“The Al Charaa regime does not hold its promises”
Hundreds of civilians were massacred from March 7 to 9, west of Syria, where the Alaouites live. Have violence ended?
Bishop Jacques Mourad: “There are always violence and insecurity, according to my contacts with inhabitants of the area of various religious denominations.
Are there Christians among the victims?
A dozen Christians have been killed in recent days, not because they were Christians, but because they lived in buildings, neighborhoods where many Alawites live. It was the Alawite community that was targeted, after some of its members, linked to the Old Regime of Bashar al-Assad, itself Alaouite, took up arms, and attacked for the new regime of Ahmed al-Charaa. With the regime’s security forces, groups armed with fanatical terrorists came from Idlib and committed the massacres we are talking about, in the name of their ideology that the land of non-Muslims must be purified.
The new strong man of Syria, Ahmed al-Charaa, took power in December 2024. He promised to build a multi-fate of Syria. Where are we?
The real problem of Syria is the lack of confidence between the different communities of the country. Al Charaa, who came to power last December, had promised to increase the salaries of state employees before the end of 2024, instead of which he chased tens of thousands of civil servants and blocked the structures of the state. Two weeks after announcing that a new story of Syria left, he tackled the Alawites and imprisoned people without presenting them to the judge.
Justice does not work, the country has no constitution. The president announced the meeting of a congress where all the components of the people would be represented, but he refused to admit those that the various religious authorities presented. Sunnis alone sit there. This explains that there can be no confidence between the communities, between the people and the government. We can even talk about manipulation.
Have exiled Christians returned to the country?
No. Christians do not come back: there is no vision for the future. No hope.
What do you expect from France, Europe, Western Christians?
It’s hard to say, but we don’t trust anyone. Since 2011, we have lived misery, suffering. The international community does not move. There is no change. After the reversal of the Bashar al-Assad regime, our magnificent hope lasted only two weeks. Sadness, anxiety, overwhelm us. In God alone we hope, by faith.
Before being appointed bishop, in 2023, you were the superior of a small monastic community oriented on friendship with Muslims – Mar Moussa, at the gates of the desert. What becomes of it?
It is spared by current disorders. The neighboring city, Nabek, is fully populated by Muslims with whom relations are good. Young people continue to come to Mar Moussa, where they can breathe, find some peace.
