By pascale warda
Former Minister of Migration and Displacement
Director of Hammurabi Human Rights public relationship
Nobody can ignore that all Iraqis were targeted and still targeted by terrorists for different reasons of course. But it is clear to everybody that minorities were and continue hardly to be the target of many different terrorist groups belonging to al-Qaida or using al-Qaida name for any other reason.
Christians like sabeans and Izidies in order to their pacific attitude to the sectoral conflict they are nations which didn’t fight for power so why they are more and more targeted. The issue is getting clear that the religious difference is the main problem. We will try to confirm this fact using all fanatic and disastrous violations practiced against minorities in general and Christians particularly so hardly these last 7 years.
I prefer to begin with most little minority nation of minorities to highlight their importance and impact on Iraqi society which today strangely stay with no rapid and serious solutions in order to put end on the extinction of those most original people of Iraq.
Sabeans
These are the followers of Saint John the Baptist. They are not Christians and of course not Muslims .They are mainly concentrated in the central and south of Iraq along Alahwar(marcharab) and the bank of Tigers in Baghdad. Their presence at the side of abundant water sources is related to their ritual and religious traditions. In fact they perform mendaean baptism several times in their lives
According to the information to Hammurabi Human Rights organization emplement on minorities situation Mandeans numbers are gradually decreasing and they face the extinction because of the big movement of displacement inside Iraq and migration out of Iraqi borders mainly after targeting their religious leaders and their businesses such as it happened in Basorah in Baghdad in the street of Naher a number of mandeans has been killed among people who works in gold business where they are professional jewelers and traders of gold . Between 2003 and may 2005 three hundred and four(304) mandeans were killed and one hundred and eighteen(115) others were abdicated due to their religious , ethnic and cultural differences? Iraqi Minorities Council affirmed that in the end of 2010 Mandeans number is not more than 5000 people when before 2003 they got to more than 300 000 individuals their majority passed the borders to Syria. In today Parliament and for the first time an exception was med to get the participation of Mandeans in legislation like stapes of encouragement during their very minim presence
Izidies
This very specific and ancient Iraqi minority belongs to the religions before Christianity. They worship good God and they abhors the evil. Armed armed gangs have collectively targeted them in their areas more than once . 800 Eight hundred were killed in one explosion of booby-transporters of oil in Senjar city in august 2007 . The day following this outrageous violation of human rights, and because of the great fear that spread through this ancient peaceful population, represented by the head of Izidis Organizations, refused to express their outrage concerning these attacks in the medias. Everybody know that Izidis representing no threat , since they live in an isolated society and they earn their living from farming in rural region which are close to mosul and the mountainous villages along the Syrian borders .
At later stage , some political parties including some influential Kurdish groups began pressurizing them through force and coercion to choose political and ethnical allegiance . The yearn for freedom and a chance to lost dignity compelled large group of this forgotten community to organize themselves into a political movement and ran independently in 2005 parliamentary elections . This same list ran for the latest Prudential Elections and won one seat . other izidis with Kurdish list are in the Parliament nowadays.
Finally, the number of Iraqi Izidis is currently around 500 000 . A mass departure of Izidis to outside Iraq happens after the attacks of august 2007 in senjar. Their movement of migration began since 1990.
Shabacs
These Shiite Iraqi tribes live in region surrounding the Ninewa Plain and near to Mosul .this ethnic but moslim community, is of number of 400 000 person original from Persia and other clans , Some of them consider themselves of Kurdish lineage ,but the majority maintains the shabac identity. Armed goups targeted them because of their ethnic particularities . In previous elections they ran elections and they got a seat in Iraqi Parliament in the list of” united Shabacs” . When in last Parliament elections they lost to give place to their members in Kurdish list
Religiously they have no problems and they get their rights. They faced some displacement from mosul to Ninawa Plain. Otherwise they stay stable and didn’t live Iraq comparing to other communities.
Christians
Christians in Iraq (Chaldeans Assyrians Syriacs )across their History have suffered and continue today to suffer more than any others Iraqis because of their religious and ethnic identity. They faced different massacres and forced displacement internal like external migration. They were silenced since the fall of Nineveh and Semeil massacres in 1933 under Baker Sedqi authority of which remained 3,00 to 4,000 christian victims killed with their prist event which lets 34 refugees camps which became big villages on the borders of Khaboor river in Syria clause to Iraq composed of displaced of assyrians-chaldeans saved from the massacres executed by Baker Sedqi the commandant in Iraqi army of that time and a Kurdish origin . The idea and hope of a return to their homeland was the reason for those Christians to insist to stay clause to borders in desert land.
The real reason reason of those massacres still unclear till today because their national raising up against the oppression against on Christians was general in that area regardless to the sectarian identity of a church. This culture was ahead in the same area and similar massacres where practiced in Soria Village in 1969 when 38 christians from Chaldean church where killed with their prist by the Hameed Aljeheshi an Iraqi army colonel and whom still free of any punishment and alive till now. In 1961 kurdish revolution beginning displacement killing and other sort of violations of human rights were practiced against Christians in their villages in order to intimidate them silently in the hands of diverse criminals . Christians continue to live without defender to present.
