The Roman Jesuit Paolo Dall’Oglio disappeared while he was in Raqqa, the Syrian city that later became the “capital” of the so-called Islamic state. There, on July 28, 2013, were recorded the latest images and words of the monk. Now the jihadist-Raqqa has fallen, but there is no trace of Paolo, and uncontrolled rumors have begun to circulate around his fate. Father Jacques Murad, together with the brothers and sisters of Dei Mar Musa - the monastic community founded by Father Paolo - live this time of uncertainty and trepidation with the peace of the men and women of Christ.
Father Jacques, a Syrian monk of the community of Deir Mar Musa, in May 2015 had also been kidnapped by the Jihadists of Daesh, who had taken him from the monastery of Mar Elian, in the Syrian city of Qaryatayn, kept him segregated for months, and then took him back to Qaryatayn, after having conquered it, together with several hundreds of other Christians who, like him, had signed the so-called “Protection Contract” with the Islamic State.
Since Raqqa is no longer in Daesh’s hands, do you have any news from Father Paolo Dall’Oglio?
I have always had the hope that the fall of Raqqa’s stronghold would have allowed us to have more information about him. Now we have also asked the French and the United States to let us know if something can be done to help looking for him. But so far, we have not received any news. I hope that in this chaotic phase, perhaps, Paul may be included in some prisoners-exchange deal.
What about the new rumors circulated about his fate, saying he was killed in 2013?
It’s not the first time that someone spreads rumors about his death, and each time something completely different is said. Why should the latest version be more credible than the ones before? They never bring concrete data and evidence. While we continue to hope and pray.
What information do you have about what is happening in that area?
Raqqa fell, and now Deir el Zor has also fallen. All Jihadists, both from Syria and Iraq, are gathering in some border areas between the two countries and in desert areas, using humanitarian corridors that they are allowed to cross with the guarantee of not being attacked. It seems strange to me. And I do not know how it will end up. The Jihadists, who had once again re-occupied Qaryatayn, the Syrian city where I lived and where the Jihadists had kidnapped me in 2015, took me from the monastery of Mar Elian, are also heading over there.
Do you have any news of what has happened in Qaryatayn in recent weeks?
In Qaryatayn, a terrible massacre took place in October. The Syrian army had taken over the city in April 2016. Last summer, government authorities gave the people who fled the city permission to return home. Many had started to repair their houses, it all seemed quiet. In the city, there were now between 8 thousand and 10 thousand people. Then, suddenly, in early October, the Jihadists returned.
And what happened?
They massacred at least two hundred civilians, Sunni Muslims who did not accept the rules of Daesh and were considered traitors who sided with government forces. Then they also took about thirty children, between the ages of 8 and 15, when they withdrew to the Badiya desert.
Were there also Christians?
About thirty Christians had returned, and two of them were killed in October by those of Daesh. A Christian soldier had returned to Qaryatayn with his parents a few days before the Jihadists arrived. If they had found him, they would certainly have killed him. But Muslim neighbors hid the Christian soldier and his parents in their homes until the Jihadists were expelled. This story also shows the reality of Syrian Muslims: killed by the Jihadists yet ready to risk their lives to protect Christians.
What is the impact of all this on the civilian population?
Now all the people of Qaryatayn are disheartened. Those who were still away now do not want to come back. They have realized that none of the forces in the field is sincere and really wants to pursue peace. That is why everyone wants to flee: to safeguard at least a little hope. But I have also seen horrible things going on in Lebanon.
What are you referring to?
There are paramilitary forces, such as Fuhud al-Jabal, who go to the areas where the Syrian refugees are and commit violence to force them to leave. There are torture practices. And the political parties are aligned with the idea of expelling Syrian refugees in every way possible.
Even ecclesiastical authorities keep saying that the pressure of the excessive number of Syrian refugees is plunging the country.
That is only part of reality. Many Syrians have been in Lebanon for many years, but if there is no solution in Syria, if certain guarantees are not obtained, they cannot return. They have fled as deserters, and returning to Syria for them means risking their lives.
You are now living in Iraqi Kurdistan, in the community of Deir Mar Musa in Sulaymaniyah. How are things going there?
For a long time, we have assisted communities of refugees from Qaraqosh, from where they had fled in the summer of 2014 in front of the jihadist advance. Now, many of them are returning to their homes, and we welcome many Christians who have fled from Mosul, who are also waiting for things to get back to normal before returning to their city.
Even there, after the referendum for the independence of Kurdistan, there were winds of war between Baghdad and the Kurdish government of the Autonomous Region...
Ethnic and religious identities are always exploited by those who want to wage war. I hope that political mediation will prevail and that weapons will be put aside. In my opinion, the Kurds’ move to withdraw from Kirkuk and let the troops of the government army be redeployed there, was wise. The Kurds have the right to have a state. But that objective must be achieved through political negotiations, by reaching an international agreement, and not by focusing on unilateral initiatives.
