Iraq despite sufferings.”

Initially the Australian government denied visas for nearly 170 pilgrims, allowing only ten visas to aspiring World Youth Day participants, the SIR News Agency says. According to the website Baghdadhope, there are now only about 30 total visas available that will be granted “in extremis.”

Father Rayan P. Atto, parish priest of Mar Qardagh Church in Erbil, told SIR News Agency that the concerns about asylum seekers were unfounded, arguing that, “for young Christian Iraqis, taking part in the WYD in Sydney was not a way to leave their country.”

Mosul, IRAQ – Christian churches in Iraq continue to receive threatening notices foreshadowing potentially violent attacks against the non-Muslim religious centers.  In the northern Iraqi city of Mosul parishioners fear the worst after a letters were received asking them not to cooperate with US forces. 

“We don’t cooperate with anyone.  They use this as an excuse to attack, torture, hold for ransom, and kill innocent people,” says Khalid Bunni, a parishioner in the region.  

Baghdad, IRAQ - Senior research fellow, Brian J. Grim, paints a harrowing picture of the ongoing persecution of Iraqi Christians.  The research expert on religion and world affairs with the Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life in Washington, D.C. reports that the situation for Christians in Iraq is worsening. 

“It is no small irony, of course, that the Shiite majority that's now a leading force in Iraq was brutalized and suppressed under Saddam, who extensively curbed the Shiites' religious freedoms. A State Department report in 2002 said Saddam's government ‘severely restricts or bans outright many Shiite religious practices.’ One might think that those fresh memories would be enough to ensure liberties for Iraq's religious minorities today. Yet that appears not to be the case,” writes Grim in his report. 

Iraqi Christians are part of historic indigenous communities that have been in what is now Iraq nearly since the time of Christ, several centuries before Islam came to the region. The majority of them are Chaldean Christians, an ancient religious group affiliated with the Roman Catholic Church.

Michigan, USA - Obama’s relations with Muslims were further stressed as a private back-door meeting spiraled downward over Jewish support.    Among over 150 African-American community leaders and a handful of Arab-Americans were invited to the private meeting.  An argument ensued between Obama and  Osama Siblani regarding the presidential hopeful’s public support of Israel. 

“The more people learn about him the more they feel he is like any other politician,” says Husam Abid, a Chaldean business man in Detroit, Michigan.  “I was told that the Arabs at the meeting made it clear that they want Obama to return to his roots and stand against Jews.  Others feel Obama is purposely alienating Muslims to mask his heritage and show he would not favor Islam.”

Chaldean community leaders, like Ramzi Dalloo, of Troy Michigan  are hopeful that Obama’s efforts to reach out to the two communities are reciprocated.  Nonetheless, tension between Jews and Obama grows.  A website sharing Jewish frustration titled, www.JewsAgainstObama.com is gaining national attention.  The site catalogs Obama’s anti-Jewish stance.  Danny Ayalon, Israel's former ambassador in Washington adds to the growing discourse in a published article in the Jerusalem Post.  Ayalon writes that the Democratic candidate wasn’t entirely forthright regarding Israel. 

The Michigan United Conservation Clubs (MUCC) kicked off an initiative today to convince the legislature to add a 10-cent deposit for water bottles.   This is the same group that originally pushed for Michigan to become the first state to require deposits on pop bottles.

The idea has come under harsh criticism from Chaldeans and many others in the business community, mainly those that would be responsible for handling all the new empty containers. 

Michigan, USA – Many would say it is a rite of passage for Michigan Chaldeans to visit Frankenmuth.  The Bavarian village, dubbed “Michigan’s Little Bavaria” has rich cultural and historical significance and is one of the largest tourist attractions in Michigan.  The small town is now facing legal pressure to strip all religious symbols from their village.  The legal threats hope to end the all-year Christmas displays, removal of the Cross from the town shield, and the destruction of the Cross in the city park.

