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Chaldeans OK the Kurdistan regional
constitution
25.10.2006 |
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The Chaldeans expressed their satisfaction with
their rights in the draft constitution of Kurdistan.
Duhok, Kurdistan Region (Iraq), October 25
,--- Following two days of continuous discussions on
electing a new president and a central committee for
the Chaldean Democratic Union Party (CDUP), the
conference held in Duhok ended with recommendations
and several proposals drawn up for a new approach to
take in Kurdistan Region.
Coming from different cities in Iraq including
Baghdad, Mosul, Erbil, Kirkuk and Duhok, the
Chaldeans expressed their satisfaction with their
rights in the draft constitution of Kurdistan and
demanded annexation of their regions in the Valley
of Nineveh to Kurdistan.
Showing her appreciation for efforts of Kurdish
authorities in Kurdistan Region, Rita Aziz from
Bartella, 10 km north of Mosul feels safe to be
here. However, she hopes to see more job
opportunities for her people like others. "?
This is how our friendship will be animated and make
us feel that we are part of this region."
Mr. Ramsey Denkha, Member of Mosul City Council,
says the stability, democracy, and the rule of law
in Kurdistan are all signs of guaranteeing the
rights of all, including the Chaldeans. He did,
however, express fears of religious extremism, which
has reached Mosul.
Religious extremism and extremist views against
Christians are now happening in Mosul, Dankha says,
explaining those responsible for such actions are
individuals who use the recent statements of Pope as
an excuse to justify their wrongdoings.
"Some people do not desire stability in Iraq and are
against its social structure," Dankha says, "and
it's these people who want persecution and
prosecution of Christians."
He also hoped the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG)
will return Assyrian villages, currently inhabited
by non-Assyrians, to them upon completion of their
reconstruction projects.
Chaldean rights were also among the topics discussed
during the conference. Mr. Baizar Malko, Member of
the Kurdistan Parliament wished the name Chaldeans
was listed separately in Article VI of the draft
constitution, without linking it to any other name.
This comes in response to some recent calls by
several Christian leaders who had asked for the
complex phrase of Cheldo-Assyrian-Syriac to be used
to describe the various groups of Christian faith
living in Iraq.
"We consider our rights equal to those of all
peoples in Kurdistan, including religious
ceremonies, celebrations, having our schools and so
forth, but we are still fighting for more," Malko
says.
In regard to demanding some sort of autonomy for
Christians in Christian-dominated areas in the
Nineveh Valley, east of Mosul, Baizar says, "It is
not an easy thing to achieve at a time we hope to
annex all our regions and village to Kurdistan
Region." He adds,
"We are also demanding the rebuilding of Christian
villages and compensating land-owners along with
constructing churches since the areas were Christian
for 2000 years, but their demography was changed
after the spread of Islam."
Compared to other areas in Iraq, the condition of
Assyrians in Kirkuk is not considered to be best
either. Nithanl Maruki, a participant in the
conference and a former Kirkuk resident is now
living in Batnaya.
She says the future in Kirkuk is still uncertain,
adding that her daughters were not able to complete
their studies. Another big concern that Maruki has
is her inability to transfer her children to schools
in Kurdistan Region.
With over 165 members partaking in it, the
conference was held for the recognition of the
existence of Chaldeans and their national rights in
the constitution of Iraq in general and of Kurdistan
Region in particular.
The first conference was held in Duhok City from
October 19-20, 2006.
Mr Ablhad Ifram was re-elected Secretary General of
the party. He said that the conference had
recommended several decisions that are in line with
current stage developments.
Since the founding of the party, this was the first
conference to be held in six years. Although this
conference was previously scheduled to be held about
a year ago; however, it was postponed due to
situations the region was experiencing at the time.
In addition to the support of the federal region of
Kurdistan in a pluralistic federal Iraq, Ifram says,
the conference approved supporting efforts of the
KRG in the annexation of areas from where the
previous regime had cut off everything, The areas
included valley locations of Nineveh, Sinjar,
Sheikhan, Zummar, Khanaqin, Mandali, Makhmour,
around Mosul and Kirkuk.
Despite his support to articles in the draft
constitution of the region backing Assyrians, Mr.
Ifram says, "We do not accept any manipulation in
listing compound names in the introduction," because
he says doing so is distorting history.
In addition to these comments, the Secretary General
of the CDUP also says they will do all they can to
guarantee administrative rights of Christians. "We
will do that through designating and nominating them
(Assyrians) for administrative units in which the
majority of the population are Chaldeans.
The Chaldeans in Kurdistan Region are said to number
more than 35 thousand and much higher in Iraq as
whole. Mr. Minas Yousif, Head of the Chaldean
Cultural Centre in Duhok says many Chaldeans have
migrated from other Iraqi cities to Kurdistan Region
for security and for reasons of having their rights
guaranteed in the region's constitution at the same
time.
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