Under the Previous regime , the Al-Anfal campaign targeted not only Kurdish populations but also Christians mostly of (Chaldeans Ayrians Syriac nation )and arminians too .That why 250 Christian villages with their old churches and monasteries belongs to first centuries’ of Christianity in Mesopotamia, Iraq of today where completely destroyed and their people killed and most of them displaced as many of them disappeared . This event was completed in the uprising of 1991 in the Northern region.
The operation of killing religious leaderships such as the Bishop Faraj Raho many prists from differed churches as well as differed educated capacities among Christians in Mosul in 2008 which was a real genocide : killing, displacing, and later targeting students in May 2010 is a strong message that a mysterious plan is ongoing against Christian existence in Iraq . The massacres of Our lady of Najat (salvation) in Baghdad 31 October 2010 deliver a double message to Christians one was that Christians are not protected, the second was that Iraq under the political weakness and the big under-representation of Christians in Parliament and in other decision making organs, all this unbalanced situation is like a sort of improvement in favor of fanatics in their extremist philosophy of islamization of Iraqi New System under the name of” Islamic State of Iraq “ a branch of Al-Qaida .This situation put Christians and non Muslims components of Iraqi people in a situation of disaster and hopeless future .
All Iraqi people Muslims and others think that all those actions in today Iraq, seems to be in relation with Iraqi influential entities on power today who most of their time misestimate the role of law and lead people who commit crimes without punishing them by a legal practice .
This horrible fact is what broth Iraqis to make of corruption a sort of culture and heroism. Honest Iraqis have to challenge a huge corruption culture normalized in various governmental institutions it is more than hard.
Christians are always the first who pays for others and their sacrifices are underestimated. Proportionally saying they pay more than their capability. They have to take their own protection in their hands to be engaged to police and Army composition and specialized to protect themselves and areas. There is a crisis of confidence. With all the educational Islamizing system we have and the culture of forcing non Muslims to do or to cloth like them is one of the main obstacle which cause the departure of minorities who fells unsecured even in their houses. With very big number of higher educated people thy have so little chance of Jobs .
A special report was published by Hammurabi Human Rights Organization in 2009 that the number of Christians victims is relatively high 706 death while performing their daily routines during five passed years 54% of victims were from Baghdad, where more than 500 000 Christians lives before 2003 .Near about 85 churches and monasteries are built in Baghdad during deferent periods since the Christians existence in Baghdad even before Islam. When Abu jaffar Almansur was starting to put the plan of Baghdad he inhabited in a church when Baghdad Was a little city of that time. The Christians were always in high rank of educated people because of their cultural and social gathering in their charges and monasteries. I remember that in my sister time older than me there was only the charge school which was possible in the mountains areas and when the Kurdish autonomous was pronounced in 1971 the government came and adopted those privet schools converting them to governmental ones they discovered that in all Christian villages the education was ongoing during the bad periods between government and Kurdish rebellions .
Many essentials initiatives such as foundation of Baghdad University was a Christian who achieved it his name is Matte Aqrawy, a Chaldean church member. We can go on for remarking the importance of this courageous community of Christians and the roles in cultural, social, scientifical, even political and administrative fields accomplished by Iraqi Christians are to be mentioned and are a real witness of their originality of this country Iraq where unfortunately thy continue to be accounted as a minority without big importance? Today any one discuss about their rights in narrowest possible way to get them out of any opportunity of self-determination.
With al Christian real impact on Iraqi reconstruction they still suffer of legal situation. Because Iraqi Law contains many Alshariia laws so the religion freedom is practically impossible. Many Christian and other non Muslims religions, if a mother or a father get married to Muslim or convert to Islam, or was obliged to do so they are obliged and must automatically change all their identities to Islam and legally they must forget about their origins , will follow their also their children and their grand children and their sons and daughters in law too. More than 80 cases in KRG like in Baghdad are actually without any legal solution of Christians who don’t want necessarily to follow their family members passed to Islam. They have only two choices: they must die because they are injuring Islam according to shariia or to leave the country and seek asylum anywhere! Many have been forced to conversion asked me for a solution for their situation, Taking action in contact with the court and the higher possible judges “they sad you must change the law in the Parliament”. This means that in Iraq we have the freedom of worshiping we can say controlled freedom of religion ,but not religious freedom. So a real amendment of Iraqi New Constitution and a law reform must happen soon as possible. Because in article 2 part 1 say no law can be promulgated in contradiction with Islamic shariaa .. So many laws such as equality in propriety between woman and man, the children adoption in case of death of the father, and the most difficult one the conversion forcibly of non Muslims using Iraqi personal law cod. Many cases are even not requested by shariia like son in law, or daughter in law. The most fanny one is the children of a man who got divorce of his wife and from a second Christian wife he got remarried he have children from the Christian educated in Christian faith by their Christian mother , are obliged to become Muslims because of the former wife of their father remarried, to a Muslim man before the birth of those children!! The Christian father we have in this case was put in prison by his ex-wife because he was unhappy to leave his wife loving a Muslim while she was his wife. Then, She revenged of him she put him in prison and when he was out he was given his ID card renewed by a Muslim one! So his right religion and his children right has been violated legally and will be ongoing today even for his Christian wife .They must legally be Islamized to get access to any administration field or need in any office. For example to register in the schools or to get married for the Christian children in those mentioned situations. This is one of the most principal causes of migration of minorities specially Christians. Changing this laws is the best national solution to ensure non Muslims to stay in their country.
