CIP Endorses Statement of the Revolutionary Left Current in Syria
On Vandalism of Christian Churches in Al-Raqqah

by Stephen Suleyman Schwartz and Irfan Al-Alawi
CIP
September 25, 2013

http://www.islamicpluralism.org/2299/cip-endorses-statement-of-the-revolutionary-left

The Center for Islamic Pluralism, an international network of Muslim scholars, clerics, authors, journalists, Sufi shaykhs, and other believers, active in 32 Muslim-majority countries and Muslim-minority communities, endorses a statement by the Revolutionary Left Current in Syria, a movement against the dictatorship of Bashar Al-Assad, denouncing vandalism of Christian churches in the north-central Syrian town of Al-Raqqah.

According to credible reports, the Catholic church of Our Lady of the Annunciation and the Armenian Martyrs' Church in Al-Raqqah were attacked by terrorists from the so-called "Islamic State of Iraq and Al-Shams," an Al-Qaida affiliate. "Al-Shams" is the traditional Arabic name for Syria and the wider Levant.

Under the slogan, "Christians and Muslims Are One," the Revolutionary Left Current appealed to citizens of Al-Raqqah to join a demonstration against the infiltration of Al-Qaida into the Syrian civil war, in front of the Catholic church of Our Lady of the Annunciation, on September 25.

CIP calls on all its members and correspondents to pray for the protection of Christians, safety of the anti-extremist protestors in Al-Raqqah, and, generally, security of the moderate and anti-fundamentalist militants in combat against the Syrian regime.

We do not share the socialist ideology of the Revolutionary Left Current but we support their position equating and rejecting both the terrorism of Al-Assad and that of Al-Qaida. In addition, CIP is concerned especially to disseminate information on the role of Syrian fighters opposed to both forms of oppression.

May the merciful and compassionate king of the universe protect the people of Syria from further and worse atrocities.

Stephen Suleyman Schwartz, Executive Director

Dr Irfan Al-Alawi, International Director

Center for Islamic Pluralism

Washington, DC, USA -- London, UK

Related Topics:  Iraq, Muslim-Christian Relations, Wahhabism, WahhabiWatch receive the latest by email: subscribe to the free center for islamic pluralism mailing list