ICC Note: The World Evangelical Alliance has publicly called for world leaders to consider the Christian minority of Syria as peace talks begin this week in Geneva, Switzerland. Christians in Syria have been targeted in growing numbers by radical Islamic groups in the country fighting to overthrow the Assad government. Reports of Christians being killed for their faith have emerged while tens of thousands have been displaced. ICC is not only monitoring the deteriorating situation for Christians in Syria but is actively working to assist victims of the civil war. 
1/22/2014 Syria (Christian Post) – The World Evangelical Alliance called for the protection of Syria’s minority Christian population ahead of the major Geneva II conference on Wednesday, which is set to discuss solutions to the ongoing Syrian crisis.
“The reality is that this is just part of the process. They are not going to get everything accomplished in these two days, so we need to measure our expectations,” said Dr. Geoff Tunnicliffe, secretary general of the WEA, in an interview with The Christian Post on Tuesday. “At minimum we are looking for a cessation in the armed conflict, that people will stop dying, that they can come to an agreement that they can stop the killings.”
The conference, which is sponsored by the U.N. along with Russia and the U.S., is hoping to bring together for talks a delegation representing Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and representatives of some of the opposition forces looking to topple his administration. The civil war in Syria, which has been going on since 2011, has killed over 100,000 people and displaced over 9.3 million, according to U.N. estimates.
Syria’s government received intense international scrutiny and threats of military intervention after it was accused of committing a large-scale chemical attack in Damascus in August, which reportedly killed 1,429 Syrians, including 426 children, though Assad has denied that his forces were behind the attack.
Dr. Geoff Tunnicliffe, Secretary General of the WEA, in an interview on Syria crisis with The Christian Post on Jan. 21, 2014 in New York.
Christians, who make up around 8 percent of the population, have also suffered heavily, with Islamic rebel groups destroying churches and sometimes entire towns, murdering dozens of followers of Christ.
“We are deeply concerned for the Christian community in Syria. Like all minority groups they need protection from the very real threats that have been made against them. In addition, it is imperative that as the future shape of Syria is being determined, Christians who have had a presence in the land for two thousand years be represented,” Tunnicliffe added in a statement Tuesday.
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