Americans United for the Separation of Church and State has taken steps to challenge the city for its use of religions symbols. In response, the City Council of Frankenmuth unanimously voted to retain the Thomas More Law Center to defend its unique historical and cultural heritage.  

Christian persecution in America is not necessarily physical abuse says David Haddad, a student of world history.  He asserts that it is more psychological and systematic intimidation that will eventually lead to physical abuse.  “When a Chaldean thinks of ‘persecution’ our minds turn to the humiliating and horrible conditions we faced as a people or the holocaust our people suffered during World War I,” Haddad adds. 

Michigan, USA - Chaldeans in Oak Park, Michigan are perplexed over plans by Oak Park Mayor to ask its residents to approve a tax hike.  The mayor says the money is needed to keep two public safety officers on the payroll and buy patrol cars in the wake of budget cuts.

Mayor Gerald Naftaly says the city had to cut $900,000 from its 2008-09 budget because of declining revenues.  A decline that many say has been caused because of the city’s inability to keep property values from plummeting.  “I don’t understand why Mayor Naftaly has to cut police.  There are other ways to save money for the city,”  Oak Park resident, Imad Kuza says. 

Baghdad, IRAQ – "Violence should not call for more violence! We are on the side of justice, not the death penalty,” Chaldean Bishop Warduni affirmed from Iraq.  "If he were still alive, Archbishop Rahho himself would not permit that someone would die for him.”

Contentions rise high as Chaldeans call on the Iraqi government to spare the life of the man convicted of killing the Archbishop on February, 29 outside of a church.  The Archbishop was leading the Way of the Cross during Lent when Ahmad Ali Ahmad, a ilitant from al-Qaida, led a group to abduct the Archibishop and kill his sub deacons. 

Chaldean Auxiliary Bishop Shlemon Warduni of Baghdad said, "Let us recall that the principles that have always inspired the Church are forgiveness and reconciliation."

Bartella, IRAQ - Thousands of Christians fleeing persecution in other parts of Iraq have returned since 2004 to ancestral lands in the Nineveh Plain, just north and east of Mosul.

While they have escaped the Islamic militias who slaughtered family members and burned down their houses and churches in Baghdad and Mosul, now they face a new battle. Today’s enemies are poverty, joblessness, and despair.

Jamal Dinha, mayor of Bartella, a large Christian village east of Mosul, painted a dire picture of the life these persecuted Christians now face in this Kurdish-controlled safe haven.

Beirut, LEBANON  – Little has been discussed about the Chaldean Iraqi children who have been forced to deal with the challenging situations of persecution in Iraq.  Christian families under siege in the war-torn country are faced with few choices.  For those that flee, Children are often in tow having to endure the trauma of the journey.  Pain, hunger, anxiety, confusion, and fear are just some of the issue these young kids face. 

Last September, Sondrine and Raymond Khamo lived with their parents in a two-floor house in Mosul, Iraq. Their uncle had been shot in the head when he was driving, and their mother, Haifa Khamo, was afraid to let her children go outside.  Until the night they decided to flee Iraq to save their lives. 

Brussels, Belgium - Chaldeans were outraged over the European Union's Slovenian presidency rejection of the German asylum proposal.  The proposal offered asylum seekers from Iraqi’s Christian community special status due to the organized and systematic genocide in Iraq.

 “The EU President is a coward and refused to tell the truth of what is occurring.  No one is blind to the fact that Christian minorities are being targeted.  They are afraid to say the truth, so as to not offend Muslims.  Where are the moderate Muslims to condemn such attacks.  Why don’t they tell their followers to turn over evidence and stop harboring these thugs by their silence,” says Hamsa Mansour. 

Nearly 4,000 Chaldeans marched into the streets to protest on Friday in Luxembourg.  “You see how Christians protest?  We are peaceful.  Because of our peace, our faith in Jesus, and that we do not believe in war or converting or conquering by the sword we are attacked and killed,” adds Mansour.  The demonstration in Brussels on Saturday brought protestors from Belgium, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Sweden and Switzerland. 

