Iraq: Chaldean Christians, the size of the community, their treatment by non-Chaldean Iraqis and by the government
| Publisher | Canada: Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada |
| Author | Research Directorate, Immigration and Refugee Board, Canada |
| Publication Date | 1 April 1998 |
| Citation / Document Symbol | IRQ29291.E |
| Cite as | Canada: Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada, Iraq: Chaldean Christians, the size of the community, their treatment by non-Chaldean Iraqis and by the government, 1 April 1998, IRQ29291.E, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/3ae6ab1c38.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. |
The following information was provided to the Research Directorate in a 28 April 1998 telephone interview with a representative of the Middle East Council of Churches in Limassol, Cyprus. Most Chaldeans in Iraq are originally from the north of the country, in the Mosul area. The Chaldean Catholic Church of Babylon became part of the Roman Catholic Church (and is thus sometimes referred to as a "uniate" church) as a result of a historical schism within the Holy Apostolic Catholic Assyrian Church of the East (the Assyrian Church, whose members are referred to as "Assyrians" in the World Directory of Minorities ( see below). The representative added that the Assyrian Church has now also come to an understanding with the Roman Catholic Church.
The representative stated that the current Baathist government in Iraq is secular and does not discriminate against Christians in any legal or administrative way. The representative also stated that he is not aware of any significant instances of violence, discrimination, or harassment directed against Chaldeans on religious or communal grounds over the course of the past two years.
According to the World Directory of Minorities, conservative estimates put the numbers of adherents of the Assyrian Church in Iraq at about 250,000, while Assyrian sources estimate estimate the number as between one and two million (1997, 346). Adherents of the Chaldean Church number "probably over 300,000," among them Deputy Prime Minister Tariq Aziz (ibid., 347).
According to a 21 February 1998 article in the Calgary Herald, the Christians of Iraq were a "privileged minority," but the economic hardship caused by the sanctions imposed on Iraq after the 1990 invasion of Kuwait has motivated nearly one-third of them to leave the country. Chaldean Catholic Bishop Emmanuel Delli is quoted as saying that Christians "have left for economic reasons, because of the war and the continuing war of sanctions, because there's no stability." The Pope's representative in Iraq, Archbishop Guiseppe Lazzarotto, is quoted as saying that Iraqi Christians have expressed concern about what could happen after Saddam Hussein leaves power (ibid.). The article added that Christians in Iraq receive significant financial assistance from relatives in the United States.
A 2 March 1998 article in Le Monde quotes an Iraqi Christian, Youssef Habbi, as saying that at the early phase of the economic hardship currently affecting Iraq, it was mostly Christians who emigrated, perhaps because they had more contacts outside the country. He added that now, however, members of all religious communities are leaving Iraq.
On 19 February 1998 the Rome newspaper La Repubblica reported that Pope John Paul II had accepted an invitation to visit Iraq. The invitation was personally given to the Pope "on behalf of the Iraqi Church and Government" by Archbishop Raphael Bedawid, the patriarch of Iraq's Chaldean Catholics, who was visiting the Vatican. The Pope said that his visit to Iraq would not take place before the year 2,000 (ibid.).
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.
References
Calgary Herald. 21 February 1998. John Donnelly. "Iraqi Christians on Razor's Edge." (NEXIS)
Le Monde. 2 March 1998. Gilles Paris. "Irak generation embargo..." (NEXIS)
Middle East Council of Churches, Limassol, Cyprus. 28 April 1998. Telephone interview with a representative.
La Repubblica [Rome, in Italian ( Internet version]. 19 February 1998. Orazio La Rocca. "Pope: 'I Will Visit Baghdad But Not Before Year 2000.' " (FBIS-WEU-98-050 19 Feb. 1998/WNC)
World Directory of Minorities. 1997. London: Minority Rights Group International.
