By Carey Lodge, Christian Today.
The brutal persecution of Christians and other religious minorities in the Middle East edged closer to being recognized as genocide yesterday, as a top US committee passed a key resolution condemning the violence.
The House Foreign Affairs Committee voted unanimously in support of Resolution 75, which states that “those who commit or support mass murder and atrocities against minorities” in the Middle East are guilty of “genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity.”
Steve Oshana, director of A Demand for Action, a campaign group for minorities in the Middle East, said the resolution “now reflects the ethnic and indiginous rights of the Assyrian/Chaldean/Syriac people”.
“This is a solemn victory but an important step forward in full recognition of this genocide, and we will continue our work here in Washington to ensure this resolution makes it to the floor for a full vote,” he said.
“Our next hurdle is that this bill must prevail when the voting on the house floor takes place… Our fight will continue to push for this genocide to be recognised alongside many of our partners who strongly believe in this bill.”
International Christian Concern (ICC) also praised the move, saying it marks “a victory for religious minorities in Iraq and Syria” and is a “remarkable showing of solidarity with the Christian communities in the Middle East.”
Related: H.Con.Res.75
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Obama, Clinton and Sanders, et al are curiously quiet on this immensely important topic? Hmmm.