"I am thinking of India and Iraq,” says Pope

At the St. Peter's Basilica in Vatican City Sunday, Pope Benedict XVI reproved the killing of Christians in India and Iraq, urging the interference of political and religious leaders in defending them.

"At this moment I am thinking of Iraq and India," Benedict told pilgrims in St Peter's Square.

"I am sure that the ancient and noble peoples of those nations have learned, through centuries of respectful coexistence, to appreciate the contribution that the small, but hardworking and qualified, Christian minorities contribute to the growth of their common countries," Pope Benedict said.

Urging leaders to "spare no effort" so that "honest and loyal citizens can count on adequate protection", pope reiterated a call for "religious leaders and to all men and women of good will about the tragedy that is developing in some Asian countries, where Christians are victims of intolerance and cruel violence, killed, threatened and forced to abandon their homes and wander about in search of refuge."

"They are not asking for privileges, but desire only to be able to continue to live in their country together with their fellow citizens, as they have always done," he said.

While half of the Christian community of Iraq's northern city of Mosul has fled recently after attacks and death threats, in India over 60 have been dead and thousands rendered homeless of anti–Christian violence.

Meanwhile, Jim Jacobson, President of the Christian Freedom International has called for an immediate action by the House of Representatives to pass Concurrent ‘Resolution HR–434’ that condemns the recent religious violence in India and asking the Government of India to stop the violence and address its root causes.

Fanatics in Orissa are launching attacks against Christian homes and churches, setting fire to everything in their path and viciously beating, or even murdering Christian pastors, Jacobson charged.

“The violence has caused thousands of Christians to flee for their lives into the nearby forests or refugee camps and to make matters worse, the local government has done nothing to intervene in the crisis,” he alleged.

The resolution is gaining more support each day, and “we call on Chairman Howard Berman of the House of Foreign Relations Committee to bring the Resolution to the floor of the House as soon as possible”, Jacobson said.

He demanded an action or halt on the nuclear agreement between the US and India calling on the chairman Berman and Secretary Condoleezza Rice to act quickly into the matter.