Illinois, USA - Former collegiate award winning journalist, Adam Doster, a University of Michigan graduate and previous managing editor of the Michigan Independent uncovers the horrors and causalities of the Iraqi War.  In Doster’s revealing article, “They Can’t Go Home Again,” Chaldeans are showcased in an in-depth examination of Iraqi refugees and the indifference shown to their plight by the United States.

Doster tackles the exodus, abandonment, and rejection that has scattered nearly a million Iraqi Chaldeans.  A group caught in the cross-hairs of the U.S. led war against former Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein.  A group pushed to the verge of extinction by Islamic terrorists and ignored by western countries for fear of seeming bias to the native people of Iraq. 

Doster writes, “On a rainy March morning, in a drab office complex off one of Metro Detroit’s many expressways, I met Mona and Fadi Rabban.  In broken English, they greeted me graciously, keeping their heads slightly bowed. The diminutive Fadi was dressed in black jeans and a beat-up leather jacket. His beautiful middle-aged wife donned a thin, black cardigan and black slacks, which seemed less suitable for the Midwest winter.

Michigan, USA - 28-year old West Bloomfield attorney John Kuriakuz officially filed paperwork last week with Oakland County establishing himself as a Democratic candidate for the Michigan House of Representatives in District 39. Last week also marked his last day at a Detroit law firm, where he walked away from a six-figure salary to focus full-time on winning the race to represent his hometown in the State House.

In January, Kuriakuz filed papers with the Secretary of State showing that before the New Year even began, his campaign had already raised over $45,000.

"I am passionate about serving my hometown in the State Legislature and am very grateful for the amount of support I've received so early on," Kuriakuz said. "I am especially proud to announce that unlike many candidates, I did not raise any money from special interest groups. All of my supporters are longtime friends, neighbors and relatives who have known me for years, believe in my abilities and support my vision for the State of Michigan."

Washington DC, USA – Top broadcast journalist, Raymond Arroyo of the EWTN Global Catholic Network, brings the plight of Christian minorities directly to the feet of the U.S. president.  During an exclusive interview with the U.S. President George Bush Arroyo questions U.S. support of Iraqi minority human rights and what more can be done to protect Iraqi Christians.  Portions of the interview have been released to www.CHALDEAN.org prior to the public airing of the interview on EWTN on Friday, April 11, at 8 p.m. on the “The World Over.”

The interview will air on the eve of Pope Benedict’s April 15th – 20th visit to the U.S. and is expected to cover U.S. relations with the Holy See, the papal visit, Iraq, and much more. 

“Chaldeans are eager to watch the interview this Friday,” says Farouk Slewa.  “We are hopeful that the suffering for all Iraqis comes to an end soon.  Our people have mixed feelings over how the war is being handled.  One political party is for oil and the other party wants the war to end horribly for their own gain.  In the middle are real humans.  What is needed is more attention and discussion of the honest issues.  Why is America not covering these issues more?”

Ninevah, IRAQ - It would seem Iraqi Christians are able to embrace the democratic principles of petitioning government, free speech, and the right to assemble.  For most of the week, peaceful marches have been held by Iraqi Christians in hopes of drawing attention to the injustice and persecution Christians face.  The silent marches send reverberating waves throughout the country as other Iraqis look on in interest. 

Each day hundreds of Chaldeans and other Christians march down streets holding photos of Christian Martyrs.   Loud in action and small in talk the Iraqi Christians call for justice.  The council of Nineveh bishops, which include the community and religious leaders of all Christian communities in the Ninevah region of Iraq support the marches.

Men, women, and children march holding pictures of Archbishop Rahho to Fr Ragheed and Fr Paul Iskandar, all victims killed by radical Islamist hoping to drive Christians out of their land.  Marchers also carried hundreds of pictures of Christian family members who have been killed for their faith, resisting kidnapping attempts, refusal to convert, or because they owned shops that sold alcoholic beverages (banned by Islam).  The protestors walked through the streets of Bartella, Karamles, Qaraqosh, al Qosh.