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Questions on rights for Chaldo-Assyrians
in Iraq raised in UK parliament
23.6.2005
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London, (KRG)
Wednesday 22 June 2005 – During a debate in
the House of Commons on Tuesday 21 June, one day
prior to the EU Iraq conference in Brussels, Edward
Leigh MP asked the Rt. Hon. Jack Straw, UK Foreign
Secretary if the Government will press for new
elections to be held in the Chaldo-Assyrian areas of
Iraq and for the establishment of an autonomous
region for the Chaldo-Assyrians in northern Iraq.
Mr. Straw responded that “All sections of the
community—the majority Shi'a, the Kurds and the
Sunni—understand that if they are to maintain their
aim of keeping Iraq together, albeit within some
sort of federal structure, the constitutional
arrangements have to be acceptable to all three
communities. Although it will be difficult getting
there, I believe that that will be achieved”.
Regarding the question of autonomy, Dr. Kim Howells,
Minister for the Middle East responded “The Chaldo-Assyrians
in northern Iraq rejected the idea of such an
autonomous administrative region as they fear that
it would make their community more, not less,
vulnerable to attack”.
The central issue dates back to the January
elections and allegations that 150,000 Chaldo-Assyrians,
who are of the Christian faith, were prevented from
voting. The failure of voting in certain areas was
due to the fact the Independent Electoral Commission
of Iraq (IECI) did not deliver sufficient ballot
papers. The estimated 150,000 people affected were
not only Chaldo-Assyrians but included huge numbers
of Kurds and people from other groups.
During the debate, Michael Connarty MP contributed
that “I attended a meeting yesterday with the High
Representative of the Kurdistan Regional Government
to the UK and I read the speech of Masoud Barzani,
the new President of the autonomous region, in which
he welcomed all the people, including the Chaldo-Assyrians,
who have places in the assembly of northern Iraq.
They are happy to be there and have made no demand
for a separate assembly.”
The full quote referred to by Mr Connarty in His
Excellency Masoud Barzani’s inaugural speech reads "Turkomen
and Chaldo-Assyrians are our respected brothers and
sisters, and we will do whatever is within our
capability and authority for the sake of their
well-being. We all live together on this land. Our
destiny, our joys and sorrows, are common. We
consider ourselves their advocates and defenders of
their rights."
In the January 30 elections, three Christian
political groups joined the Kurdistan Alliance List;
Assyrian National Party, Chaldean Democratic Union
and Bait Nahrain Democratic Party. As a result of
this inclusion in the Kurdistan coalition, Christian
candidates managed to enter into the Iraq
Transitional Assembly.
In the areas under Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG)
administration, three ministers are of Chaldean or
Assyrian origin; Sarkis Aghajan Mamendu, Deputy
Prime Minister, Yonan Marqus Hanna Minister of
Industry and Energy and Yousif Hanna Yousuf,
Minister for Regional Affairs. In 1992, the year
Kurdish self rule began, the democratic elections
for the Kurdistan National Assembly resulted in five
seats being allocated to the Christians of the
region.
Since 1991 Chaldo-Assyrians have been able to
publish newspapers, run television and radio
broadcasts in their own language and establish their
own political parties. Within the KRG administered
area more than 30 Assyrian language schools have
been supported by regional government funding and
more than 20 Churches have been restored.
The regional Government and all the peoples of
Kurdistan are now working together to secure a
better future based on shared values and principles.
They are working towards a democratic, pluralistic,
secular and federal political system in Iraq, one
based on cooperation and consensus.
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