Iraq: Mandaeans in Iraq; whether they can practice their religion in public (e.g., Baptism in flowing rivers) or whether they are forced to use indoor water sources; problems at the hands of the authorities or the public; protection available

An article reprinted on wordarchive.com Website quotes Mandaeans living in the United States since 1991 as saying that Mandaeans originated in the Jordan River area, in Palestine, and at the beginning of the 20th century they established communities in Southern Iraq and Southwestern Iran (4 Nov. 1999). Because of the marshes that used to be found in southern Iraq, there they were able to practise one of the rituals of their religion which is a daily baptism in flowing water (ibid.). However, changes began in the 1980s. According to a Mandaean believer, "'Saddam Hussein change the whole demographic of the area when he built a giant canal back in the 80s ... [diverted] water from the marshes ... denying Mandaeans the ability to practise their religion there'" (ibid.). An AFP report dated 21 March 1998 quotes a Mandaean priest in Baghdad, Sheikh Khalaf Abed Rabbuh, who stated that the Mandaeans in Iraq had started to move to Baghdad in the 1940s but the exodus was more important in recent years due to 1980-1988 Iraq-Iran War and the Gulf war in 1991 which affected Southern Iraq (ibid.). As well, an uprising of Shiite Moslems after the Gulf War had an impact on the stability of the area (ibid.). AFP mentions the fact also that Saddam Hussein had drained the marshes in the area to convert them to farmland (ibid.). Mandaeans emigrated as well to Europe, America and Australia (ibid.; The Arkansas Democrat-Gazette 10 July 1999).

Sheikh Khalaf stated that Mandaeans in Iraq are able to keep "'approximately to the old ways'" (AFP 21 Mar. 1998). There are 23 Mandaeans priests in Iraq and five temples throughout the country: in Amara, Basra and Nasiriya (three southern cities), in Baghdad, and in Kirkuk, in the north (ibid.).

AFP reported as well that on the 21 March 1998, 2 000 Mandaeans were baptised in the River Tigris (ibid.). A few days earlier, "hundreds of Mandaeans turned out to be baptised at the honeymooners' island of al-Khadra in the south of the capital ... " (ibid.).

According to the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, "the Mandaean leaders [in the United States] preferred to focus on the study of Mandaean history and theology, not the problems facing their people in Iran and Iraq, for fear of violence against those Mandaeans who remain in their countries" (10 July 1999). The Arkansas Democrat-Gazette quotes one of them saying that: "'we [Mandaeans] have a lots of problems, and we cannot talk about all of them'" (ibid.). Another leader specified that: "'We are a very private people. We live in a peaceful setting, we like to practice our religion, we are seekers of knowledge'" (ibid.).

However, on 12 May 2000, the Mandaean Society of America released an urgent appeal to Indonesia, the UN High Commissioner for Refugees and the International Red Cross in order to prevent the deportation of Mandaeans from Indonesia to Iraq after being arrested by the Indonesian authorities as they were en route to Australia (Zinda Magazine 30 May 2000; IPR 22 May 2000). According to the Mandaean Society of America, because they were described as "traitors" by a Bagdad newspaper called Babil, they can face execution if they are returned to Iraq (ibid.; Zinda Magazine 30 May 2000). According to IPR, Babil is "under control of Udayy Saddam Hussein (the president's son)" (22 May 2000). The Mandaean Society of America added that: "'even if their names are given to the Iraqi authorities, their relatives might suffer severe punishments as well'" (ibid.; Zinda Magazine 30 May 2000). No further information on Mandaeans nor on the protection available to them in Iraq could be found by the Research Directorate.

This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the Research Directorate within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim to refugee status or asylum. Please find below the list of additional sources consulted in researching this Information Request.

References

Agence France Presse (AFP). 21 March 1998. Steve Kirby. "'90s Iraq." (NEXIS)

Info-Prod Research (Middle East). 22 May 2000. "Mandaeans Detained in Indonesia." (NEXIS)

The Arkansas Democrat-Gazette [Little Rock]. 10 July 1999. Holly J. Lebowitz. "Ancient Religion Group Holds Conference at Harvard." (NEXIS)

Wordarchive.com. 4 Nov. 1999. Marie Caody. "Mandaeans Exiles Struggle to Fit In." [Accessed 14 Dec. 2000]

Zinda Magazine. 30 May 2000. "158 Mandaeans Detained in Indonesia." [Accessed 2 Jan. 2001]

Additional Sources Consulted

IRB databases

One source did not respond to a request for information

Internet sites including:

Mandaean Web Site

Mandaean World

Human Rights Watch

FIDH

Amnesty International

2000 Annual Report on International Religious Freedom: Iraq

Minorities at Risk Project

UNHCR

Search Engines including:

Google

Metacrawler