Iraq: 1) Are the Assyrians in grave danger? Are they being forced to give up their nationality? 2) Are the Christians losing their identity? Are they in danger? 3) Is there widespread torture and killing of Assyrians and Christians? 4) Is there any evidence of persecution of these groups?
| Publisher | Canada: Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada |
| Author | Research Directorate, Immigration and Refugee Board, Canada |
| Publication Date | 1 July 1990 |
| Citation / Document Symbol | IRQ6217 |
| Cite as | Canada: Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada, Iraq: 1) Are the Assyrians in grave danger? Are they being forced to give up their nationality? 2) Are the Christians losing their identity? Are they in danger? 3) Is there widespread torture and killing of Assyrians and Christians? 4) Is there any evidence of persecution of these groups?, 1 July 1990, IRQ6217, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/3ae6ab2a70.html [accessed 30 May 2023] |
| Disclaimer | This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. |
1) & 2) World Minorities: A Second Volume reports in 1978 that Assyrians in Iraq have won certain (predominantly paper) rights to cultural autonomy, and that they are permitted to form an Academy for the promotion of Assyrian language and culture (Ashworth, Georgina, ed., World Minorities: A Second Volume, 1978, pp. 14-15). International Assyrian organizations in 1978 however view the government's policy of urging those Assyrians who speak Arabic as a first or second language to register for the new census as Arabs, as an attempt to weaken the largest Assyrian community in the world (World Minorities: A Second Volume, p. 15).
Regarding the religious status of the Assyrians and Christians in Iraq, a 1990 report issued by Middle East Watch states that the Iraqi government officially recognizes 15 Christian communities, but that Christian sects are prohibited from proselytizing among Moslems, while the reverse is permitted (Middle East Watch, Human Rights in Iraq, 1990, pp. 70-71). Government enforced classes in Islamic religion for Iraqi Christian children existed in 1980 and 1981, according to an Iraqi Christian emigre (Middle East Watch, p. 71). A September 1987 bulletin published by La Fédération internationale des droits de l'homme reports that all Christian prisoners of war in Iraq and Iran are converted by force to the Islamic religion (Fédération internationale des droits de l'homme, La lettre de la F.I.D.H., 8 September 1987, p. 4).
An Iraqi Assyrian emigre states as well that the teaching of the Assyrian language is forbidden and that Assyrian Christians who identify themselves as such undergo official discrimination, while those Christians and Assyrians who identify themselves as "Arabs" appear to suffer no discrimination (Middle East Watch, p. 71). Moslem Iraqis consider that the Christians are a favored minority (Middle East Watch, p. 71). The U.S. Department of State, meanwhile, indicates that following their religion has not prevented many Christians from obtaining wealth and professional advancement, and that Christians hold important official and private positions (U.S Department of State, Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 1989, 1990, p. 1420).
3) Amnesty International reports that a family of four Assyrians in Iraq was tortured and executed in September or October 1988 (Amnesty International, Response to Information Request, 16 February 1990). On 3 February 1985, three Assyrians who were part of a group of 150 Assyro-Chaldeans were executed without proceedings, while a priest who conducted a funeral service for a member of the military who belonged to the Assyrian Church, was arrested and allegedly poisoned (Lettre de la F.I.D.H., 3 March 1987). According to La Fédération internationale des droits de l'homme, since 1985, 286 Kurdish, Assyrian, Turkmen and Yazidi villages have been destroyed, hundreds of Assyrians in Kurdistan Iraq have been arrested without proceedings, and there are many arbitrary executions (La lettre de la F.I.D.H., 8 September 1987, pps. 3-4).
4) Amnesty International asserts that according to its mandate Assyrian Christians in Iraq are not persecuted on the basis of their religion (Response to Information Request, 16 February 1990), while La Fédération internationale des droits de l'homme claims the contrary (La lettre de la F.I.D.H., 3 March 1987, p.4)
A large number of Assyrian Christian churches have been destroyed or damaged (Response to Information Request, 16 February 1990; Middle East Watch, p. 71; La lettre de la F.I.D.H., 3 March 1987, p. 3).
For further information, please consult the attached Information Request LBN3207 of 14 February 1990 on the treatment of Assyrian Christians in Lebanon and Information Request IRQ5870 of 11 July 1990 on the treatment of Assyrian Christians in Iraq.
Attached:
Fédération internationale des droits de l'homme, La lettre de la F.I.D.H., 3 March 1987, pp. 2-4; 8 September 1987,
pp. 3-4).
Middle East Watch, Human Rights in Iraq. (U.S.A.: Human Rights Watch, 1990), pps. 69-73.
Amnesty International, Response to Information Request, 16 February 1990.
Ashworth, Georgina, ed., World Minorities: A Second Volume. (U.K.: Quartermaine House Ltd., 1978), pps. 12-17.
Department of State, Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 1989. (Washington: U.S. Government Printing Office, 1990), pps. 1418-1421.
Middle East Council of Churches, The Situation of Assyrians in Syria and Lebanon, March 1990.
Information Requests LBN3207 and IRQ5870
