Iraq: Update to IRQ30137.E of 30 September 1998 on the situation of Assyrian and Chaldean Christians in northern Iraq
| Publisher | Canada: Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada |
| Author | Research Directorate, Immigration and Refugee Board, Canada |
| Publication Date | 1 December 1998 |
| Citation / Document Symbol | IRQ30622.E |
| Cite as | Canada: Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada, Iraq: Update to IRQ30137.E of 30 September 1998 on the situation of Assyrian and Chaldean Christians in northern Iraq, 1 December 1998, IRQ30622.E, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/3ae6aaf988.html [accessed 29 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. |
According to the US Department of State report on the current situation of Christian in the world and entitled United States Policies in Support of Religious Freedom: Focus on Christians,
The provisional constitution of 1968 states that "Islam is the religion of the State," but the Government of Iraq severely limits freedom of religion. Ethnic and religious communities, including the majority Shi'a population and the Kurds in northern Iraq, not associated with the ruling clique have suffered massive repression for decades.
The U.N. Special Rapporteur on Iraq and others report that the Iraqi Government has engaged in various abuses against the country's 350,000 Assyrian Christians. Most Assyrians traditionally live in the northern governorates, and the Government often has suspected them of "collaborating" with Kurds. Assyrians are an ethnic group as well as a Christian community. They speak a distinct language--Syriac--which is banned de facto in public. The U.N. Special Rapporteur reported continued discrimination and persecution against Assyrians throughout 1996. Other sources also report that the Government continued in 1996 to harass and kill Assyrian Christians throughout the country, using forced relocations, terror, and artillery bombardments.
U.S. Government actions: The United States does not have diplomatic relations with Iraq and thus does not have bilateral channels in which to raise human rights issues. However, the United States has vigorously led the international community's condemnation of human rights violations in Iraq. At the UNGA, the U.S. led successful efforts to adopt a resolution condemning Iraq's human rights record. The U.S. Government has also strongly supported the U.N. Special Rapporteur on Iraq and assisted his staff in their interviews of refugees from northern Iraq, including Assyrian Christians, who were in Guam awaiting resettlement in the United States (22 July 1997).
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.
Reference
United States Policies in Support of Religious Freedom: Focus on Christians. 22 July 1997. Washington: US Department of State. [Internet] < http://www.state.gov/www/global/human_rights/970722_relig_rpt_ christian.html >
Additional Sources Consulted
Three oral sources did not have information on this subject.
Electronic sources: RD Database, Internet, Lexis-Nexis