During the year 2010 Hammurabi Organization for Human Rights observed more than 90 Christian cases killed and 47 wounded with various injuries including 68 deaths from Baghdad and more than 23 cases of murder of Mosul and one in Erbil . And 36 cases have been injured in various areas of Baghdad as well as 6 cases of the injured in Nineveh. The abductions have happened remarkably in diminution one case in Baghdad, and another case in Kirkuk and another case of a university student in Mosul on 12/14/2010. Also made our 19 cases of assault on persons and private property, including 12 in Mosul, and 7 cases in Baghdad. As well as the abuse of 3 youths from the area of the Nineveh Plain by police in Qaraqosh and beaten for no reason and that as of 10.14.2010 and the arrest and insulting Mr. Zakaria Khadr Mansour , Director of Nationality and Civil Affairs in Hamdania by the Kurdistan Democratic Party intelligent assaiishes on 20/10 / 2010. Those, also arrested and insulted Hamdania Director of education in the headquarter of the mentioned party qaraqosh , as well as the directors in Department of Tourism Mr. Abu Habit in Mosul, who still live under threat of murder and displaced from his home . And other cases that are not documented here. All these cases are without any acceptable reason.
Total attacks on churches from 2004 to 2010 and reached to 52 Churches.
Violations of the Christians rights and their extermination is not a new fact unfortunately even if in between 2005-2007 rat was huge but a clear diminution happened between 2007-2008 the wave do continue to became more and impotent seeing the plan of extermination practiced in our lady church of Baghdad and after that on different areas of Baghdad and mosul individual target of Christians even in their houses and their proprieties confiscated previously still out of their control and strange policies oblige them using forced displacement by threats and other means to let them in a perpetual fear to make them leave everything and became migrants, and spread trout the world . This means that the level of protection is not enough. Reason for NU and other regional institutions such as EU have to take this issue in serious consideration to help Iraqi government getting the possible solutions in spied minimizing those people suffering Christians and other Iraqi Minorities needs resolutions concerning their protection to awake Iraqi authorities in their commitment regarding their citezences protection and particularly non Muslim minorities.
Iraqi Christians and other minorities were surprised by the attitude of UN council of Security who minimized their responsibility regarding the massacres in Alnajat churches were not less than 58 people were rudely massacred, and for whom UN express just a simple word of concern . Please, when and where is a role for the international Society then? Did the massacred children and others with them will get their right of live from terrorists? Nothing was mad to help Iraqi actual authorities to sponsor the responsibility of live of their people. This is what all Iraqi know and they stay hopeless of a real reconstruction of their country reason which encourage them to take the way of Asylum seekers anywhere open a door for them
The most simple live necessity basic services are not yet established to help Iraqis rebuild a peaceful way of living till when? Nowadays, Iraqis and particularly trust nobody and they ignore the way for requesting their rights such as using civil society organizations to observe and complain for their people rights. So a strong Civil society movement is requested to interfere and do advocacy of people rights .Mission which is not easy because of the political chaos implemented by many influential political groups. Security than security of any one on action for addressing the different issues is a real challenging mission. The freedom of expression is not without sacrifices everybody know journalist path since the beginning of process in order to rebuild Iraqi democracy. The cultural scientific economic and other impact of minorities on Iraq will make a incomparable disaster wealth on Iraq if Christians and others lives Iraq the unfortunate situation because a big loose will let an enormous negative impact not only on the church and others but specially on Iraq as a whole because the Christians and other minorities extinction is serving regions and countries who are unhappy with Iraqi political change to democratic system.
This situation has to do very much with the well of a perpetuation of corruption in Iraq because most of Christians and other minorities can become the tools alternatives to fight corruption in the administration by exchanging the corrupted ones by them.
I think this is also the problem of Iraqi leaders with women who are majority of Iraq and they are marginalized by politicians to leave personal benefit in their priorities in spied of looking for solutions which will serve everybody and develop the equal sense of a citizenship identity regardless of religious or any other particularity.
Resource: Hammurabi Human Rights Organization (HHRO)