With Respect
Re: Status of Religious and Ethnic Minorities in Iraq
Best Greetings and Respect,
I am Iraqi citizen Ali Sedo Rasho, one of the Yezidi religious minority and president of the Yezidi Cultural Association as of June 2003. until now. I have the honor to be one of the cadres of the American University in Cairo for two years: 15/11/2007 to 30/10/2009.
As an establishing member of the Minorities Council and Parliament in Iraq, I would like to congratulate you heartily in my name and on behalf of my colleagues wishing you every success in your noble attempts in the service of humanity which is in bad need for your personal efforts.
It is definite that through your direct contact with the situation in Iraq, your Excellency came to know the living situation and the atmosphere in which Iraqis find themselves generally and especially ethnic and religious minorities and which came to be significant after the change of the regime through intervention of the American forces on 09/04/2003. Where religious and national parties took hold of political power and where religious and national extremism in addition to charging others with infidelity prevailed.
International Studies:-
I suppose that your Excellency is aware of the international report prepared under supervision of the Ex-Ambassador of the Arab League to Iraq, MR. Mukhtar Lamany and the renown member of the (CIGI) with H.Q in Canada, where he seriously admitted his fear that these minorities could be completely extirpated with all that they represent in the history and civilization of Iraq if their present situation continues. Here is a paragraph of that report saying "Suffering of the Iraqi people is one but there is specialty for some minorities amounting to about (14) ethnic, national and religious minorities who played a historical role in the civilization of Iraq but were submitted to compulsory migration." Pointing out that "Around 25-30% of the total minorities were compelled to leave their homes and these, percentages in some minorities are higher than others 90% of the Sabia'a Al Mandaeen, for example, migrated and Christians between 50 – 60% and the fear is destruction of the variety that existed with the presence of civilization in Iraq."
The international report presents a complete explanation of the status of the Yezidis in Iraq and it shows that while they are a minority region wise and on the national level but they are a majority inside their villages in north of Iraq and the regions disputed between the Central Government in Baghdad and Kurdistan region . The Yezidis can not choose between becoming Moslems or expulsion and execution. That is why they had to escape from Mosul in 2007 and as such they are liable to diminish especially with the sensitivity of demographic balance as they are not permitted by their religion to marry Non- Yezidis in addition to the low number of inhabitants and compulsory migration. Another suffering is on the level of practicing their rituals. The best solution in their opinion is in the presence of a secular government who will be capable of protecting their rights equally with the rights of other groups.
Pervious governments had their big unforgivable mistakes towards rights of the minorities although they were at most secular governments. Despite our sufferings due to demographic change and political marginalization then but we were not feeling direct aggression, racial cleansing, bodily liquidation and religious extremism as what is happening today. Chances of life were open in front of us, our students were studying without fear in the universities and also as professors with many others and also those of us who were in the army and other jobs. We were not feeling threatened, disposed, insulted or migrated in addition to ravishing our rights in the Iraqi street or from government legal and official platforms as is happening today. The most significant evidence on this being cancellation of Article 50 of the law for provisional elections of governorate council and clearing of political accounts at the level of minorities in addition to daily group killing under the mercy of a government claiming democracy and not capable of protecting us in the presence of three ministries for human rights. The Arab extremists kill us as atheists and cooperators with the Kurds and also the Kurdish extremists kill us as atheists who should be brought back to the enclosure of Islam. We can not be spared of this crisis unless with the capability of a capable and a real, serious and effective international cooperation.
I also propose that your Excellency is aware of the study supervised by George Washington University on Nov 18, 2008 and presented to the American Congress bearing the same fears after hearing of those who prepared the study to live and direct certificates from the distinguished cream of these minorities in a general conference held in Washington because of these fears.
Our Real Suffering:
There are local, regional and international bodies working and conspiracies being carried out today so that the country is evacuated from the beautiful painting carrying history of Iraq through its different minorities and the addition of the international effort to avail a secure refuge for them in Europe or America notwithstanding our suffering out of the psychological and bad results as we are vulnerable to extinction under different arguments and reasoning of which for example and not counting : ethnic dissolution, changing of ethnic specialty and compulsion either to be Moslem or face death or even when we migrate to Europe or America.
Relating the destiny of the disputed regions where are centered most of the minorities from Yezidis, Shabak, Chyldoassyrian, Assyrians, Armenians and Kakais especially in the Governorate of Nineveh in addition to the Phaili Kurds, Sabia'a Mandaen in Khankeen and South Iraq, relating all these to Kirkuk problem which may extend to years especially that canceling of Article 140 made it in a period of years liable to complications between political blocks. As such:
These regions were deprived of all their human, cultural, education, civil and service rights in addition to participation in political and electoral life in real participation in making life.
They became regions subjected to compromises among big political blocks as if these minorities are their own ownership with which human and geographic rights they can do according to requirements of these blocks while these minorities do not have even the right of objection which is against all United Nation Agreements, Covenants and Protocols especially those concerning human rights.
The Role of Terrorism:-
Accordingly we put before your Excellency the dark future of these minorities who became real targets for terrorism and vulnerable to extinction while their number has been deteriorating by migration abroad and internally especially professionals after the horrible explosions "The so called atomic" with four trucks in the two villages of Kahtania and Al-Jazeera in Sinjar, affiliate of Nineveh Governorate on August 14, 2007 the Result of which was more than one thousand Yezidis killed and injured in addition to complete destruction on of the two villages . Before that incident was the killing of (24) Yezidis textile worker on identity in Mosul on April22, 2007 after selecting out Christians and Moslems from among them. In addition to the terrorist attacks by armed Kurds on February 15, 2007 against civilians and chiefs of Yezidis in Al-sheikhan, burning their private homes and throwing shoes on their religious symbols, in addition to depriving students of their right in education.
Also killing and expelling of Christians, Sabia'a, Mandaens and Shabak in Mosul and other regions of Iraq and the incapability of minorities to arrange their identity documents such as passports and national cards, so that they are not enabled to travel or move except through mediators and exploitation against hundred thousands of Iraqi Diners amidst tight economic situation due to unemployment and abandonment of their jobs and university study in towns, escaping to villages and remote areas in search of protection from organized terrorism.
Our Real Demands:-
The U.S.A to bear its ethical covenants and political responsibilities under international agreements as an occupation state and to undertake protecting us from black terrorism.
Effective intervention from your Excellency personally and in cooperation with the continuous international efforts in containment of this problem which will add a heavy load to the already existing problems in reality at the time when it can be evaded before it is too late.
We do not wish to leave our country as there we have the accumulation of our heritage and the history of our presence and also our religious personalities and the tombs of our grandfathers and martyrs.
Exerting pressure on the Iraqi Federal Government and the Government of Kurdistan Region to protect minorities against this rising terrorism and securing their constitutional rights in practical from.
Hastening the solution of Nineveh Governorate which came up after election of the governorate councils between the Hadba'a (National) list and Nineveh (The brotherly), where the Yezidis are paying real price for this problem.
Our hope is big in God and your Excellency to solve this problem which is dominating our life and which will cause big damages for future generations and changing of demography of our living areas anew through evacuating it of its constituents extending deep in history.
With our greatest respect.
Copy to: Embassy of U.S.A in A.R.E – with respect.
Ali Sedo Rasho
Member of Amnesty International.
Human Rights Activist.
President of Yezidi Cultural Association in Iraq.
Visiting professor at AUC
Cairo 2nd June 2009
E-mail : rqshoali@yahoo.com
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