Damascus: April 16, 2012. (PCP) The Syrian Orthodox Church, which represents over half of Syrian Christians, issued a statement saying revolutionary fighters had expelled some 50,000 Christians from the embattled city of Homs. That figure is estimated to account for about 90 percent of the Christian community there. Hundreds more — including women and children — were slaughtered, according to charitable organizations operating in the area. The Orthodox Church referred to the persecution as the “ongoing ethnic cleansing of Christians” by Muslim militants linked to al Qaeda. According to its report, the so-called “Brigade Faruq” is largely to blame, with Islamic extremists going door to door and forcing followers of Christ to leave without even collecting their belongings. Their property is then stolen by rebels as “war-booty from the Christians.” Christians in Homs were reportedly told that if they did not leave immediately, they would be shot. Then, pictures of their bodies would be sent to the pro-Syrian-regime-change Al Jazeera — a media broadcaster controlled by the dictatorship ruling Qatar — with a message claiming that forces loyal to Assad had murdered them. The report is also widely circulated by Mr. Robert who writes “Fr. John, Attached hereto is a copy of a message which I received today dealing with the purge of Syrian Orthodox Christians in Homs, Syria by Sunni Muslims. The vulnerability of Christians to Muslim purges in the Middle East & elsewhere is nothing new. Back in the 1930ies during my childhood I was repeatedly told by Syrians in Tupper Lake, NY that the reason for their flight from Syria was "le massacre". Decades later I learned that "le massacre" referred to the purges of Christians in Syria in 1840 & 1850. The Ottomans ignored the protests of European states, whereupon the French moved into Syria to establish a protectorate of Christian and other minorities. When the French left, the Syrian government was seized by Air force officer, Hafez al Assad backed by the Alowite minority which dominated the military. Eventually they formed a coalition of minorities (Baathists) which has protected the minorities from the Sunni majority. Today the Sunnis seek to restore the old order which allowed them the freedom to stomp the minorities whenever they wished. Should Bashar al Assad lose to the Sunni rebels, the minorities will be sorely oppressed. Islam has never emerged from the Bedouin tribal mind set of the 7th century Hijaz. Past is present is future. Should Bashar al Assad be vanquished, who will protect the minorities from the wrath of their enemies? The UN, NATO, Obama? Don't hold your breath”